TNAG-0876-FCO40-1086-Development-of-social-welfare-policy-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 65

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Whenever MPs visit Hong Kong, whether as Government sponsored visitors, as visitors sponsored by other organisations or indivi- duals, or simply as tourists or businessmen, it is the Government's policy to ensure that everything is done to enable them to see anything they wish to see and meet anyone they wish to meet. Any representations they may make to the liong Kong Government about anything brought to their attention are promptly investigated and replies sent as soon as possible. When Mr Parry visited Hong Kong last month with two Labour Party colleagues, they raised a number of issues during a meeting with the Governor and senior officials: a detailed reply, covering all the points that they raised, was sent to them last week by the Hong Kong Commissioner in London.

Urban Council Reform

6. The Hong Kong Urban Council consists of 24 members, 12 elected and 12 appointed by the Governor from among members of the public. The elected members are chosen by a franchise limited by education and property qualifications to about 440,000 people. Only 12,400 of those eligible voted in the last Council election in March this year. The Council is responsible for public health matters and for recreational and cultural facilities in the urban areas of Hong Kong and howloon. It was previously also responsible for a number of other matters, including housing, but lost these functions in 1973 when the iong Kong Government decided it was preferable for them to be dealt with by centralised Government agencies.

7. Two groups representing the majority of the elected Councillors have been campaigning for some years for reform of the Urban Council. They would like to see three specific changes relating to the Council:

(1) the phasing out of appointed members;

(ii) the extension of the franchise;

(iii) the expansion of the Council's powers to include res-

ponsibility for such matters as housing and education.

A delegation of the elected Councillors is in London at the moment to press for thest reforms.

UNCI ASSIVILL

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