RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELNO 1787
OF 02104OZ JULY 92
RESTRICTED
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
35
Mubarkı
pa Legl
16457437
MDHIAN 0247
1 OP COPY Q DIST?
OUR TELNO 1681 AND 1745: LEGCO MOTION DEBATE: EXCO/LEGCO
RELATIONSHIP
SUMMARY
24 MEMBERS SPOKE ON SZETO WAH'S MOTION YESTERDAY (1 JULY). THE MOTION (PARA. 1 OF FIRST TUR) WAS CARRIED WITH ONLY ONE OPPOSITION (PHILIP WONG) AND FOUR ABSTENTION (TAM YIU-CHUNG AND THE THREE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS). MAIN ISSUES DEBATED INCLUDED APPOINTMENTS TO EXCO, THE RULE OF COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY, AND THE MEANING OF ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES TO THE LEGISLATURE'' MEMBERS ALSO MADE SOME SUGGESTIONS ON OTHER RELATED MATTERS.
DETAIL
2. ON APPOINTMENTS TO EXCO, THE MAJORITY WHO SPOKE ON THIS SUBJECT SUPPORTED THE SUGGESTION THAT MORE DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS OF LEGCO SHOULD BE APPOINTED TO EXCO. THEY SAW THIS AS A MEANS TO STRENGTHEN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO, AND TO INCREASE THE INPUT OF PUBLIC VIEWS ON EXCO'S DECISION MAKING PROCESS. SZETO WAH COMMENTED THAT ALTHOUGH HKG HAD OFTEN BEEN DESCRIBED ASS AN 'EXECUTIVE LED GOVERNMENT'E THIS CONCEPT HAD NO LEGAL FOUNDATION OR SUBSTANCE. THE CONSERVATIVE CAMP HOWEVER CAUTIONED THAT CHANGING EXCO'S COMPOSITION COULD TURN EXCO INTO A MINI-LEGCO AND ERODE ITS EFFECTIVENESS. THE UPSHOT WOULD LIKELY
BE A SHIFT OF THE DECISION-MAKING POWER FROM EXCO TO THE
ADMINISTRATION.
3. THERE WAS NO DISPUTE ON THE ROLE OF CONFIDENTIALITY FOR EXCO DISCUSSIONS. MEMBERS' VIEWS HOWEVER, DIFFERED ON WHETHER THE RULE OF COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD BE ABOLISHED. MEMBERS FROM THE LIBERAL CAMP ASSERTED THAT THE RULE WAS NOT SUITABLE FOR THE
CIRCUMSTANCES IN HK AND SHOULD BE ABOLISHED. UNLIKE THE CABINET IN THE UK, EXCO WAS FORMALLY ONLY AN ADVISORY BODY WITHOUT POLICY-MAKING POWER AND SO THERE WAS NO RESPONSIBILITY TO SPEAK