TNAG-1288-FCO40-1639-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 64

NEED BY PROVIDING A STANDARD RATE OF REMUNERATION, AS WELL AS PAYMENT OF EXPENSES, FOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL. THE LEVEL OF REMUNERATION IS NOW UNDER CONSIDERATION WITH

A-VIEW TO INTRODUCING THE SCHEME WHEN THE FIRST ELECTED MEMBERS

JOIN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NEXT YEAR.

CONCLUSION

29. HONOURABLE MEMBERS, THE PLANS SET OUT IN THE WHITE PAPER WHICH

I HAVE DESCRIBED THIS AFTERNOON REPRESENT THE NEXT STAGE IN THE

DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG. THEY

TAKE ACCOUNT OF PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE GREEN PAPER AND THE

PROVISIONS OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG..

THEY REPRESENT AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL

DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG. THEY WILL TAKE US FORWARD TO 1987 WHEN

FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS WILL BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE.

30. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT SOME WILL SAY THAT WE ARE BEING TOO

CAUTIOUS: OTHERS THAT WE ARE MOVING TOO FAST. SOME WILL ASK WHY WE HAVE NOT DECIDED AT THIS STAGE THE FURTHER STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT AFTER 1985: OTHERS WILL WISH TO SEE THE CHANGES PROPOSED FOR 1985 GIVEN A CHANCE TO SETTLE DOWN FOR SOME YEARS BEFORE ANY FURTHER CHANGES ARE CONSIDERED. BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE GREAT MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ACCEPT THAT CHANGE MUST BE GRADUAL: THAT WE MUST ALLOW OUR OWN SYSTEM TO EVOLVE NATURALLY RATHER THAN BE FORCED INTO A STRAIGHT-JACKET IMPOSED BY SYSTEMS WHICH HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SOCIETIES WHOSE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THOSE OF PRESENT-DAY HONG KONG: AND THAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF FUTURE CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE WELL-BEING OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE MISTAKES. FOR THESE REASONS, THE WHITE PAPER CONTINUES TO ADOPT THE STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH WITH THE NEXT REVIEW PLANNED FOR 1987. I AM CONF IDENT THAT THIS APPROACH WILL BEST ENSURE THAT WE ACHIEVE OUR OBJECTIVE OF DEVELOPING A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT ON WHICH THE VIEWS OF ALL SECTORS OF OUR SOCIETY ARE REPRESENTED: WHICH IS RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY: AND WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE TO THE PEOPLE

OF HONG KONG.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

6

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET

OFFICE

MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE KR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE

SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195

CONFIDENTAL