TNAG-1351-FCO40-1792-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 65

C.S. 154

香港布政司署

Ref CR L/M 362/84

By Speedpost

14

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT,

HONG KONG.

18 January 1985

Sea

bony

Amendments to Letters Patent

and Royal Instructions

I refer to Christopher Hum's letter ref HKK 011/3 of 27 December 1984 and Paul Fifoot's minute and redrafted amendments which were enclosed with it.

The re-arrangement of the new provisions suggested by Fifoot has been welcomed by our legal advisers who have found his proposals most helpful. Our Law Draftsman has now produced further revised drafts, enclosed herewith, which adopt Fifoot's approach.

I also enclose a copy of our draft Legislative Council (Electoral Provisions) Bill, which will be put to the Executive Council for consideration within the next two weeks or so.

There are some changes in the enclosed revised drafts, as compared with Fifoot's drafts, which require explanation, viz :

(a) Operative Date

As indicated in the earlier drafts which were sent to you under cover of my letter of 27 December 1984, we think that the most effective arrangement for applying the new provisions in respect of the Legislative Council would be to bring them into operation without deferment, with the saving that the existing Legislative Council should be preserved right up to the beginning of the new 1985/86 session.

A C Galsworthy, Esq, CMG,

Hong Kong Department,

Foreign & Commonwealth Office,

White Hall,

London SW1.

/ (b)