WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 1985
14
+THE PRESIDENT, WHO MAY BE ELECTED BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL IN FUTURE, WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO MEMBERS FOR HIS EXERCISE OF POWER AND SHOULD BE TRUSTED TO ACT REASONABLY.
+ IF HE WERE TO ACT IN A WHOLLY UNREASONABLE WAY OR BEYOND HIS POWERS. THEN THE WITNESS MAY, AS I UNDERSTAND THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO CLAUSE 24, HAVE RECOURSE TO THE COURT FOR REDRESS, HE SAID.
ON THE SUGGESTION THAT SOME KIND OF RULES COMMITTEE SIMILAR TO THE UK PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON PRIVILEGE SHOULD BE SET UP TO HANDLE ANY COMPLAINTS WITNESSES MIGHT WISH TO LODGE AFTER GIVING EVIDENCE, HE FELT IT MERITED SOME CONSIDERATION IN THAT IT WOULD GIVE A WITNESS AN APPEAL CHANNEL TO SEEK REDRESS FOR ANY GRIEVANCE, WHETHER IT BE REAL OR IMAGINED.
HE HOPED THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD REFLECT UPON THIS PROPOSAL AND ARRIVE AT SOME CONCRETE PLANS.
+WITH THESE REMARKS AND SUBJECT TO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, I SUPPORT THE BILL IN PRINCIPLE, + DR HO SAID IN CONCLUSION,
LEGCO DIFFERENT NEXT SESSION, SAYS SO
*****
SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) ON THE POWERS AND PRIVILEGES BILL, THE HON ANDREW SO SAID CLAUSE 15 PROVIDED THAT WHEN QUESTIONS RELATING TO EVIDENCE AND PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS AROSE, THE COUNCIL AND ITS COMMITTEE SHOULD, IN THE INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC, MAKE ITS DECISION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FORMER USAGE AND PRACTICE PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE.
+THIS PROVISION IS BASICALLY CORRECT, MR SO SAID.
HOWEVER, BOTH THE HONG KONG AFFAIRS SOCIETY AND MEETING POINT AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC WERE OF THE OPINION THAT THESE FORMER USAGES AND PRACTICES SHOULD BE CLEARLY SPELT OUT.
+ IN LINE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNCIL, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THIS RESPECT, SO THAT HARD AND FAST RULES OF FORMER USAGE AND PRACTICE NEED NOT BE FOLLOWED SLAVISHLY, + HE SAID.
+I AM GLAD TO NOTE THAT AN AMENDMENT WILL BE MADE TO THIS CLAUSE AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE TO PROVIDE THAT QUESTIONS MAY BE DETERMINED EITHER IN ACCORDANCE WITH PAST USAGE AND PRACTICE OR BY RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL, HE ADDED.
MR SQ