ACEAHX
Private Secretary
DEBATE ON HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
FROM
нквоча MKB 040/ BATE
25 JAN 1985
51
2 0 JAN 1988
: CO Hum O
Hong Kong
11 12
2
Hong Kong Department 20 January 1988
Mr McLaren
Mr Houston
Mrs Bottomley
Mr Meyer, News Department
Cc :
مات
The Secretary of State has asked for the Survey Office report, and for further material on views about direct elections.
1.
2. I attach a copy of the Survey Office report. The section on direct elections is pages 52-57: the key figures are highlighted.
3.
It has to be said that opinions are recorded in an elaborate way which tends to detract from their clarity. Simplified, they suggest the following breakdown of views in respect of direct elections when the issue was debated in Hong Kong's various organs
of government (see page 53):
LegCo UrbCo RegCo
Dist.Boards
Support for/no objection to
direct elections in 1988
18
13
6
121
158
Other views
24
9
LO
5
146
184
These figures clearly support the contention that there is a sharp division of view over timing, with no clear current of opinion in
one direction.
4. The same table on page 53 also gives figures for submissions by individuals. I do not recommend that these figures should be used. They are bound up in elaborate arguments by Mr Lee on how various
CONFIDENTIAL