XN000022-1983-08-10 — Page 25

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1983

+DURING THIS SESSION UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ASKED 194 QUESTIONS 34 MORE THAN DURING THE 1981-82 SESSION AND THESE WERE FOLLOWED UP BY 340 SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS (INCLUDING A REMARKABLE 36 TODAY), AN INCREASE OF 69 ON THE LAST SESSION.

+UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS ALSO DEALT WITH 326 FINANCE COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEMS AND PAPERS, 289 PUBLIC WORKS SUB-COMMITTEE PAPERS AND 45 ESTABLISHMENT SUB-COMMITTEE PAPERS, ALL OF WHICH ENTAILED MANY HOURS OF PRIVATE STUDY APART FROM MEETINGS.

+BUT THESE STATISTICS ONLY TELL PART OF THE STORY THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL WHAT ONE MIGHT DESCRIBE AS QUALITATIVE DEVELOPMENTS THIS SESSION. TO BEGIN WITH, THIS SESSION WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR A NUMBER OF VIGOROUS, AND AT TIMES IMPASSIONED, DEBATES ON SUBJECTS AS FAR APART AS AIR POLLUTION, DRIVING OFFENCES, SCHEMES OF CONTROL AND EDUCATION, WHICH HAVE ENLIVENED OUR PROCEEDINGS.

+ IF I MAY SAY SO, UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS HAVE ALSO DEMONSTRATED THEIR ABILITY TO RESPOND RAPIDLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO MATTERS OF PUBLIC CONCERN A RECENT EXAMPLE BEING THE TREATMENT OF CHICKENS WITH HORMONES - AND OFFICIAL MEMBERS WILL REMEMBER THIS SESSION FOR THE BARRAGE OF PENETRATING SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS WHICH, CONTRARY TO BELIEF IN SOME QUARTERS, ARE NOT MADE KNOWN TO THEM IN SECRET CONCLAVE IN ADVANCE.

+ THE AMENDMENTS TO THE STANDING ORDERS WHICH WERE APPROVED AT THE LAST SITTING ALSO REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT STEP IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNCIL AND THEY SHOULD RESULT IN EVEN MORE SPONTANEOUS DEBATE IN THE FUTURE AND HELP TO REFLECT MORE CLEARLY THE VERY CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTION MADE BY UNOFFICIALS IN THE FORMULATION OF LEGISLATION AND THE CONTROL OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE.

+IN PARTICULAR, THE HOLDING IN PUBLIC OF THOSE MEETINGS OF FINANCE COMMITTEE AT WHICH HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS ARE QUESTIONED IN DETAIL ON THE FUNDS SOUGHT BY THEM IN THE ANNUAL APPROPRIATION BILL SHOULD CONTRIBUTE GREATLY TOWARDS PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THIS ASPECT OF THE COUNCIL'S WORK.

+SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, ON BEHALF OF BOTH THE GOVERNOR AND MYSELF AND THE CLERK AND THE DEPUTY CLERK OF COUNCILS MAY

I WISH YOU ALL A RELAXING IF NOT RESTFUL RECESS, AND A SAFE RETURN TO THOSE OF YOU TRAVELLING ABROAD.+

SIR PHILIP SAID THE FIRST SITTING OF THE 1983-84 SESSION WILL BE HELD ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, WHEN THE GOVERNOR WILL ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.

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