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CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 06100OZ
FM HONG KONG 06085OZ MAR 85
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 470 OF 6 MARCH
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
LAKK 011
RPCE, VLOW
TOP COPY
MARY
6 MAR 198
MIPT: AMENDMENTS TO LETTERS PATENT AND ROYAL UNSTRUCTIONS, EIL
FOLLOWING IS FULL TEXT OF PROPOSED PRESS RELEASE TO BE ISSUED
WHEN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) BILL IS PUBLISHED
IN GAZETTE ON 8 MARCH.
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DRAFT PRESS RELEASE
A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR INDIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL BY ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WILL BE
INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 13 MARCH 1985.
2. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) BILL 1985, PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY, SEEKS TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE PLANS
DESCRIBED IN THE WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG.
3. IT IS BASED BROADLY ON THE EXISTING ELECTORAL LAW FOR THE
URBAN COUNCIL AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS. IT IS IN EIGHT PARTS AND
CONTAINS TWO SCHEDULES, THE LATTER SETTING OUT IN DETAIL THE
VARIOUS ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONSTITUENCIES AND FUNCTIONAL
CONSTITUENCIES, THE CATEGORIES OF PERSONS ENTITLED TO BE
REGISTERED AS ELECTORS, AND THE NUMBER OF SEATS FOR EACH CONSTITUENCY.
4. THE FIRST SCHEDULE TO THE BILL DEALS WITH THE PROPOSED
ELECTORAL COLLEGE. A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT IN
ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONSTITUENCIES, EACH MEMBER WILL HAVE ONE VOTE.
URBAN COUNCILLORS AND PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCILLORS WHO ARE
ALSO DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO VOTE IN THEIR
URBAN OR REGIONAL COUNCIL CONSTITUENCIES SEMICOLON THEY WILL NOT
HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE OR ADDITIONAL VOTE IN THEIR DISTRICT BOARD
CONSTITUENCY AS WELL. THE CHAIRMAN AND TWO VICE-CHAIRMEN OF THE
HEUNG YEE KUK WILL VOTE IN THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL
CONSTITUENCY.
5.
NINE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES ARE SPECIFIED IN THE SECOND
SCHEDULE. THESE ARE: THE COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND LABOUR
CONSTITUENCIES WHICH WILL EACH RETURN TWO MEMBERS SEMICOLON AND
THE FINANCIAL CONSTITUENCY, THE SOCIAL SERVICES CONSTITUENCY, THE MEDICAL CONSTITUENCY, THE TEACHING CONSTITUENCY, THE LEGAL CONSTITUENCY AND THE ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURAL, SURVEYING AND
PLANNING CONSTITUENCY, WHICH WILL EACH RETURN ONE MEMBER.
CONFIDENTIAL
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