CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
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Council are to enact laws, control public expenditure and monitor the performance of the government. The government is responsible for initiating legislative and public funding proposals to the Legislative Council for consideration.
Major legislation is enacted in the form of bills. Most business, including the passage of bills, is transacted by way of motions which are decided by the majority of the members present. A bill passed by the Legislative Council becomes law when it receives the Governor's assent. After the Governor's assent, a bill becomes an ordinance without being subject to external approval, although the Queen has reserve powers to disallow an ordinance. During the 1995-96 session, the Legislative Council passed 65 bills.
Apart from the enactment of legislation, the council holds two major debates in each legislative session: a wide-ranging debate on government policies which follows the Governor's address at the opening of a new session in October each year; and the budget debate on financial and economic affairs concerning the annual Appropriation Bill, which takes place in March.
Members of the council may question the government on policy issues, either by seeking information on such issues or asking for official action on them. Members may request either oral or written answers to the questions, and may put forward supplementary questions for the purpose of elucidating an answer already given. Altogether, 140 oral and 659 supplementary questions on a wide range of topics were asked during the 30 regular sittings in 1995-96, and 433 questions were tabled for written reply by the administration.
The council meets in public, normally on Wednesdays, to transact council business. About once every two months, the Governor answers questions from members at a special sitting held on a Thursday.
All Legislative Council sittings and almost all meetings of its committees and subcommittees are open to the public. The increased transparency of the Legislative Council has helped promote better awareness and understanding of the constitutional role and functions of the council.
The council has three standing committees the Finance Committee, the Public Accounts Committee, and the Committee on Members' Interests. A House Committee is constituted to consider bills, subsidiary legislation and other matters concerning the council's business.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council comprises all members of the council except the President. Members elect the chairman and deputy chairman from among themselves.
The Finance Committee scrutinises public expenditure, both at special meetings held in March to examine the draft estimates of expenditure for the year ahead, and at regular meetings held between October and July to consider proposals which entail changes to the approved estimates or to note financial implications of new policies. These meetings are held in public. From time to time, the Financial Secretary briefs members on important financial issues and on budget matters.
The Finance Committee is assisted by two subcommittees, Establishment and Public Works, in the performance of its functions. The subcommittees also meet in