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So a lot of work goes into the preparation of our legislative programme. And we give it a high priority which I hope is shared by members of this Council.
Let me state at the outset that the Administration fully respects Members' constitutional right to introduce PMBs, subject to the limitation imposed by Royal Instructions regarding PMBs which have the objective effect of disposing of or charging any part of the public revenue. But, as the Governor said in his Policy Address, we doubt whether the public interest is best served by this Council and the Government operating on parallel tracks rather than moving forward on an agreed basis.
Continuing cooperation between the Government and LegCo in the coming session will surely be the best way to promote the interests of the people of Hong Kong.
It is in this spirit of cooperation that the Governor offered in his Policy Address to review with Members our proposed programme of legislation for 1995/96. I have suggested to the Chairman of the House Committee that among the issues we need to discuss are whether this programme needs to be adjusted to take account of Members' own priorities, how the Government's legislative programme can be processed most efficiently and effectively, and how PMBs can be handled in a way that will not upset the processing of public bills or put a strain on resources in the Administration.
I would like to echo the Governor's call for the Government and LegCo to move forward by consensus wherever possible. Clearly the more we can cooperate on the Government's legislative programme, the less need there will be for Members to put forward their own bills.
I now turn to the more specific issue of PMBS which aim to amend or repeal laws enacted to implement JLG agreements. Since 1985, the JLG has reached many agreements on a variety of subjects, from the construction of a new airport to the establishment of the Court of Final Appeal, from Hong Kong's membership in GATT to the future use of defence lands. These agreements have one important point in common: they are the results of joint efforts, by Britain as the current sovereign and China as the future sovereign, to identify solutions for issues which are essential for a successful transition. Together, they provide a framework within which we can work for a secure and prosperous future.
These agreements are not reached lightly. They are invariably the product of careful negotiations. Before the British side signifies its agreement to a particular issue, it will always ensure that: