TNAG-1850-FCO40-2625-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 16

WOULD HMG CONSIDER INTRODUCING FORM OF ELECTION FOR PRESENT

GOVERNOR'S SUCCESSOR?

-

full

✔

has

My / confidence

Governor has no fixed term of office. Sir D Wilson doing excellent job. Far too early to consider question of his

replacement.

Britain has a clear responsibility for administration of Hong Kong up to 1997. Very difficult to see how we can discharge this responsibility if the Governor is not appointed in the present way.

Position after 1997 will be very different. There are already provisions in the Basic Law for election of Chief Executive.

SHOULD LEGISLATURE BE GIVEN MORE POWER IN RELATION TO EXECUTIVE

BEFORE 1997? (Should half Members of EXCO come from LEGCO, as

suggested by Allen Lee; should LEGCO have power to dismiss

Governor?)

This is certainly something we could look at. But the Legislature already has considerable powers in relation to the Executive. The Legislature makes the laws of Hong Kong and approves

the annual budget and other financial proposals.

In practice the links between LEGCO and EXCO are already strong. Six of the eight unofficial Members of EXCO are Members of LEGCO. The remaining six members of EXCO are officials. These arrangements provide a strong bridge between the two bodies.

Here too it is important to bear in mind that we are working for

maximum amount of continuity before and after 1997.

The Governor is appointed by the Queen. Cannot see how it would be appropriate for the Legislature to have the power to dismiss him.