CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
Public Accounts Committee
The Public Accounts Committee's prime concern is to see that public funds are spent on the purposes for which they are granted, that full value is obtained for the sums expended, and that the government has not been faulty or negligent in its conduct of financial affairs.
The committee has a chairman and six members appointed by the council President. It examines the reports of the Director of Audit on the government's annual state- ments of accounts, and looks into matters relating to the performance of the Director of Audit's duties and value-for-money audits carried out by the Director.
In examining the issues raised in the Director of Audit's reports, the Public Accounts Committee may invite the controlling officers for certain heads of expenditure to its public hearings to give evidence. The committee's report, based on these hearings, is tabled in the Legislative Council within three months of the tabling of the Director of the Audit's report to which it relates.
The government's response to the committee's report is contained in a government minute, which describes the measures taken to give effect to the committee's recommendations or explains why these recommendations cannot be accepted. The government minute is also tabled in the Legislative Council, within three months of the tabling of the Public Accounts Committee's report.
Committee on Members' Interests
The Committee on Members' Interests has a chairman and six members. It examines the arrangements for the compilation, maintenance and accessibility of the Register of Members' Interests. It also considers matters pertaining to the declaration of interests by council members and matters of ethics in relation to the conduct of members in their capacity as such, and makes recommendations on matters relating to members' interests.
House Committee
The House Committee includes all council members except the President. Its chairman and deputy chairman are elected from among its members. The House Committee co-ordinates the business of the council and most of its committees.
When the council is in session, the House Committee meets every week. Regularly on the agenda of these meetings are reports on bills and subsidiary legislation introduced into the council; questions that members intend to put to the government; motions and bills to be debated; and any other matters of public concern or relating to the business of the council.
The House Committee may appoint bills committees to study bills and sub- committees to consider specific subsidiary legislation and issues of public concern.
Bills Committee
After a bill has been introduced into the Legislative Council, it is referred to the House Committee which may allocate the bill to a bills committee for detailed scrutiny. Any member of the Legislative Council, other than the President, may join a bills committee. The chairman is elected by the committee from among its members.
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