CONFIDENTIAL
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A possible way forward might be through mixed expert groups, to include members of ExCo and LegCo and civil
servants. The presence of relevant officials, who were members of neither Council, would be the innovation, and distinguish these groups from existing OMELCO panels or the planned LegCo Special Group (see above). They are not necessarily alternatives. The expert groups would discuss important issues before these went to ExCo for a decision, thereby ensuring that ExCo had an up-to-date read-out of LegCo opinion before giving its advice to the Governor. They would provide "usual channels" for managing Government business. Such groups would offer another vehicle for bringing Martin Lee and other "opposite" figures more closely and visibly into the decision-making process. further refinement of this scheme (and/or of the LegCo Special Group described above) would involve giving particular status to the Chairmen of such groups (eg a monthly meeting with the Governor) providing that either ExCo or LegCo members could fill these positions; and putting Martin Lee in a key position.
A
If these groups were to play a useful role as sounding boards in the development of policy before decisions by the Governor in Council, they would need to preserve confidentiality (Martin Lee says this would not be a problem for him in the context of ExCo). But since these groups
The groups
would not be part of the Executive, it would not be
necessary to enforce collective responsibility. could therefore provide a means of getting round the United Democrats' opposition to collective responsibility in
situations where they are not in the majority.
The establishment of mixed expert groups involving senior figures from LegCo would reduce the need to have members of LegCo on ExCo. It would therefore open the way to a re-modelling of ExCo so that it did not contain
representatives of any of the political parties in LegCo.
BANAEN/5
CONFIDENTIAL
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