HOUSE
HK
3-20 11:59
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9.
In 1995, the key factor in broadening and refining
the system will be the satisfactory identification of an
unambiguous electorate for other constituencies. We will be
looking, for example, to define a constituency to represent
the interests of the retail trade. We hope that members of
this and other potential groups will organise themselves in
such a way as to facilitate definition of that
constituency.
10.
From October 1991 the only ex-officio members of
this Council will be the Chief Secretary, the Attorney
We will be proposing General and the Financial Secretary,
arrangements which will allow Branch Secretaries to attend before Council by invitation, but without the right to
This will allow greater flexibility, in that the Secretary directly responsible for a particular subject
will be able to attend before Council to introduce
vote.
legislation and to respond to questions.
The latter, we
feel certain, will be a distinct improvement over present
practice. It will also help prepare us for the position
after 1997 when all officials will have been withdrawn from
this council and will sit only in attendance.
11.
These changes, taken together with the reduction
in the number of appointed members to 18, will produce a Council of sixty members, comprising three roughly equal parts: directly elected, functional and appointed.