SECRET
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
156.
One year
of proposals for
ago, I announced in this Council a number
constitutional development. These fell
into two groups. The first group of proposals was designed
to strengthen the effectiveness of our executive-led
Government
and its accountability
to this Legislative
Council. I proposed that to enable the Executive and
Legislative Council each to play their proper roles, the
membership of the two bodies should, for the
non-official
time being, be separate.
This has now been achieved.
I proposed ल new Executive Council without representatives
of political parties, and we now have that too. I proposed
last year that the Governor should be replaced as president
of the
Legislative Council by an elected President.
You, Mr President, then took office and I am now answerable
to this Council as head of the Executive. Over the last
ycar, I have attended
ten question-and-answer sessions of
this Council.
157.
I also proposed that the
Government should work
with Members of this Council to develop new arrangements for
your OWN administration
and support facilities. Much work
has been done on that, and I am glad that a new Legislative
Council office will soon be established.
first get of proposals, I suggested а
Committee, where the Administration
Finally, in this
Government-LegCo
could discuss with
Members of this Council the handling of the Administration's
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