THE PRINCIPAL FUNCTIONS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ARE TO ENACT
LEGISLATION AND CONTROL THE EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC FUNDS. THE COUNCIL QUESTIONS THE ADMINISTRATION ON MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST
AND DEBATES ITS PROPOSALS IN REGARD TO POLICY. UNTIL 1985 THE
COUNCIL CONSISTED OF APPOINTED MEMBERS ONLY. FOLLOWING THE
PRINCIPLES LAID DOWN IN THE 1984 WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG, 24 OF THE
46 NON-OFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL HAVE, SINCE 1985, BEEN CHOSEN
BY A SYSTEM OF INDIRECT ELECTIONS. TWELVE ARE ELECTED BY AN
ELECTORAL COLLEGE COMPRISING ALL MEMBERS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND
THE URBAN AND REGIONAL COUNCILS SEMICOLON AND TWELVE BY FUNCTIONAL
CONSTITUENCIES REPRESENTING SIGNIFICANT SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY.
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
THE 1985/1986 SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MARKED A
SIGNIFICANT STAGE IN ITS HISTORY. IN ADDITION TO THE INTRODUCTION
OF ELECTED MEMBERS FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE SIZE OF THE COUNCIL WAS
INCREASED FROM 46 TO 56, AND THE NUMBER OF OFFICIAL MEMBERS WAS
REDUCED FROM 16 TO 10. THE COUNCIL MET WEEKLY, INSTEAD OF EVERY
TWO WEEKS. IN ADDITION TO DEALING WITH SOME 72 BILLS AT VARIOUS
STAGES OF ENACTMENT, COUNCIL MEMBERS ASKED 296 QUESTIONS AND 797 SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS OF OFFICIAL MEMBERS, COMPARED WITH 179
QUESTIONS AND 349 SUPPLEMENTARIES IN THE PREVIOUS SESSION, AND
HELD DEBATES ON A NUMBER OF SPECIFIC POLICY ISSUES.
THUS THE 1985/1986 SESSION SAW A MARKED INCREASE IN THE VOLUME
OF BUSINESS CONDUCTED BY THE COUNCIL. IT WAS CHARACTERISED BY
LIVELY AND AT TIMES HEATED DEBATE ON IMPORTANT ISSUES SUCH AS THE
SAFETY OF THE FUTURE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT AT DAYA BAY, AND THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN THE TERRITORY.
THE INCREASINGLY VIGOROUS STYLE OF COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS AND THE
TENDENCY FOR COUNCILLORS TO AIR THEIR DIFFERENCES OPENLY, RATHER THAT IN CLOSED SESSION, AS IN THEPAST, HAS BEEN MAINTAINED INTO THE
1985/1986 SESSION. THE DEBATE ON THE MOTION OF THANKS FOR THE
GOVERNOR'S OPENING ADDRESS, DURING WHICH ALL BUT A FEW MEMBERS SPOKE, WAS DOMINATED BY DISCUSSION OF THE DIRECTION WHICH THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE. VIEWS WERE EXPRESSED STRONGLY FOR AND
AGAINST RAPID CHANGES IN THE PRESENT SYSTEM. THE CURRENT SESSION
HAS ALSO SEEN THE COUNCIL ADOPT THE PRACTICE OF HOLDING AN
ADJOURNMENT DEBATE AT THE CLOSE OF VIRTUALLY EVERY SITTING.
ISSUES ALREADY DEBATED INCLUDE THE DELIVERY OF MEDICAL SERVICES, PUBLIC HOUSING RENTAL POLICY, CARE OF THE ELDERLY, INDUSTRIAL
SAFETY AND EDUCATION.
THE 1987 REVIEW.
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