Hong Kong Legislative Council

HL Deb 18 July 2003 vol 651 cc188-9WA

Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will take action to secure a timetable whereby the Hong Kong Legislative Council would move first to popular election of a majority of Members and then to full election. [HL3885]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

Annex II, part I of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) sets out the "Method for the formation of the Legislative Council." Currently, in its second term since the handover, the Legislative Council is formed of 30 Members returned by functional constituencies, six Members by an Election Committee and 24 Members returned by geographical constituencies through direct elections.

In the third term, starting in 2004, the system will change so that 30 Members will be returned by functional constituencies and 30 Members returned by geographical constituencies through direct elections.

Article 68 of the Basic Law states: "the method for forming the Legislative Council shall be specified in the light of the actual situation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and in accordance with the principle of gradual and orderly progress. The ultimate aim is the election of all the members of the Legislative Council by universal suffrage." Annexes I and II of the Basic Law set out the conditions for amending, the methods by which the chief executive is selected for the terms subsequent to 2007 and the Legislative Council is formed after 2007 respectively.

We regularly express to the SAR Government our hope that Hong Kong will make early progress towards the Basic Law's ultimate aims of the election of not only all Members of the Legislative Council, but also the office of the Chief Executive by universal suffrage.