TNAG-1596-FCO40-2181-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 151

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Method of selection and appointment

4.

It was suggested in Paper II of May 1986 that the future Executive Council could be formed in one of two ways:

5.

(a)

by selection by the Chief Executive himself from among principal officials and the membership of the legislature, or from outside these groups;

(b) in part at least by election from among the

members of the legislature themselves.

If the essential features of the present system, as described in paragraph 2 above, are to be maintained, it may be preferable to adopt option (a) whereby the Chief Executive would be able to select, as members of his Executive Council, those individuals whom he considered to be best able to advise him on important policy matters. То give the Council the necessary

the necessary authority, members might be nominated by the Chief Executive and appointed by the Central People's Government.

Composition

6.

The Chief Executive would, as now, be the President of the Executive Council. Its membership might include :

(a)

(b)

(c)

ex-officio members (the future equivalents of the present Chief Secretary, Financial Secretary and Attorney General);

certain other principal officials; and

"unofficial" members.

7.

The membership of ex-officio members might be stipulated in the Basic Law. Το ensure that the future Executive Council continues to reflect Hong Kong opinion in a genuinely representative way, it would seem desirable to provide for the "unofficial" members to be in a clear majority.

8.

It would seem desirable for the Chief Executive to be given the discretion

the discretion to recommend the duration of the terms of office of members who are not ex-officio, subject to the general guideline that they should not be less than one year or longer than the duration of his Own term of office. There would also be a need to provide for the re-appointment of members and for the appointment of a

/cont'd.

G.F. 316

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