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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 3 February 1988
MR. TIN LEE: Sir, such a non-answer makes the asking of supplementary questions very difficult but I will try. Does the Administration appreciate that the relevant question copied by AGB McNair HK Ltd. from the Green Paper, consisted of 251 words in English and 368 characters in Chinese, and yet still failed to ask the simple question as to whether the people polled would like to see direct elections introduced in 1988?
CHIEF SECRETARY: Sir, my original answer indeed addressed the question from Mr. LEE. He is asking me to comment on the professional judgement of a survey firm in forming their questions and what was in their mind when they formed those questions. I repeat, Sir, that I do not believe it is for me to make such a judgment. However, I may be able to help Mr. LEE in two regards; firstly, I would like to reiterate that as far as the company was concerned, neither the Survey Office nor the Government had in any way sought to give detailed directions on how the survey should be conducted or to influence the drafting of the questionnaire. My understanding of the position of AGB McNair is that having been asked to conduct public opinion surveys on the issues and options set out in the Green Paper, it was their professional opinion that they should as far as possible follow the wording of the Green Paper since to depart from that wording could lead to a distortion of the findings of the survey.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Sir, in view of the McNair Survey findings, based on simple and direct questions, I believe, that broadly speaking the general public favour retaining the existing 30-member composition of Urban Council and does not advocate Urban Councillors relinquishing their ex-officio seats on district boards, why is Government putting forth proposals which are opposite to such public opinion?
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR: That would appear to be the subject of another question, Mr. CHEONG-LEEN. Would you put down a separate question on that as it does not relate to the original question or the original answer?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Sir, may I have a written reply if that is convenient?
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR: I will pass on your request to the Chief Secretary.
DR. LAM (in Cantonese): Sir, regarding the speech by the Chief Secretary on 18 November last year, does he know at that time that AGB McNair do not have the full freedom to design the questionnaire as mentioned by Mr. FOULKES, MP?
CHIEF SECRETARY: Sir, as I have explained in my answer to Mr. LEE, the way in which the questionnaires were framed is a matter for AGB McNair. I thought that I had made that very clear in my answer to the supplementary question by Mr. LEE. The Government did not try to influence AGB McNair, nor did the Survey Office try to influence AGB McNair in the formation of their questions.