TNAG-1720-FCO40-2400-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 8

ARYACT

CONFIDENTIAL

119 JUL 1988

88/HKB 011/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

24 FEB 1989

›~SK OFFICER

FROM: AR PAUL, HKD

DATE: 19 July 1988 }

CC:

PS/Lord Glenarthur Mr Gillmote

Minuke

119/200

Mr McLaren

Private Secretary

5

г

HONG KONG'S LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL : THE IMPACT OF ELECTIONS

181

/ 1. I submit a despatch from the Governor of Hong Kong dated 16 July

about Hong Kong's Legislative Council. The Secretary of State may

wish to see this before his meeting with the Governor on 20 July.

2. The despatch brings out clearly the major and dramatic changes

that have taken place within LegCo in the past three years: it has grown from a body of little status or prominence into one of real and growing influence. The essential message of the despatch is that this process of change is bound to continue, with consequences

we cannot at this stage accurately predict but must try to

anticipate.

3. The Governor makes a number of points of particular interest:

the Hong Kong Government is in effect a minority one: it cannot automatically count on the support of more than the ten official members, although it has so far avoided defeat on all matters of

importance.

the non-officials constitute an overwhelming majority on the

LegCo Finance Committee, and thus have the power to frustrate

any Government proposal which requires public expenditure.

CONFIDENTIAL