TNAG-1718-FCO40-2398-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 124

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MDHIAN 6989

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TO THE EXISTING COMPOSITION OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN THAT YEAR. FURTHER CHANGE WILL OF COURSE BE NECESSARY IN THE LONGER TERM: THE LEGISLATURE OF THE FUTURE SAR WILL BE FULLY ELECTED, AND WHEN POST- 1997 CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE CLEARER IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO TAKE SYSTEMATIC STEPS TO BRING THE COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL INTO LINE WITH THAT PROVIDED FOR IN THE BASIC LAW. IN THE MEANTIME, THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATION MUST BE TO MAINTAIN EFFEICIENCY WHILST AT THE SAME TIME ALLOWING FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATION OF KEY SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY. WITH THIS IN MIND, THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED THAT, IN 1988 :-

FIRST, THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE TO THE NUMBER OF OFFICIAL MEMBERS:

SECONDLY, THAT THENUMBER OF APPOINTED MEMBERS WILL BE REDUCED BY TWO, THAT IS TO SAY, FROM 22 TO 20:

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THIRDLY THAT THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS ELECTED BY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WILL BE INCREASED BY TWO, THAT IS TO SAY,

14: AND

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FROM 12 TO

FINALLY THAT THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS ELECTED BY THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED.

IN DECIDING TO EXPAND THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SYSTEM IN 1988, THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOTED THAT THE SYSTEM HAS WORKED WELL SINCE ITS INTRODUCTION IN 1985 AND THAT PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER SHOWED WIDE SUPPORT FOR DEVELOPING IT FURTHER. THERE WAS A LARGE RESPONSE FROM GROUPS AND ASSOCIATIONS SEEKING REPRESENTATION THROUGH THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SYSTEM AND IT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT TASK TO DECIDE WHICH ADDITIONAL GROUPS SHOULD BE REPRESENTED. IN THEORY, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO EXPAND THE SYSTEM INDEFINITELY, BUT A GRADUAL APPROACH SUGGESTS THAT WE SHOULD NOT MOVE TOO FAR TOO FAST. FOR THIS REASON, THE PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER ENVISAGE THE EXPANSION OF TWO EXISTING FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES TO INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL GROUPS WITH CLOSELY RELATED INTERESTS, RATHER THAT THE CREATION OF ADDITIONAL NEW CONSTITUENCIES.

THE WHITE PAPER PROPOSES NO FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE TO THE ROLE AND COMPOSITION OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS. THE DISTRICT BOARDS HAVE PROVED THEMSELVES AS A VALUABLE PART OF THE SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, WIDELY SUPPORTED BY THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD CLEARLY LIKE TO SEE THEIR ADVISORY ROLE STRENGTHENED. THE WHITE PAPER THEREFORE CONCENTRATES ON WAYS OF MAKING THEIR PRESENT ROLE MORE EFFECTIVE.

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