TNAG-1596-FCO40-2181-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 256

GRS 1600

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 25090OZ FCO

TELNO 2489

OF 25O8OOZ JUNE 87

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

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MY THIRD APT : STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT : LONGER-TERM ISSUES

FOLLOWING HS TEXT OF NOTE 2.

BEGINS

THE EXECUTANE

PAPER # OF MAY 1986 DESCRIBED HOW THE PRESENT GOVERNMENTAL VANSTIRTUTIĦONS IN HONG KONG OPERATE IN PRACTICE AND THE INTER-

PRETENT RELATIONSHIP OF THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS IN THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, IN PARTICULAR THE GOVERNOR, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE LEGISLATHNE COUNCIL.

2.

BNSOFAR AS THE EXERCISE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES IS CONCERNED, THE ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM ARE THAT -

(A) THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ADVISES THE GOVERNOR, WHO IS IN GENERAL REQUIRED TO CONSULT ¡NT ON IMPORTANT MATTERS OF POLICY ¤

(B) APART FROM THE EX-OFF NCHO MEMBERS SPECIFIED IN THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ARE APPOINTED FOR FIXED PERIODS BY THE GOVERNOR UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE QUEEN:

(C) THE MAJORITY OF MEMBERS ARE ''UNOFF·IONALS'' SERVANTS:

(D) MEMBERS TENDER THEMR ADVINCE HINDIVIDUALLY:

h.E. NOT PUBLIC

(E) THE GOVERNOR HNVARĦABLY ACTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OVERALL ADVICE OF THE COUNCIL:

(F) THE DECISIONS OF THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL (IN EFFECT THE GOVERNOR AND MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ACT:ANG COLLECTIVELY) ARE PRESENTED AS CORPORATE DECISIONS:

(E) THE PUBLIC SERVICE, THROUGH OFFICIALS OF SECRETARY RANK,! PRESENTS POLICY PROPOSALS TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR DECISION. THESE OFFICIALS ARE THEN RESPONSIBLE FOR DIRECTING THE IMPLEMENTATHION OF THE DECISIONS OF THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL AND ACCOUNT FOR THEM TO THE LEGISLATURE AND THE PUBLIC.

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13.