TNAG-1597-FCO40-2182-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 45

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Council and would weaken links between the Administration

and the Legislature.

Option (iii) would enable certain

important areas of the Administration's responsibilities

such as housing or the economic services to be

represented

in Council, once again, by the policy

Secretary responsible. But depending on the increase in

the number of Official Members the balance of Membership

of the Council could be affected.

Appointed Members

11.

if an

タージ

The 1984 White Paper took the view that,

element of continuity was to be maintained in the

workings of the Legislative Council, it would be unwise

to reduce the number of Appointed members appreciably or

too hastily in the short term. Thus, although 24 elected

members were added to the Legislative Council in 1985 the

number of Appointed Members was reduced by seven, from 29

to 22.

12.

There has been little suggestion, since the

publication of the White Paper, that the practice of

appointing Members to the Legislative Council should

The systems for electing members to the

cease.

There are

Legislative Council are still evolving.

therefore arguments for maintaining Appointed Members to

promote stability and continuity at a time of

of change.

Further, the retention of Appointed Members ensures that

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