TNAG-2735-FCO40-3943-Hong-Kong-role-of-the-Legislative-Council-(LEGCO)-1993 — Page 110

CONFIDENTIAL

(72

112/53

MOLIAN 7897

fa.

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

HKB

012/3

RECEIVED IN NEGISTRY

04 A 1993

DESK OFFICER

TELNO 1252

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

& LOSS

OF 28092OZ JULY 1993

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

UKRER

HONGİ KONG

PART ONE OF TWO PARTS

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL: ROUND-UP REPORT FOR THE 1992/3 SESSION

SUMMARY

1. ANOTHER BUSY YEAR FOR A ROBUST LEGCO. FURTHER CONSOLIDATION OF LEGCO SYSTEMS AND OPERATIONS. PARTY POLITICS DOMINATED COUNCIL ACTIVITIES BUT INDEPENDENT MEMBERS HOLDING THE BALANCE. DEALINGS WITH LEGCO MORE TIME-CONSUMING AND DIFFICULT BUT GOVERNMENT STILL IN FIRM CONTROL.

DETAILS

2. IN THE 1992/93 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THERE WERE ALTOGETHER 43 LEGCO SITTINGS (INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS, 10 GOVERNOR'S QUESTION SESSIONS AND THE SPECIAL SITTING TO ELECT THE PRESIDENT OF LEGCO) AND 18 REGULAR FINANCE COMMITTEE (FC) MEETINGS.

MAIN FEATURES OF INTEREST

SEPARATION OF EXCO AND LEGCO

3. FOLLOWING THE SEPARATION OF EXCO AND LEGCO, DUAL MEMBERSHIP OF THE TWO COUNCILS CEASED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION. STEPS WERE TAKEN BY LEGCO TO CONSOLIDATE A SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT OPERATION (SEE PARA 4 - 9). SEPARATION OF MEMBERSHIP HAS GIVEN RISE TO COMPLAINTS BY SOME LEGCO MEMBERS OF COMMUNICATION GAPS BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO WHENEVER THE TWO COUNCILS' VIEWS ON A SUBJECT DO NOT TALLY.

ELECTED PRESIDENT

4. IN LINE WITH THE SEPARATION OF EXCO AND LEGCO, THE PRESIDENCY OF LEGCO WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE GOVERNOR TO A NON-OFFICIAL LEGCO

MEMBER. THIS TOOK PLACE FORMALLY ON 19 FEBRUARY 1993 WHEN MR JOHN SWAINE, THE THEN DEPUTY PRESIDENT, WAS ELECTED UNOPPOSED AS THE PRESIDENT. NO DIFFICULTIES AROSE FROM THE CHANGE. THERE IS UNIVERSAL RESPECT FOR THE NON-PARTISAN AND EFFECTIVE HANDLING OF COUNCIL BUSINESS BY MR SWAINE.

COMMITTEE SYSTEM

1

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL