TNAG-1288-FCO40-1639-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 125

43 6. IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION AND METHOD

OF SELECTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS IT WILL BE

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NECESSARY TO MAKE SOME AMENDMENTS TO THE TWO MAIN CONSTITUTIONAL INSTRUMENTS, THE LETTERS PATENT AND THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS. THE INTENTION IS TO EFFECT THESE IN STAGES, AS AND WHEN NECESSARY.

44 47. IT WILL ALSO BE NECESSARY TO ENACT LEGISLATION IN HONG KONG TO COVER THE HOLDING OF ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY

AND WHO MAY VOTE IN THEM THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES. THIS LEGISL- ATION IS NOW BEING DRAFTED AND WILL BE PUBLISHED FOR DEBATE IN THE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL EARLY NEXT YEAR. AS THERE IS A DEGREE OF PUBLIC FAMILIARITY WITH THE LEGISLATION GOVERNING ELECTIONS TO THE URBAN COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARDS, AND IN ORDER TO MINIMISE POSSIBLE CONFUSION AND MISUNDERSTANDING, THE ELECTORAL LEGISLATION WILL BE FRAMED ON BROADLY SIMILAR LINES.

4548. IN ORDER TO GIVE SUFFICIENT TIME FOR PREPARATION OF THIS

COMPLEX LEGISLATION AND FOR ALL THE NECESSARY ADMINISTRATIVE

ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE HOLDING OF THE ELECTIONS TO BE MADE, IT IS NOW INTENDED TO HOLD THE FIRST ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND FUNCTIONAL

CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN SEPTEMBER 1985, INSTEAD OF JULY AS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED IN THE GREEN PAPER.

CHAPTER VII SUMMARY.

46 49. A SUMMARY OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS AND LEGISLATIVE

PROPOSALS RELATING TO THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE

GOVERNMENT AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL IN HONG KONG IS AS FOLLOWS:

MAIN AIMS (CHAPTER 1)

(A) THE MAIN AIMS ARE TO DEVELOP PROGRESSIVELY A SYSTEM OF REPRESENT-

ATIVE GOVERNMENT AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL WHICH IS MORE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND IS FIRMLY ROOTED IN

HONG KONG: TO BASE THIS SYSTEM ON OUR EXISTING INSTITUTIONS, AS

FAR AS POSSIBLE, AND TO PRESERVE THEIR BEST FEATURES: AND TO ALLOW

FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT LATER ON. THE OBJECTIVES DESCRIBED IN THIS

WHITE PAPER ARE INTENDED TO COVER ONLY THE NEXT STAGE IN THE

DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG. FURTHER

DEVELOPMENTS WILL BE CONSIDERED LATER IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE.

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (CHAPTER II)

(B) IN 1985, 24 UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL

BE ELECTED

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(1) BY AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE COMPOSED OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE URBAN

COUNCIL, THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL, AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS, AND

(11) BY SPECIFIC FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.

(C) THE DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE WILL BE

GROUPED INTO TEN GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES. MEMBERS OF THE URBAN

COUNCIL AND REGIONAL COUNCIL WILL FORM TWO SPECIAL CONSTITUENCIES.

THUS 12 UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WILL BE ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL FROM THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE IN 1985.

CONFIDENTIAL

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