TNAG-2712-FCO40-3918-Parliamentary-relations-draft-White-Paper-on-Representative--1993 — Page 37

sectors on the lines set out in Annex 1 of the Basic Law. The

first three sectors would be elected by grouping the 30 Functional Constituencies into three groups of ten. Electors in

each Functional Constituency would then elect a specified number

of members to the Election Committee, as well as a Functional

Constituency representative to the Legislative Council. On the

fourth sector, the British side proposed that it should be returned by members of the District Boards, Municipal Councils

and the Heung Yee Kuk. They made clear that for the reasons

noted above, it would not be appropriate for members of the 1991 Legislative Council, or Hong Kong Deputies to the NPC and

representatives of the CPPCC to serve on the Election Committee

simply by virtue of their membership of these bodies. During

Round 14, in another effort to narrow the gap, the British side

confirmed that NPC and CPPCC representatives would be free to

stand for election to the Election Committee; and accepted the

Chinese proposal that the size of the 1995 Election Committee

should be about 600, as part of an overall package deal.

65. On voting method, the British side proposed that the

Functional Constituencies would elect the first three sectors by

the block-vote method, ie each Functional Constituency elector

would have as many votes as the number of members to be returned

by that Functional Constituency. Elections within the Election

Committee would use the single transferable vote method. Any registered voter who was eligible to serve as a Legislative council

would be eligible for election by the Election Committee

provided he or she secured at least five nominations by Election

Committee members.

66. In the view of Her Majesty's Government and the Hong Kong Government, this revised proposal, although less simple than

the Governor's original proposal, would meet the essential requirements by ensuring that the Election Committee would be

elected by people who had been elected fairly and openly in

statememt.8/BRIEFS/NJH

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