Basic Law Panel Convener, Sir S Y CHUNG
At a UMELCO meeting held on 12.10.84, Members agreed that a Panel should be formed to study public views and comments relating to the proposed Basic Law, Members also agreed that the Senior Unofficial Member of the Executive Council should be the ex-officio Convener of the Panel.
Chinese Language Policy Panel Convener, Mr WONG Lam
This Panel aims to assist the Chinese Language Division of the Administrative Services and Information Branch to oversee and to monitor the effective implementation of Government's Chinese language policy.
During the year, the Panel held meetings on 12.2.85 and 2.8.85 with senior officials of the Chinese Language Division and the Education Department to review matters arising within the Panel's areas of interest. Subjects discussed included the teaching of Putonghua in primary and secondary schools; translation of Bills, Ordinances, and Legislative Council papers; recruitment of simultaneous interpreters; use of Chinese in the Judiciary; and a general review of the Government's efforts to promote the wider use of Chinese in official business.
Civil Service Panel
Convener, Dr Harry FANG
The Panel met with the Secretary for Civil Service on 11.2.85 to discuss a number of civil service issues, including future arrangement for the public service; participation by civil servants in public elections and political activities; morale of the civil service and localisation policy.
Constitutional Affairs Panel
Convener, Mr S L CHEN
The Panel was set up in September
1984 to examine proposals for
constitutional reform in Hong Kong and to report developments and progress to UMELCO.
The Panel held 13 meetings during the year. Proposals contained in the
Green Paper on the Further Development
of Representative Government in Hong Kong were discussed and recommendations made to the Government after careful consideration of views expressed by the public and detailed deliberations among Members.
Following the publication of the White Paper on the subject, the Panel monitored reactions from the public and met with the Administration to discuss problems relating to elections in functional constituencies.
In order to examine and monitor the development of representative government in Hong Kong before the 1987 review systematically and in an orderly way, a work programme was drawn up.
Experts from outside the Civil Service were invited to conduct briefing sessions on selected constitutional issues. These included Professor Peter Harris from the University of Hong Kong on 26.4.85 and 24.9.85; Mr Andrew WONG from the Chinese University of Hong Kong on 17.7.85 and 30.8.85; and Dr H C KUAN and Dr P N S LEE of the Chinese University of Hong Kong on 11.10.85 and 23.10.85 respectively.
Cultural Affairs and Recreation Panel Convener, Mr Alex WU
The Panel held a meeting on 5.2.85 at which the Secretary for Municipal Services (Designate) was invited to give a briefing on the re-organisation of the Cultural Services Department and the Recreation and Culture Department. Other topics discussed included the teaching of visual arts in schools; funding of cultural and
Members visit the Sai Kung Water-sports Centre
recreational activities; and the private sponsorship of the performing arts.
Economic Services and Monetary Affairs Panel
Convener, Mr LI Fook-wo
A joint meeting was held on 27.9.84 with the Education and Manpower Panel to meet visiting British Minister of State for Employment, Mr P H Morrison, MP to discuss matters of manpower and training. On 17.10.84, the Panel had a joint meeting with the Trade and Industry Panel at which they discussed the current state of the economy with the Secretary for Economic Services. Members were also briefed on the work of the Civil Aviation Department by the Director of Civil Aviation.
In view of the strong representations received regarding the effects of the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Ordinance 1984, after consultation with the Convener of the LegCo Ad Hoc Group on the legislation, a Core Group based on membership of the Panel was formed in December 1984 to study the representations, the implications and effects of the Ordinance. The Core Group held four meetings on 7.1.85, 13.2.85, 23.5.85 and 3.7.85. A briefing on the Ordinance was also given by the Core Group to interested UMELCO Members on 13.3.85.
29