TNAG-1353-FCO40-1794-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 70

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GR 1500

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 06100OZ

FM HONG KONG 06085OZ MAR 85

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 470 OF 6 MARCH

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

LAKK 011

RPCE, VLOW

TOP COPY

MARY

6 MAR 198

MIPT: AMENDMENTS TO LETTERS PATENT AND ROYAL UNSTRUCTIONS, EIL

FOLLOWING IS FULL TEXT OF PROPOSED PRESS RELEASE TO BE ISSUED

WHEN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) BILL IS PUBLISHED

IN GAZETTE ON 8 MARCH.

TOP CO

DRAFT PRESS RELEASE

A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR INDIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL BY ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WILL BE

INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 13 MARCH 1985.

2. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) BILL 1985, PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY, SEEKS TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE PLANS

DESCRIBED IN THE WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG.

3. IT IS BASED BROADLY ON THE EXISTING ELECTORAL LAW FOR THE

URBAN COUNCIL AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS. IT IS IN EIGHT PARTS AND

CONTAINS TWO SCHEDULES, THE LATTER SETTING OUT IN DETAIL THE

VARIOUS ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONSTITUENCIES AND FUNCTIONAL

CONSTITUENCIES, THE CATEGORIES OF PERSONS ENTITLED TO BE

REGISTERED AS ELECTORS, AND THE NUMBER OF SEATS FOR EACH CONSTITUENCY.

4. THE FIRST SCHEDULE TO THE BILL DEALS WITH THE PROPOSED

ELECTORAL COLLEGE. A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT IN

ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONSTITUENCIES, EACH MEMBER WILL HAVE ONE VOTE.

URBAN COUNCILLORS AND PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCILLORS WHO ARE

ALSO DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO VOTE IN THEIR

URBAN OR REGIONAL COUNCIL CONSTITUENCIES SEMICOLON THEY WILL NOT

HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE OR ADDITIONAL VOTE IN THEIR DISTRICT BOARD

CONSTITUENCY AS WELL. THE CHAIRMAN AND TWO VICE-CHAIRMEN OF THE

HEUNG YEE KUK WILL VOTE IN THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL

CONSTITUENCY.

5.

NINE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES ARE SPECIFIED IN THE SECOND

SCHEDULE. THESE ARE: THE COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND LABOUR

CONSTITUENCIES WHICH WILL EACH RETURN TWO MEMBERS SEMICOLON AND

THE FINANCIAL CONSTITUENCY, THE SOCIAL SERVICES CONSTITUENCY, THE MEDICAL CONSTITUENCY, THE TEACHING CONSTITUENCY, THE LEGAL CONSTITUENCY AND THE ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURAL, SURVEYING AND

PLANNING CONSTITUENCY, WHICH WILL EACH RETURN ONE MEMBER.

CONFIDENTIAL

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