TNAG-1842-FCO40-2617-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 39

for minor environmental improvements and the promotion of

recreational and cultural activities.

Advisory Boards and Committees

13. Over the years, a wide network of Advisory Boards and Committees has become a distinctive feature of the system of Government in Hong

Kong. In the absence of a democratically elected legislature, the

Hong Kong Government has to ensure that it has the widest possible measure of support in the community for its actions and policies. It therefore seeks to obtain the best available advice on which to

base its decisions. There are currently some 270 Boards and Committees involving some 1500 members of the Hong Kong community selected because of their experience or expertise in a particular subject or their interest in community affairs generally. Examples of these bodies are the Transport Advisory Committee, the Medical Development Advisory Committee, the Social Welfare Advisory Committee and the Education Commission. Most are chaired by

non-officials and include non-official members of the Legislative

Council. It is usual for these Boards and Committees to be consulted on policy proposals before they are put to the Executive

Council for decision.

14. When the Government considers that wider public consultation is necessary, a Green Paper or other similar document is published for public comment. Issues which have been the subject of consultation exercises over the past five years include the report of the Broadcasting Review Board, the introduction of an independent authority to deal with complaints against maladministration, the proposals of the Education Commission on the structure of tertiary education, proposals for the decriminalisation of homosexuality and proposals for the development of the system of representative

government.