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LB2AER
SECRET
THE COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATURE:
FUTURE OF SEATS NOW HELD BY APPOINTED AND OFFICIAL MEMBERS
1.
12
The present Hong Kong legislature is composed of 56
are indirectly elected by functional constituencies: 12 by electoral colleges: 22 are appointed
and 10 are official members.
members:
2. The Joint Declaration provides that the legislature of
the Hong Kong Special Administration Region shall be
Section
constituted
by elections (Annex
I
I
third
paragraph).
3.
No problems of convergence therefore arise from members of the legislature who are indirectly elected (by
whatever method) or any who may before 1997 be directly elected. However as paragraph 17 of paper II: the question of convergence, handed by sir Geoffrey Howe to Foreign Minister Wu Xueqian in May noted, if convergence is to be achieved smoothly between the existing Legislative Council
and the future legislature of the Hong Kong SAR, provision will need to be made for the by appointed and official members.
4.
seats now occupied
of the Hong Kong
date
to
Until September 1985, all members legislature were appointed by Governor. They were selected to represent important sectors of Hong Kong society. The
appointment was system of
continued after that
provide for continuity in the legislature and to enable Hong Kong to benefit from the services of people who either do not have the time, because of other business
commitments, or would not be willing to become involved in
seeking membership through an electoral process. have been suggestions that appointed
indefinitely (see 1984 White
continue
There
members should
Paper, paragraph
19).
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SECRET
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