Reply:
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Mr President,
(a) There are at present 14 statutory, professional bodies. Of these, the disciplinary committees of the following statutory professional bodies. include laymen members:
(1) The Law Society of Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Bar Association
Medical Council of Hong Kong
(2)
(3)
(4)
Midwives Board of Hong Kong
(5)
Nursing Board of Hong Kong
(6)
Dental Council of Hong Kong
(b)
(7)
Chiropractors Council
In addition to the above seven statutory professional bodies, the Hong Kong Society of Accountants may direct that one of the members of a disciplinary committee shall be a person who is not a professional
accountant.
The disciplinary proceedings of the disciplinary committees of the following statutory professional bodies are usually open to the public:
(1) Medical Council of Hong Kong
(2)
Midwives Board of Hong Kong
(3)
Nursing Board of Hong Kong
(4)
Dental Council of Hong Kong
(5)
Supplementary Medical Professions Council
(6)
Pharmacy and Poisons Board
(c)
End
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Most of the statutory professional bodies are statutorily empowered to admit or exclude the public or any member of the public from their disciplinary proceedings. As they mainly aim to regulate their professions, the Administration considers it not appropriate to intervene in their internal affairs and therefore does not have plan to urge those statutory professional bodies which conduct disciplinary proceedings in camera to make their proceedings open to the public. It is understood that sometimes the person whose conduct is being inquired into may not wish to have the proceedings open to the public.