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receiving representations from public groups and members of the
public.
19.
UMELCO has for the 1985 session formed 21 panels, which meets
regularly with senior civil servants to cover programme areas, such as education, manpower, health, welfare, the civil service, housing, trade, industry, transport and public relations.
20.
e
The new style Legislative Council and increasing public
interest in its activities have significantly increased its workload
and the time demanded of members. The emoluments provided for
Unofficials make it possible for lower income people to be members,
and commit themselves virtually full-time.
21.
of
The Legislative Council has a very busy agenda. In its
current session, it will pass 6 or 8 major bills on matters of great
public interest, including the budget, and over 70 minor bills,
mostly amendments designed to keep Hong Kong's legislation up to
date. All aspects of Government business are examined in committees
the Legislative Council and in the UMELCO panels and ad hoc
groups. The members of the newly constituted Legislative Council
have tackled this work in a serious and responsible manner. Responsibility for the formulation and execution of policy remains firmly with the Executive. But the Legislative Council's task is to
ensure that these policies are adequately explained and justified in
a public forum, so that the community as a whole may be satisfied
that there is a clear justification for laws and policies which
affect their daily lives.
BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
22.
The wide network of Boards and Committees has been developed
over many years as part of the system of public consultation by
which Government seeks to obtain, through consultation with
interested groups, the best advice on which to base decisions. They can be statutory or non-statutory, advisory or executive in form.
23.
Principal bodies include the Transport Advisory Committee,
the Housing Authority, the Social Welfare Advisory Committee,
Medical Development Advisory Committee, the University
the
and
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