7.
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A point of particular importance is that the non-officials constitute an overwhelming majority on the Finance Committee of LegCo which controls all
government expenditure. Although this arrangement is not new, it has become more significant in two ways: given the new composition of LegCo elected members are in the majority in the Finance Committee; and with rare exceptions, all meetings of the committee are held in public. The simple fact is that the non-official members of LegCo have the power to frustrate any Government proposal which requires the expenditure of public money. Very few people, either in the Council or outside, seem to realise the full implications of this. But more and more will, particularly as the proportion of elected members increases in the run up to 1997. Arguments over the recent Defence Costs Agreement, with sustained opposition to the terms of the agreement from an articulate minority in the Finance Committee, showed how vulnerable the Government potentially is to co-ordinated opposition in this forum.
8.
The increasing influence of the Legislative Council, has had its effect both on the Executive Council (ExCo), and the administration. For the Executive Council, representative government has meant an adjustment in style as well as a substantial increase in workload. Members are now much more concerned with the political implications of a proposal and in particular whether it will be accepted by LegCo. They are accordingly more cautious in decision making. The appointed members of ExCo who are also members of LegCo have found themselves in an increasingly difficult position. They have had to shoulder the substantially increased workload which now goes with membership of the two Councils. They also lack the support conferred elsewhere by the party system, and as a result have been exposed to a much greater degree of critical comment by the media and their more radical LegCo colleagues.
9.
For the 10 official members of LegCo, the new system has involved a substantial increase in the proportion of the time they spend on work connected with the Council. Preparation for question time has been particularly demanding. The smaller number of officials now in LegCo means that those who remain members are sometimes called to answer for subjects which are the responsibility of colleagues outside the Council. The proliferating ad hoc groups of Legislative Councillors and panels of Omelco members have also made increasing demands on the time of senior government officials in general. The fact that they can be summoned to attend before these groups and panels, often at short notice, once again emphasizes the increasing political importance of the non-official members of LegCo.
/The administration....
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