TNAG-1843-FCO40-2618-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 48

ROYAKM

EPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

(i) DO THE WHITE PAPER'S PROPOSALS GO FAR ENOUGH TO ENSURE THAT

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IS ESTABLISHED WELL BEFORE 1997?

The tradition of representative government is already well established in Hong Kong. A large part of membership of the Municipal Councils and District Boards is already directly elected.

In central government, indirect elections now return 26 of the 56

members of the Legislative Council. 10 of these 26 members will be

returned by direct elections in 1991.

The decisions in the 1988 White paper had to take account of sharply divided views on when direct elections should be introduced

into the Legislative Council. Some favoured 1988, arguing that

direct elections would promote the development of more open, accountable and representative government, and should therefore be introduced as soon as possible. Other argued 1988 was too soon

because only three years had passed since indirect elections were introduced or because the system of elections to be used after 1997 had not yet been established in the Basic Law, due to be promulgated

in 1990.

It is clear that most people in Hong Kong found the decision to introduce direct elections into the Legislative Council in 1991 a balanced and reasonable response to the views of the community as a

whole.

The decisions in the White Paper provide a good basis to develop the system of representative government further, as we intend to do,

in the run up to 1997. We cannot say at this stage how this will be done in practice. The first steps could be taken in 1991 when the

next Legislative Council will be formed. Our intention is to

develop the Hong Kong Legislative Council in line with the

arrangements to be set out in the Basic Law so as to permit a smooth transfer in 1997 in this important area.

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