Constitution and Administration 17
Bills Committees
Any member, other than the President, may join a bills committee formed by the House Committee to consider the general merits and principles of a bill allocated for scrutiny. A bills committee may also consider the detailed provisions of and amendments to the bill. It usually tables a report in council and is dissolved on the passage of the bill or when the House Committee so decides. During the 2009-2010 session, the House Committee set up 17 bills committees to scrutinise bills introduced into the council, including the Buildings Energy Efficiency Bill, Buildings (Amendment) Bill 2010, Motor Vehicle Idling (Fixed Penalty) Bill, Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2010, Food Safety Bill, Residential Care Homes (Persons with Disabilities) Bill, Communications Authority Bill and Competition Bill. A total of 30 bills committees, including 13 carried forward from the previous session, were in operation during the 2009-2010 session.
Subcommittees on Subsidiary Legislation
During the 2009-2010 session, the House Committee formed 19 subcommittees to consider 22 items of subsidiary legislation and three proposed resolutions presented by the Government for the council's approval.
Other Subcommittees
The House Committee may also appoint subcommittees to assist its consideration of policy issues and any other matters relating to the business of the council. In April 2010, the House Committee appointed two subcommittees to consider proposed senior judicial appointments and to study a package of proposals on the methods for selecting the Chief Executive and for forming the Legislative Council in 2012 respectively. In addition, three subcommittees on policy issues appointed in the previous session continued to be in operation during the 2009- 2010 session, including the 'Subcommittee to Study Issues Arising from Lehman Brothers-related Minibonds and Structured Financial Products', which was authorised by the council on November 12, 2008 to exercise the powers conferred by section 9(1) of the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance for the purpose of performing its function.
Panels
The Legislative Council has established 18 panels to monitor and examine the Government's policies and issues of public concern that relate to their respective policy areas. These panels also give views on major legislative or financial proposals before their introduction into the Legislative Council or the Finance Committee and examine relevant policy matters referred to them.
Panels may appoint subcommittees or joint subcommittees to study specific issues and to report to the panels. During the 2009-2010 session, two such subcommittees were set up under panels, including the Subcommittee on Building Safety and Related Issues and the Subcommittee on Residential and Community Care Services for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly. Eight such subcommittees were set up during the 2008-2009 session and were still in operation during the 2009-2010 session, including the Subcommittee on Matters Relating to Railways,
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