TNAG-0526-FCO40-621-Office-meetings-on-Hong-Kong-affairs-papers-1975 — Page 7

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POSSIBLE REFORM OF THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS

I attach the brief submitted to Lord Goronwy-Roberts before

his December meeting with the Governor, together with the

MiGovernor's letter of 10 December to the Department.

2. The Governor told Lord Goronwy-Roberts at that meeting that (quite apart from the Chinese dimension) it was not clear that people in Hong Kong were interested in the electoral process. He also confirmed that he did not think any precipitate action

should be taken to introduce a Member system or to broaden the

membership of the Legislative Council. He considers that the most promising means of widening the representation on Leg Co might be to appoint, in a few years' time, one or two of the natural leaders who are already beginning to emerge from the

Mutual Aid Committees.

3.

Since Lord Goronwy-Roberts' visit there has been further publicity, in Britain and in Hong Kong, about possible con- stitutional change. This has continued to centre on possible reform of Leg Co. There have been no substantive proposals for

any change in the composition of Exco; and I recommend that we should continue to concentrate, at this stage, on possible

changes to Leg Co.

4. In a written answer to a Parliamentary Question on

24 February, Miss Lestor told Mr Fletcher Cooke that the method of nomination of unofficial members of Leg Co enables the Council

to work effectively for the best interests of Hong Kong. She

added that we were considering with the Governor the best means

of ensuring that all shades of opinion in Hong Kong are

effectively expressed in the Council. There will be an opportunity for further discussion with the Governor on this point during his visit to London in April.

CONFIDENTIAL