TNAG-1367-FCO40-1813-Hong-Kong-Legislative-Council-(Powers-and-Privileges)-Bill-1-1985 — Page 22

[COLAI I]

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference...

Mr Galsworthy, HKD

My Leekin

Thank you.

om 24/2

LEGOO (POWERS AND PRIVILEGES) ORDINANCE

1.

192

HKK 011/12

PA 011/12

Your note on Hong Kong Tel no 1436 attached: any note has I think been overtaken by the JLG brief which omits the more peculiar parts of 1436, but the following may help:

(a) Hong Kong refer to the Ordinance as necessary in the context of LegCo's move to its new Chamber. This has some logic. LegCo move out of Central Government Offices and into a new and separate building (the old Supreme Court) before October. Questions such as security (control of strangers, documents etc) and powers of Legco officers have previously been masked by the fact that in day to day terms LegCo could until now be run by Government staff, and its security maintained by its location within a Government-run building.

(b) Alternative form of oath

new

Hong Kong Oaths and Declarations (Amendment) Ordinance enacted on 15 May. Provides that alternative to present oath of loyalty to the Queen (which will be retained), members of LeaCo may opt to take an oath to "uphold law of Hong Kong and truly serve people of Hong Kong" (ie no reference to the Queen). Aim of providing this alternative is to ensure that for September LegCo elections field of candidates may be as wide as possible and not exclude non-BDTCS (nearly half of population).

(c) Amendments to Letters Patent and Royal Instructions Received Royal Assent on 2 April and 30 March respectively.

y. They:

CODE 18-77

AWO Ltd. 7/84

(i) Empower Governor-in-Council to enact laws governing

electoral procedures, constituencies etc;

(ii) provide for triennial dissolutions and elections

more frequently if the Governor so declares.

-

or

(d) Dr Wilson has queried Hong Kong's argument that the ordinance is needed now because new members will have no knowledge of "Parliamentary" proceedings. The argument is weak. But it is worth bearing in mind that under the appointments system members are "groomed" (sie) by apprenticeship served in an ascending series of boards

HKK 011/12

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

24 JUL 1985

CONFIDENTIAL

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

STH