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33. CLEARLY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION AND FOR CONTROLLING AND MONITORING THE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS, THROUGH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE. IT SHOULD ALSO RETAIN ITS POWERS TO QUESTION THE ADMINISTRATION ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST AND DEBATE QUESTIONS OF POLICY. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE PRESENT FUNCTIONS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ARE THOUGHT TO BE NECESSARY, BECAUSE THESE ALLOW AMPLE SCOPE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ITS ROLE. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE MAY BE SCOPE FOR SOME DEVELOPMENT IN THE USE OF SELECT COMMITTEES, BASED ON THE PRESENT INFORMAL SYSTEM OF UMELCO WORKING GROUPS, TO EXAMINE SPECIFIC POLICY ISSUES AND MAJOR ITEMS OF LEGISLATION: AND FOR MORE COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL TO MEET IN PUBLIC.
34. AT PRESENT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS COMPOSED OF THE GOVERNOR (AS PRESIDENT), THREE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS (THE CHIEF SECRETARY,
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL), FIFTEEN OFFICIAL MEMBERS AND TWENTY-NINE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, MAKING A TOTAL MEMBERSHIP (INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR) OF FORTY-EIGHT. THE TWENTY-NINE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A WIDE RANGE OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES (INCLUDING COMMERCE, INDUSTRY, MEDICINE, LAW ENGINEERING/ARCHITECTURE, EDUCATION, SOCIAL WORK, FINANCE, ACCOUNTANCY, TRADE UNIONS/WORKERS AND RELIGIOUS BODIES) AND GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES (INCLUDING THE URBAN COUNCIL, THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE HEUNG YEE KUK). HOWEVER, THEY WERE SELECTED AND APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR ON THE BASIS OF THEIR MERITS AND STANDING AS INDIVIDUALS RATHER THEN SPECIFICALLY TO REPRESENT THESE VARIOUS CONSTITUENCIES, AND IN SOME CASES THE INDIVIDUALS SELECTED ARE ASSOCIATED WITH MORE THAN ONE CONSTITUENCY.
35. THE MAIN QUESTION WITH REGARD TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CONCERNS ITS COMPOSITION AND THE METHODS TO BE ADOPTED FOR THE SELECTION AND APPOINTMENT OF ITS MEMBERS. AS HAS ALREADY BEEN INDICATED, IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THE PRESENT SYSTEM WHEREBY ALL THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ARE SELECTED AND APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR SHOULD BE DEVELOPED PROGRESSIVELY TO PROVIDE FOR A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF THE MEMBERS TO BE ELECTED INDIRECTLY
(A) BY AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE OF URBAN COUNCIL, NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS: AND
(B) BY FUNCTIONAL GROUPS, OR ''CONSTITUENCIES''.
IT IS ALSO CONSIDERED THAT A NUMBER OF APPOINTED UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS SHOULD BE RETAINED ON THE COUNCIL FOR THE TIME BEING,
IN ORDER TO ENSURE CONTINUITY AND STABILITY: AND A NUMBER OF OFFICIAL MEMBERS SHOULD ALSO BE RETAINED ON THE COUNCIL TO MAINTAIN A LINK BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION, ALTHOUGH THERE WOULD BE A GRADUAL REDUCTION IN THEIR NUMBER.
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