(b)
SECRET
senior officials could be in regular attendance at meetings
of the Legislature to introduce government business, make
statements and answer questions, but would no longer be
members of the Legislature and would not longer therefore be
able to vote.
10.
They
The
The advantages of Option (A) would be that government
officials would, as now, be full members of the Legislature.
could take the lead in introducing government business and would
have the right to play a full part in all aspects of proceedings.
Such a system might be criticised, however, as being inappropriate as
a procedure in which government officials should participate.
need to submit themselves for election by the GEC might lead to
government officials becoming increasingly drawn into the political sphere. Further, if particular officials failed to be elected by
the GEC it would undermine both their status in the administration
and the efficient working of the Legislature.
11.
Option (B) would avoid the potential disadvantages of Option (A) but would still enable government officials to participate, on a
regular basis, in the workings of the Legislature and to assist in ensuring the efficient conduct of government business. The
disadvantages of such a system would be that, if government
officials were not full members of the Legislature, their status in its proceedings might be diminished. There might also be criticism that the regular participation of non-members in the process of enactment of legislation was not consistent with the provisions of
the Joint Declaration that the Legislature should be constituted by
elections.
TERM OF OFFICE
12.
The present term of office of the Legislative Council is three years. Paragraphs 8-12 of Note 1 suggested that it might be advantageous for the terms of office of the Chief Executive and members of the Legislature to be of equal duration, although they
need not all necessarily coincide exactly.
SECRET