TNAG-1354-FCO40-1795-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 87

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any society grows in maturity and prosperity, there is a

need to ensure that the constitutional arrangements and

system of government adapt, as far as possible, to meet

changing circumstances and legitimate aspirations. It

is the duty of a responsible and responsive government

to see that the pace at which this adaptation proceeds

is suited to the particular requirements of the society

in question, having regard to any real or perceived

Thus, for example, membership of the

progressively altered from 5

constraints.

Legislative Council has

ex-officio members, 3 official members and only 7

appointed unofficial members, making a total of 15 in

1950 to 3 ex-officio members, 13 official members and 30

appointed unofficial members, making a total of 46

1985. So in the past 35 years, there has been a

substantial reduction in the relative strength of the

official presence in the Legislative Council which is

now heavily dominated by unofficial members.

of 46 in

(5)

Implications of the Sino-British Joint Declaration

for Constitutional Development

11.

While it might have been desirable for the

system of government to continue to evolve gradually,

but progressively, as in the past, the signing of the

Sino-British Joint Declaration meant that plans could be

indeed, had to be as a matter of some urgency

devised to ensure that a system of government is firmly