FROM HONG KONG BILL UNIT
04.12.1990 11:43
NO. 2 - P. 4
I come now to the substance of our proposals.
I have laid before
the House two documents: a Bill and an outline selection scheme.
We shall listen carefully to views on both of these documents
during the Bill's passage. I shall deal with them in turn.
First, the Bill. It is a short enabling instrument, leaving the
details of the selection scheme to be submitted to Parliament
separately for approval under an Order-in-Council.
It would not
be sensible to attempt to prescribe the detailed scheme on the
face of the Bill. It must remain capable of amendment subject
in order to reflect of course to further approval by Parliament
any change in Hong Kong's needs or in the pattern of emigration
from Hong Kong.
want to be able to
to offer
For this reason, and because we
assurances to people moving into key positions later on,
of the
proportion a
we
for
intend to reserve
50,000 places
allocation closer to 1997. The Bill accordingly enables me to
limit the number of recommendations to be submitted to me in any
specified period.
We have given careful thought to the roles of the Governor and
Secretary of State. The Bill is designed for Hong Kong's benefit
and it is therefore right that it should give the principal
operating role to the Governor: it is he alone who will have the
local knowledge
a sufficient
necessary
administrative machine.
and
command
of