SECRET 高度機密
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6.
b)
members who sit on both Councils can advise on whether the general content of draft legislation is likely to be acceptable to the Legislative Council in the terms proposed by government departments; or whether a stage of public consultation is required before
legislation is proposed to the Legislative Council;
c) many policy decisions require the funds to make them effective. With members of the Legislative Council (also members of the Legislative Council Finance Committee) present, the Executive Council can judge before deciding on a policy whether the Finance Committee would be likely to vote such funds to support it;
d) when policies are debated in the
Legislative Council the government makes a statement of the justification for its policy. It is valuable in the ensuing debate to have in the Legislative Council members who were present at the Executive Council discussion, and who can in consequence elaborate on the issues considered by the Executive Council.
The advantages to the Legislative Council of having some of its members on the Executive Council include for example:
a) there is a channel through which the likely feeling in the Legislative Council can be conveyed to the Executive Council before decisions are made, thus reducing the likelihood that policies not acceptable to the majority of members will be presented to the Council in the form of Legislation or proposals for funds.
b) when government proposals for legislation or funding are discussed informally and in private by the committees and groups of the Legislative Council, there are present members. who can speak authoritatively on the background to the Executive Council's decisions and on the considerations that the Executive Council took into account.
GE 416
SECRET 高度機密