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WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1983
THIS, HE ADDED, FOLLOWED THE PRACTICE WITH REGARD TO
LEGISLATION AND OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS AND HAD NO SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE.
MR THOMAS ALSO SPOKE OF VARIOUS PROPOSALS MADE BY THE WORKING PARTY IN RELATION TO THE PASSAGE OF BILLS, QUESTIONS, PROVISIONS FOR DEBATE AND GENERAL PROCEDURE.
ON BILLS, THE PARTY RECOMMENDED OR PROPOSED THAT:
* WHERE AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED OR PROMPTED BY
UNOFFICIALS, THE MOVING OF THOSE AMENDMENTS IN A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE COUNCIL SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE UNOFFICIALS TO ENSURE THAT CREDIT GOES 'WHERE IT IS DUE.
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THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE PERMITTED TO MAKE INFORMALLY MINOR CORRECTIONS OF TYPOGRAPHY, CROSS REFERENCE AND OTHER SIMPLE ERRORS IN A BILL, AFTER ITS APPROVAL BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND BEFORE ITS INTRODUCTION INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THIS LIBERTY, MR THOMAS SAID, WILL BE TAKEN BY THE LAW DRAFTSMAN IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CLERK TO THE COUNCIL.
* WHERE POSSIBLE, AMENDED CLAUSES SHOULD BE BATCHED AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE TO ALLOW THE SPONSOR OF A BILL OR AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER TO SPEAK ONCE TO COVER ALL THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, AND TO ALLOW ALL THE AMENDMENTS TO BE VOTED ON TOGETHER. MR THOMAS SAID THAT THIS PRACTICE HAD ALREADY STARTED, STREAMLINING THE COUNCIL'S WORK.
AS FOR DEBATES, HE SAID, THE WORKING PARTY NOTED THAT THE PRESENTATION OF A SUPPLEMENTARY APPROPRIATION BILL ON THE UNAUDITED ACCOUNTS IN JUNE OR JULY OF EACH YEAR WOULD PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A THIRD GENERAL DEBATE.
SUCH A DEBATE, HE ADDED, WOULD ROUND OFF THE WORK OF THE SESSION AND MIGHT PROVIDE USEFUL GUIDELINES ON WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION COULD WORK DURING THE RECESS BEFORE THE GOVERNOR'S NEXT ANNUAL ADDRESS.
FINALLY THE PARTY EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT STILL MORE USE MIGHT BE MADE OF CANTONESE IN THE COUNCIL DEBATE, MR THOMAS SAID.
SPEAKING ON THE RESOLUTION, THE HON ROGER LOBO SAID THAT UNOFFICIALS OF THE COUNCIL HAD BEEN CONSULTED AND HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THE WORKING GROUP'S REPORT.
HE SAID THAT THE UNOFFICIALS WELCOMED THE CHANGES PROPOSED.
THE AMENDMENTS WILL COME INTO EFFECT ON SEPTEMBER 1.
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