TNAG-1716-FCO40-2396-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 82

G.F. 316

SECRET 高度機密

21

functions until the relevant longer-term constitutional

issues have been settled.

The number of Official

Members was reduced in 1985 from 18 to ten.

As a

result, Official Members now have to handle some

matters in the

the Council for which they have no direct

responsibility. This system is not ideal: it would

clearly be better to have the official directly

responsible for each item of business present in the

Council to handle it. However, this would mean either

/

appointing more Official Members or finding

alternative ways of enabling a wider range of officials

to participate in the

the Council's proceedings. The

response to the Green Paper shows that most people are

not in favour of increasing the number of Official

Alternatives might be to arrange for

Members.

different groups of officials to attend each meeting or

to have officials attend meetings as non-members. An

ever-changing team of Official Members would, however,

run the risk

risk of radically altering the relationship

between the Council and the Administration or damaging

the cohesion of the Council.

Elected Members

40.

As set out in Chapter III of this White Paper,

ten directly elected members will be introduced into

the Legislative Council in 1991. They will replace the

SECRET 高度機密