ARYACT
CONFIDENTIAL
119 JUL 1988
88/HKB 011/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
24 FEB 1989
›~SK OFFICER
FROM: AR PAUL, HKD
DATE: 19 July 1988 }
CC:
PS/Lord Glenarthur Mr Gillmote
Minuke
119/200
Mr McLaren
Private Secretary
5
г
HONG KONG'S LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL : THE IMPACT OF ELECTIONS
181
/ 1. I submit a despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong dated 16 July
about Hong Kong's Legislative Council. The Secretary of State may
wish to see this before his meeting with the Governor on 20 July.
2. The despatch brings out clearly the major and dramatic changes
that have taken place within LegCo in the past three years: it has grown from a body of little status or prominence into one of real and growing influence. The essential message of the despatch is that this process of change is bound to continue, with consequences
we cannot at this stage accurately predict but must try to
anticipate.
3. The Governor makes a number of points of particular interest:
the Hong Kong Government is in effect a minority one: it cannot automatically count on the support of more than the ten official members, although it has so far avoided defeat on all matters of
importance.
the non-officials constitute an overwhelming majority on the
LegCo Finance Committee, and thus have the power to frustrate
any Government proposal which requires public expenditure.
CONFIDENTIAL