TNAG-2450-FCO40-3567-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 20

ANNEX

SECRET

HONG KONG: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: THE GOVERNOR'S

PROPOSALS

Relationship between Executive and Legislative Councils

The

The Governor intends to end the practice whereby some members of the Legislative Council (LegCo) have also served on the Executive Council (ExCo). This will draw a clearer distinction between the functions of the two Councils. Governor plans to appoint to ExCo (whose role is to advise the Governor on all major policy decisions) a mixture of senior officials and leaders from other fields of life who can give him independent advice.

The Legislative Council (LegCo)

(i) The Governor proposes a number of measures to increase the effectiveness of LegCo in passing laws, approving financial expenditure and debating policy. LegCo would:

elect its own President who would have all the procedural powers of the current President, the Governor (although private members' bills with revenue implications would continue to require the Governor's recommendation);

have its own Secretariat; and

continue to determine its own rules of procedure.

(ii) The Governor plans to make himself available

regularly to attend special LegCo sessions when he would make

cons.devl.govp.PR

JEB

SECRET