X
x (a)
(b)
1984 Hong Kong Government White Paper on the Further Development of Representative Government in Hong Kong, 24 members of the Council have, since 1985. been chosen by a system of indirect elections. Twelve are elected by an electoral college comprising all members of the District Boards and the Urban and Regional Councils; and twelve by functional constituencies representing significant sectors of the community.
The Legislative Council
25. The 1985-86 session of the Legislative Council marked a significant stage in its history. In addition to the introduction of elected members for the first time, the size of the Council was increased from 45 to 56, and the number of civil servant members was reduced from 16 to 10. The Council also moved to a new Chamber, physically separate from the central Government offices, and met weekly, instead of every two weeks. In addition to dealing with some 72 Bills at various stages of enactment. Council members asked 296 questions and 797 supplementary questions of official members, compared with 179 questions and 349 supplementaries in the previous session, and held debates on a number of specific policy issues.
26.
Thus the 1985-86 session saw a marked increase in the volume of business conducted by the Council. It was characterised by lively and at timesheated debate on important issues such as the safety of the future nuclear power plant at Daya Bay in Guangdong province of the People's Republic of China and the further development of representative government in the territory.
27. The increasingly vigorous style of Council proceedings and the tendency for Councillors to air their differences openly, rather than in closed session, as in the past, has continued into the 1986-87 session. The debate on the motion of thanks for the Governor's opening address, during which almost all members spoke, was dominated by discussion. of the direction which the further development of Hong Kong's system of representative government should take. Views were expressed strongly for and against rapid changes in the present system. The current session has also seen the Council adopt the practice of holding an adjournment debate at the close of virtually every sitting. Issues already debated include medical services, public housing rental policy, care of the elderly, industrial safety and education.
The 1987 Review
28. In line with the commitment in the 1984 White Paper. the Hong Kong Government will undertake a further review of the progress of the development of representative government in 1987. A Green Paper will be published, following which there will be a period of public consultation. A White Paper setting out the Government's intentions, in the light of public opinion expressed, will then be published. The main issues on which the views of the public will be sought include whether there should be further changes in the composition of the Legislative Council, and whether the Governor should continue to be President of the Legislative Council.
29. The differences of opinion voiced in the community on the direction which further political reforms should take is a measure of the considerable public interest in these issues which is now being focused on the forthcoming review of representative government. The issue attracting the greatest attention, particularly in the media, is whether an element of direct elections to the Legislative Council should be introduced, and, in particular, whether they should be introduced in 1988. Opinion on the issue is divided. The Hong Kong Government has not taken any view on the possible outcome of the 1987 review. Its aim will be to seek the widest possible public response, so as to ensure that it can take full account of all shades of Hong Kong opinion in considering what changes, if any, are required as a result of the review.
30. The publicity surrounding the work of the Basic Law Drafting Committee has stimulated public debate on the question of further political reform. The Basic Law will not come into force until 1 July 1997. Nevertheless, the importance of achieving compatibility between the structure of government as it continues to evolve up to 1997 and the structure of the future Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government after 1997, is widely understood by the community.
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