XN000022-1982-11-11 — Page 6

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1982

5.

EFFORT TO IMPROVE LEGCO PROCEDURES

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THERE MAY BE SCOPE FOR MORE EFFECTIVE USE TO BE MADE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL'S EXISTING STANDING ORDERS WITHOUT THE NEED FOR ANY MAJOR AMENDMENTS, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID AT THE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY.

AS AN EXAMPLE, SIR PHILIP CITED THE PROVISIONS DEALING WITH ADJOURNMENT DEBATES AND SELECT COMMITTEES WHICH, HE SAID, COULD BE INVOKED TO GREATER EFFECT.

HE WAS SPEAKING ON THE FINDINGS OF A WORKING PARTY SET UP TO REVIEW THE STANDING ORDERS, CONVENTIONS AND PRACTICES OF THE COUNCIL IN ORDER TO IMPROVÉ PROCEDURES AND TO REFLECT MORE CLEARLY THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS TO THE MAKING OF NEW

LEGISLATION.

SIR PHILIP SAID THAT UPON COMPLETION OF THE WORKING PARTY'S REVIEW, WHICH IS EXPECTED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, HE WOULD DISCUSS ITS RECOMMENDATIONS WITH THE HON R.H. LOBO TO DECIDE WHAT FURTHER ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN ON THEM.

+TO ALLAY ANY MISCONCEPTION, I SHOULD MAKE IT QUITE CLEAR THAT THE SCOPE OF THIS REVIEW WAS NEVER INTENDED TO GO BEYOND THE PROCEDURES FOLLOWED BY THIS COUNCIL IN ITS MEETINGS.

+ IT CERTAINLY WAS NOT INTENDED TO COVER THE CONSTITUTION OF, OR APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO, THIS COUNCIL, WHICH ARE MATTERS PRESCRIBED IN THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS; AND IT IS NOT PROPOSED TO RECOMMEND ANY CHANGES TO THEM AT THE PRESENT TIME, HE EXPLAINED.

ON THE SUGGESTION THAT THE OLD SUPREME COURT BUILDING BE CONVERTED TO A COUNCIL CHAMBER AND THE UMELCO OFFICE, SIR PHILIP SAID THAT WHILE HE WAS PERSONALLY ATTRACTED TO THE IDEA, HE COULD NOT OFFER +MORE THAN A CAUTIOUS RESPONSE UNTIL OTHER FACTORS HAD BEEN EVALUATED AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CONSULTED.

HE REPORTED THAT THE REVIEW OF FUNCTIONAL ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES WOULD BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.

+ALL HEADS OF SECRETARIAT BRANCHES AND HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN ASKED TO GIVE THE MOST CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO BOTH THE TERMS OF REFERENCE AND THE MEMBERSHIP OF THESE 300 AND MORE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, WITH A VIEW TO ENSURING THAT THEY REFLECT CURRENT CONDITIONS IN HONG KONG AND ARE SO COMPOSED AS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOUND AND RELEVANT ADVICE TO THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.

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