TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 135

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3.

IN HONG KONG'S THREE-TIER GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE THE

CENTRAL ORGANS OF GOVERNMENT ARE THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE

COUNCILS. THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, THE HIGHEST POLICY-MAKING BODY IN THE TERRITORY, AT PRESENT COMPRISES FOUR (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) EX OFFICIO MEMBERS AND 13 MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE

GOVERNOR OF WHOM TWO ARE OFFICIALS. UNTIL 1985 THE LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL LIKEWISE CONSISTED OF EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS AND APPOINTED

MEMBERS. THE SECOND-TIER BODIES, THE URBAN AND REGIONAL

COUNCILS, HAVE THEIR OWN BUDGETS AND A RANGE OF STATUTORY

RESPONSIBILITIES. BOTH COMPRISE APPOINTED AND ELECTED MEMBERS.

THE LOWEST TIER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THE DISTRICT BOARDS, WHICH

PLAY AN IMPORTANT ADVISORY ROLE BUT HAVE NO EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY.

APPROXIMATELY TWO-THIRDS OF DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS ARE NOW

DIRECTLY ELECTED AND ONE THIRD APPOINTED.

THE 1984 GREEN AND WHITE PAPERS

4.

THE PURPOSE OF THE 1984 GREEN PAPER WAS TO PROPOSE WAYS

OF EXTENDING THE STRUCTURE OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT SO AS TO

EMBRACE THE CENTRAL ORGANS OF GOVERNMENT. ONE OF ITS STATED AIMS

WAS TO MAKE THE GOVERNMENT QUOTE MORE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE

PEOPLE OF HONG KONG UNQUOTE.

5.

THE GREEN PAPER WAS APPROVED BY THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON 28

JUNE 1984. THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY SUBSEQUENTLY

REPORTED TO THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON 8 NOVEMBER 1984 ON THE OUTCOME

OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE GREEN PAPER. THE MAIN CHANGE THEN

AGREED BY MINISTERS AND ANNOUNCED IN THE WHITE PAPER WAS THAT THE

COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHOULD BE ALTERED:

(I)

BY INTRODUCING 24 NEW MEMBERS INDIRECTLY ELECTED BY

FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES AND AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE:

(II)

BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM 18 TO

10 AND THE NUMBER OF OTHER APPOINTED MEMBERS FROM 29 TO 22.

6.

UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM NINE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES

RETURN A TOTAL OF 12 MEMBERS. THEY ARE MADE UP OF INDIVIDUALS

WITH RECOGNISED PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (EG DOCTORS, LAWYERS,

ENGINEERS) OR WITH SPECIFIC ORGANISATIONAL AFFILIATIONS (EG CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, TRADES UNIONS) WHO ELECT FROM AMONG THEIR

OWN NUMBER. THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONSISTS OF TWELVE

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