TNAG-1439-FCO40-1923-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 82

SECRET

Government:

as

sits yet he

in President

the Legislative

Council where those policies are discussed. The President should play an impartial role. The position is, therefore,

unusual and could be avoided by the proposal that an

unofficial member should sit as President.

9.

The Governor would, as the Green Paper noted, continue to attend the Council to deliver his annual policy address. The Chief Secretary, Financial Secretary, Attorney General

senior officials would continue to speak on

Government business in the Council as they do

and other

matters of

now.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

10.

Executive Council is working satisfactorily, and there is no significant demand for changes in either the method of

or the Executive Council operation of

of the selection of

towards Ministerial system.

its members,

for or

a move

a

There is a good deal

deal of

of confused public expression about what exactly a Ministerial system is or how it might work.

models from

other

constitutions are not necessarily appropriate to the Hong

that accepted

and that Hong

Hong Kong

It

is generally

Kong situation,

well-tried effective system.

should

on build

its

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

11. The changes made in 1985 in the methods of selecting some members of the Legislative Council produced a larger Council with a more widely representative membership.

Council is

substantial

well working

Government

The

and conducts

of a great deal

business efficiently and with despatch. There is support in some quarters for making no further change in 1987-88 in order the system to settle down and for experience to be gained

of it.

to give more time for

SECRET