TNAG-2456-FCO40-3577-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-presentation-1992 — Page 78

HONG

KONG

CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE

The constitutional package has been prepared with three key objectives

in mind:

2.

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

to ensure that Hong Kong has a vigorous and effective executive-led government which is accountable to the Legislature;

to broaden the participation of the community in the conduct of Hong Kong's affairs; and

to devise arrangements for the elections in 1994 and 1995 which command the confidence and support of the community.

There are two main elements in the constitutional package, i.e. immediate changes to make Hong Kong's representative institutions more effective and more accountable, and the preparations for the 1994 District Board elections and the Municipal Council and LegCo elections in 1995.

CHANGES IN EXCO-LEGCO RELATIONSHIP

3.

The main initiatives in this section of the speech are :

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

ExCo-LegCo Separation. The separation of the two Councils will enable each to perform and develop their different roles. ExCo will comprise independent members of the community distinguished in their own fields and senior officials. There will be no non-official members of LegCo in ExCo.

LegCo. Members of the Legislative Council will have greater autonomy to manage their own affairs. LegCo will have its own Secretariat and elect its own President; it will also continue to determine its own rules of procedure.

LegCo and the Government. Dialogue between LegCo and the Government will be strengthened by the creation of a non- statutory Government-LegCo Committee comprising Policy Secretaries and LegCo Members. The Committee will be chaired by the Governor, the Chief Secretary or the Financial Secretary (depending on the subject to discussed). Its function will be to discuss the handling of the Government's legislative and financial programmes.

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