Constitution and Administration | 7
council to order withdrawal of a member from a committee meeting on the ground of disorderly conduct of that member at the meeting. The motion which was negatived sought to amend Rule 45(1) to empower the chairman of any committee of the council to direct a member to discontinue his speech on the ground of the member's persistence in irrelevance or tedious repetition of his own or other members' arguments in the debate during a committee meeting.
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 2010-11 session, the House Committee set up 23 bills committees to scrutinise 24 bills introduced into the council, including the Stamp Duty (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2010, Chief Executive Election (Amendment) Bill 2010, Legislative Council (Amendment) Bill 2010, Companies Bill, Lifts and Escalators Bill, Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2011, Legislative Council (Amendment) Bill 2011, Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2011 and Personal Data (Privacy) (Amendment) Bill 2011. A total of 36 bills committees, including 13 which were set up in the previous session, were in operation during the 2010-11 session.
Subcommittees on Subsidiary Legislation
During the 2010-11 session, the House Committee formed 26 subcommittees to consider 46 items of subsidiary legislation, two other instruments, three proposed resolutions presented by the Government for the council's approval and an order made under section 78B of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance.
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. During the 2010-11 session, the House Committee appointed two subcommittees to consider issues relating to the power of the Legislative Council to amend subsidiary legislation and proposed senior judicial appointments respectively.
In addition, three subcommittees on policy issues or other council business appointed under the House Committee in the previous session continued to be in operation during the 2010-11 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