TNAG-1317-FCO40-1720-Future-of-Hong-Kong-meetings-of-the-Cabinet-Defence-and-Over-1984 — Page 102

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29. IT IS PROPOSED THAT TO START WITH, THESE NEW ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE INDIRECT ELECTION OF UNCFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO REPRESENT GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN TWO STAGES IN 1985 AND 1999. THESE YEARS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT ALL UNOFFICIAL

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD HOLD OFFICE FOR A TERM OF

THREE YEARS, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE YEARS IN WHICH DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE AND BECAUSE THE LARGEST PROPORTION OF MEMBERS OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE WILL BE ELECTED DISTRICT BOARD

MEMBERS. TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT URBAN COUNCIL AND NEW REGIONAL

COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN 1986 WOULD DELAY THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PROPOS-

ED NEW. ARRANGEMENTS BY ONE YEAR: AND, ALTHOUGH IT WOULD GIVE THOSE

DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS NEWLY ELECTED IN 1985 MORE TIME TO SETTLE

DOWN, IT WOULD RESULT IN 18 MONTHS OF POLITICAL UNCERTAINTY EVERY

THREE YEARS FOR THOSE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SEEKING RE-

ELECTION, INSTEAD OF ONLY SIX MONTHS OF UNCERTAINTY IF THE ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TAKE PLACE IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER IN

DISTRICT BOARD ELECTION YEARS. IT WOULD BE BETTER, THEREFORE, TO COMPLETE THE DISTRICT BOARD AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS

IN THE SAME YEAR AND THEN HAVE A PERIOD OF TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF

POLITICAL CERTAINTY BEFORE THE NEXT DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS.

40. AT THE SAME TIME AS THE PROPOSED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ELECTIONS

OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY THE ELECTORAL

COLLEGE AND THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES ARE INTRODUCED BY STAGES,

IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE NUMBER OF APPOINTED UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS

SHOULD BE PROGRESSIVELY REDUCED WITH A VIEW TO THEIR TOTAL NUMBER

SEING 16 BY 1989.

41. IN THE CASE OF THE OFFICIAL MEMBERS, IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE

PRINCIPAL OFFICERS IN THE ADMINISTRATION, L.E. THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, SHOULD REMAIN AS

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AS A LINK BETWEEN THE

COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION. THERE WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO BE A

NEED FOR A NUMBER OF OFFICIALS TO SIT, AS HOW, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, IN ORDER TO INTRODUCE FORMALLY LEGISLATION WITHIN THEIR FIELD OF COMPETENCE, ONCE THE DRAFT LEGISLATION HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, TO DISCUSS IT WITH THE SPECIALIST GROUPS

OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH EXANTNE, SUCH

LEGISLATION IN DETAIL, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS ON THE

POLICIES APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN THEIR FIELDS AND TO

ANSWER FOR THE ADMINISTRATION'S EXECUTION OF THEM. THERE NEED, HOWEVER, NOT BE AS MANY OFFICIALS AS IN THE PAST AND THE NUMBER OF

OFFICIAL MEMBERS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ILL BE REDUCED

PROGRESSIVELY TO 10 BY 1993.

42. THE TOTAL MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1932, RESULT-

ING FROM ALL THESE PROPOSED CHANGES, WOULD BE 50.

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