TNAG-0434-FCO40-499-UK-interest-in-labour-and-social-affairs-of-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 23

CONFIDENTIAL

6.

In a despatch earlier this year, the Governor suggested that a way of putting more power in local hands without upsetting the constitutional balance might be to introduce a form of the "Member system". Under this scheme some of the nominated Unofficial Chinese Members would be given executive authority over departments or groups of departments. In Hong Kong terms, this would have the advantage of demonstrating that executive power was being transferred from expatriate civil servants to local Unofficial hands. But, as seen from the UK, this could equally look like consolidating the power of the middle-class Chinese businessmen who are overwhelmingly represented on Hong Kong's Executive and Legislative Councils.

7.

Another idea that has been canvassed locally in Hong Kong is the possibility of introducing a few elected Members into Legislative Council. The Hong Kong Government have promised to look into this and it is possible that the Governor will have proposals to make when he sees Lord Goronwy-Roberts on 18 December.

CONFIDENTIAL