TNAG-2716-FCO40-3922-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 173

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Decision of the National People's Congress on the formation of the first LegCo of the SAR

promulgated with the BL which would increase the

number of functional constituencies from the

present 21 to 30).

The BL does not define what a Functional

Constituency should be. Common sense dictates

it should be a group of electors defined by a

common employment or other economic role. The 1988 Hong Kong Government White Paper also

stated clearly that functional constituencies

should be substantial and of importance in the

community.

The

Our proposals on functional constituencies will

not turn them into direct elections.

essential feature of functional constituencies,

namely that people working in a particular

sector will vote for and be represented by one

of their number in LegCo, will remain. It is very important to stress the fact that the vote will be confined to those working in a

particular sector. This distinguishes the proposal from geographically based direct

elections.

(iii)

FC elections not synonymous with indirect elections. Again it is important to understand many of the existing 21 FC seats are elected

directly by individual voters e.g. Teaching, Legal, Engineering, Architectural, Surveying and Planning, Accountancy constituencies.

To make all District Board members elected and to

abolish appointed members of Municipal Councils.

The BL does not prescribe the membership of DB/MC

nor how they are to be elected. Abolition of

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