TNAG-1599-FCO40-2192-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 93

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MIPT WHITE PAPER TIMETABLE : DRAFT ANNOTATED OUTLINE OF THE WHITE

PAPER.

''THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT : THE WAY FORWARD''

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

(A) BACKGROUND TO THE REVIEW : REFER TO 1984 WHITE PAPER.

(B) OUTLINE OF PURPOSE AND AMBIT OF REVIEW. 1987 GREEN PAPER COVERED ALL ASPECTS WHICH THE 1984 WHITE PAPER SAID IT WOULD COVER, INCLUDING GIVING FURTHER CONSIDERATION TO QUESTION OF DIRECT · ELECTIONS. REFER TO PRECEPTIONS IN 1985 AS TO POSSIBLE SCOPE OF REVIEW, AND EXPLAIN WHY CHANGES HAVE BEEN NECESSARY: IN PARTICULAR, WHY REVIEW DID NOT DEAL WITH WIDER ISSUES OF EXCO/LEGCO RELATIONSHIP, GENERAL POSITION OF THE GOVERNOR ETC.

(C) DESCRIBE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO REVIEW. EMPHASIZE THAT DESPITE CRITICISM OF FORMAT OF GREEN PAPER, MASSIVE PUBLIC RESPONSE COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS CONSULTATION EXERCISES ALTHOUGH, AS TO BE EXPECTED, PROPORTION OF POPULATION DID NOT COMMENT. DESCRIBE METHOD OF COLLECTING PUBLIC OPINION: EFFORTS OF GOVERNMENT TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS AS IMPARTIAL AS POSSIBLE. REFER TO FACT THAT, DESPITE THESE EFFORTS, CERTAIN ASPECTS OF SURVEY REPORT HAVE PROVED CONTROVERSIAL, E.G. DESIGN OF MCNAIR SURVEYS AND PRESENTATION OF SIGNATURE CAMPAIGNS AS COMPARED WITH PRE-PRINTED STANDARD FORM LETTERS. EMPHASIZE THAT ALL VIEWS RECEIVED WERE SET OUT IN REPORT.

(D) STATE THAT GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN ACCOUNT OF ALL VIEWS EXPRESSED IN SURVEY OFFICE REPORT ASWELL AS COMMENTS ON REOPORT ITSELF. CONCLUDES THAT MAIN THRUST OF PUBLIC OPINION COULD BE CLEARLY DETERMINED FROM THE REPORT, NAMELY:

(I) GENERAL PREFERENCE FOR STEP BY STEP APPROACH:

(II) ON DIRECT ELECTIONS, PRINCIPLE ENDORSED BUT DIFFERNET VIEWS ON

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