TNAG-0731-FCO40-935-Appointments-to-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 8

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G.N. 2061

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

It is hereby notified that His Excellency the Acting Governor has been pleased, by Instrument under the Public Seal, to appoint Mr J. W. CHAMBERS), P, provi- sionally and subject to Her Majesty's pleasure, to be an Official Member of the Legislative Council with effect from 14 August 1978, during the absence from Hong Kong of the Honourable E. P. Ho (BRA), J.

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Mr Murray

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PS/Lord Gorowy-Roberts

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DICK OFFICER

INDEX

HONG KONG : UNOFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS TO THE EXECUTIVE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS

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Action Taken

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Problem

1.

The Governor of Hong Kong has sought very early approval for a series of changes in the membership of the Executive and Legislative Councils (Hong Kong telno 1015). The proposed changes are set out in tabular form at Annex.

Background

2.

These proposals replace those which the Governor put forward at the end of June (Hong Kong telno 785). The advantages and disadvantages of this original package were outlined in my submission of 7 July. In brief, my conclusion was that although the proposed candidates were competent and well qualified, the changes would have lowered the proportion of Chinese to expatriate members of ExCo and would have done very little to broaden the social base of the Councils.

3. At his meeting with the Governor on 19 July the Minister of State expressed disappointment with the Governor's proposals. The Governor maintained that it was very difficult to find suitable alternative candidates but agreed to reconsider his proposals in the light of a further vacancy which had occured on the Legislative Council (this arose through the illness of Mr Q W Lee who has subsequently decided to resign from both Councils, thus creating an extra vacancy in ExCo).

Argument

But

4. A number of the Governor's proposals remain unchanged. the new package has definite advantages over the one it replaces, in that it will:-

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maintain the present balance between Chinese and

expatriate members of ExCo;

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5.

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iii.

increase the proportion of unofficial members of ExCo; widen the overlap between the two Councils, with con- sequent benefits for the decision making process.

These considerations apart, the three new names now intro- duced seem good choices. Mr Li and Dr Fang (proposed for ExCo) have useful experience in areas which are bound to become increa- singly important, the new industrial estates and the expanding medical services. Mr Alan Lee (proposed for LegCo) is a dynamic young technocrat and his appointment will bring in some much

needed new blood.

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6.

The Department's Legal Adviser sees no objection to the proposed increase by one in the membership of ExCo.

Recommendation

7. The Governor has clearly gone some way to meet the concerns put to him by Lord Goronwy-Roberts and I recommend that the Minister of State should approve the package now proposed. I submit a draft telegram accordingly. Given the timing consider- ations mentioned in the final paragraph of Hong Kong telno 1015, it would be helpful if this could issue as soon as possible.

23 August 1978

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R JT McLaren

2570

Goronwy Roberts

Hong Kong and General Department

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