the necessary Hong Kong Government officials, on the same basis as
other officials taking part in the talks in the British team.
21. Meanwhile the Hong Kong Government introduced into the
Legislative Council in January
the
Boundaries and Election Commission Bill. The Executive Council
endorsed on 2 February draft legislation embodying the remainder of the Governor's constitutional proposals. We passed a copy of
it to the Chinese side on 6 February. But, to help ensure that Sino-British talks got off to the best possible start, we and the
Governor, with the advice of the Executive Council, decided to
postpone our original plan to gazette the legislation on
12 February. However, we have made it clear to the Chinese that
there could not be an indefinite delay, given the practical need
to enact legislation before the end of the present session of the
Legislative Council, so that the 1994/95 elections could be held
on schedule. Despite our best endeavours, it has not yet proved
possible to agree with the Chinese side on arrangements for the
talks. The Governor therefore published draft legislation on 12 March embodying his remaining electoral proposals.
22. The Committee's recommended that Hong Kong people must be able to decide on their own system of Government (3.10). It will
be for the Legislative Council to pass the necessary legislation
for the 1994.95 elections. There can therefore be no question of deals done behind the back of the Hong Kong people. We have said
that we would accept the Council's decision.
Relationship between the Executive and the Legislature
23. The Committee considered that the independence and strength of the legislature in Hong Kong was of paramount importance
(3.20), and that the accountability of the executive authorities
to the legislature would be a most important element in ensuring
the necessary degree of autonomy for Hong Kong after 1997, as
promised in the Joint Declaration (3.21). The Government
select.cttee.PR.JRB
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