TECHNICAL SIGNIFICANCE ONLY. LEGCO HAS RETAINED FOR ITSELF IN
SECTIONS 34 AND 35 OF THE INTERPRETATION AND GENERAL CLAUSES
ORDINANCE (CAP. 1), THE POWER TO INTERVENE AND AMEND THIS
EGISLATION ONCE IT HAS BEEN MADE.
3. THE FIRST OF OUR PROPOSALS IS A BILL TO AMEND S. 34 OF CAP. 1 SO AS TO ALLOW GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN THE PROCEDURES. THE PRESENT
PROCEDURE WHICH ALLOWS LEGCO ONLY ONE OPPORTUNITY TO AMEND (.E.
BY A RESOLUTION MOVED AT THE FIRST SITTING OF LEGCO HELD NOT LESS
THAN 27 DAYS AFTER THE LEGISLATION IS LAID) HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE
UNDULY RIGID. THE BILL, WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED ON 13 JUNE, WILL
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO AMEND AT ANY SITTING HELD WITHIN 49
DAYS OF THE SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION BEING LAID. THIS CHANGE IS BEING
INTRODUCED ON PURELY PRACTICAL GROUNDS AND DOES NOTHING TO ALTER
THE EXISTING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEGCO AND THE SUBSIDIARY LAW
MAKING BODIES.
4. THE SECOND PROPOSAL IS TO AMEND THE STANDING ORDERS OF LEGCO
SO AS TO AFFORD GREATER OPPORTUNITIES TO MEMBERS TO SPEAK IN LEGCO
ON SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION STANDING ORDERS PRESENTLY PROVIDE THAT
MEMBERS MAY SPEAK ONLY WHEN AN AMENDMENT IS TO BE MOVED. THE
RESOLUTION TO AMEND, WHICH IS LIKELY TO BE MOVED ON 9 JULY, MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR A MEMBER TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ANY TIME
OF SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION LAND BEFORE IT WHETHER AN AMENDMENT
IS PROPOSED OR NOT.
5. COMMENT:
STANDING ORDERS BECAME CONTROVERSIAL LAST YEAR WHEN THE SUBJECT
BECAME EMBROILED IN THE PUBLIC DEBATE ON THE POWERS AND PRIVILEGES
BILL AND THE SUSPICHON WAS VOICED THAT WE WOULD AMEND STANDING
ORDERS TO AS TO EXTEND THE POWER OF LEGCO BY THE BACK DOOR AND
TO TAKE BACK FROM THE PUBLIC RIGHTS CONFERRED BY THE BILL (E.G.
RIGHTS OF ACCESS TO THE CHAMBER). WE ARE ANXIOUS NOT TO REVIVE
THIS CONTROVERSEY AND HAVE ABANDONED A PLAN TO CARRY OUT A WIDE
RANGING REVIEW OF STANDING ORDERS. INSTEAD WE PLAN TO AMEND
PIECEMEAL AS AND WHEN A PRACTICAL NEED IS DEMONSTRATED. THIS
AMENDMENT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT APPROACH AND HIS THE FIRST TO BE
MADE IN THE CURRENT SESSION.
6. A COPY OF THE EXCO MEMORANDUM EXPLAINING THE PROPOSALS
(XCC (86)99) IS BEING DESPATCHED BY BAG. THE FCO ALREADY HAS A
COPY.
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