§ Sir Peter BlakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Hong Kong Government White Paper on representative government will be published; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweThe Hong Kong Government White Paper on the development of representative government was published in Hong Kong earlier today. Copies of the White Paper were placed in the Library of the House today. The paper covers a range of issues connected with the development of representative government. The main decisions are that
- (a) ten directly elected members will be introduced into the Legislative Council in 1991;
- (b) in 1988 the number of appointed members in the Council will be reduced from 22 to 20, and the number of members elected by functional constituencies increase from 12 to 14. In 1991 the present geographically-based electoral college system of election will be abolished, but the urban and regional councils will each continue to elect one member to the Council;
- (c) links between the urban district boards and the urban council will be strengthened;
- (d) the Governor will continue to be the president of the Legislative Council for the immediate future.