TNAG-1413-FCO40-1889-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-report-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 180

CONFIDENTIAL

1

An odd phrase. LESCO is

hardly yovernment any general

(d) Legislative Council

22.

These reforms considerably enhanced representative government at the district, urban and regional level. In November 1984, having sought and received public comment on proposals contained in a Green Paper, the Hong Kong Government published a White Paper setting out

the steps to be

be taken in 1985 to develop representative government

at the central level. The proposals in the White Paper we re endorsed by the Legislative Council in January 1985. The principal reforms concerned the Legislative Council, to which 24 members would

be chosen for the first time by indirect elections; 12 were to be elected by electoral colleges comprising all members of the District Boards, the Urban Council and the new Regional Council, and 12 by specific functional constituencies covering the major sectors of the community. The total membership of the Legislative Council, excluding the President (the Governor) was increased from 46 to

to 56

and

In

addition

members, with official membership decreasing from 16 to 10,

unofficial appointed membership decreasing from 30 to 22.

review was promised a

for 1987 to consider what further

changes should take place in 1988. This, together with the proposal to introduce 24 indirectly elected members, differed from the

in the Green Paper, proposals

in review

1989 and the

introduction of only 12 indirectly elected members were suggested.

There changes demonstrated the willingness of the Hong Kong Government to act on constructive public comment.

23.

where a

The first elections to the Legislative Council were held on 26 September 1985 (six of the 24 new Legislative Council members were elected unopposed). The turn-out rate for the electoral colleges

was 98.5%;

98.5%; for the

for the functional

functional constituencies it was 57.6%, ranging

from 97.2% in the Social Services constituency to 45.1% in the

Industrial constituency. The new Council me t for the first time on

30 October 1985 in a new Council Chamber.

24. The new Legislative Council is

of

government

representative

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in

jenn.

Then

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the apex of the three levels

this constructing

framework

the government,

le Governor to ab a

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prinel Exco) are the principul

↑ Governt. Omits the senteren?

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In

Hong

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CONFIDENTIAL

Kong Government

for more

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