TNAG-0270-FCO40-306-Policy-on-housing-and-resettlement-in-Hong-Kong-1971 — Page 121

Parliamentary Com

CONFIDENTIAL

misscones

8. Appointment of embudsman

for Administratio

It is possible that the matter of the

ment

appointing of an ombudsman may be raised by

supplementary Question under the last part of

the substantive question. It has been the

opinion of the Governor and his advisers that,

before any final conclusion is reached on this

matter, steps should first be taken to strengthen

the machinery which already exists for enabling

the people of Hong Kong to make known and seek

redress for their grievances.

9. Existing Machinery

х

There have been arrangements in Hong Kong

for some time enabling members of the public to

make known and seek redress for their griev-

ances.

These arrangements include:

(a) The office of the unofficial members of

the Executive and Legislative Councils

(UMELCO). This is an office through

which members of the public can bring

their views and complaints to the notice

of unofficial members of the two Councils,

in accordance with the polity not described in paragraph & above,

the Hong Kong Government have very recently

[the

appointed an experienced Administrative

Secretary to the UMELC

UMELCO office.

This officer acts as a receiving point

for representations from the public and

makes any necessary enquiries from the

relevant departments of Government.

There has not, as yet, been sufficient

time to assess the efficacy of this

arrangement.

(b) the "ward" system of the Urban Council.

Under this system, members of the Council

set aside specified periods during which

they receive complaints from members of

CONFIDENTIAL

/the

Shel

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