TNAG-1751-FCO40-2471-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 11

ACEAHX

Private Secretary

DEBATE ON HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

FROM

нквоча MKB 040/ BATE

25 JAN 1985

51

2 0 JAN 1988

: CO Hum O

Hong Kong

11 12

2

Hong Kong Department 20 January 1988

Mr McLaren

Mr Houston

Mrs Bottomley

Mr Meyer, News Department

Cc :

مات

The Secretary of State has asked for the Survey Office report, and for further material on views about direct elections.

1.

2. I attach a copy of the Survey Office report. The section on direct elections is pages 52-57: the key figures are highlighted.

3.

It has to be said that opinions are recorded in an elaborate way which tends to detract from their clarity. Simplified, they suggest the following breakdown of views in respect of direct elections when the issue was debated in Hong Kong's various organs

of government (see page 53):

LegCo UrbCo RegCo

Dist.Boards

Support for/no objection to

direct elections in 1988

18

13

6

121

158

Other views

24

9

LO

5

146

184

These figures clearly support the contention that there is a sharp division of view over timing, with no clear current of opinion in

one direction.

4. The same table on page 53 also gives figures for submissions by individuals. I do not recommend that these figures should be used. They are bound up in elaborate arguments by Mr Lee on how various

CONFIDENTIAL