XN000022-1986-07-09 — Page 54

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1986

51

STANDING ORDER NO. 14 AMENDED

****

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) APPROVED A MOTION AMENDING STANDING ORDERS SO AS TO ENABLE MEMBERS TO SPEAK ON SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION TABLED IN THE COUNCIL.

MOVING THE MOTION TO AMEND STANDING ORDER NO. 14, THE HON MARIA TAM EXPLAINED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE AMENDMENT WAS TO ENABLE MEMBERS, WITH THE CONSENT OF THE PRESIDENT, TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION TABLED AT THAT PARTICULAR SITTING OR AT ANY OF THE THREE SITTINGS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THAT SITTING.

AT PRESENT, MEMBERS OTHER THAN EX-OFFICIO OR OFFICIAL MEMBERS CAN ONLY SPEAK ON SUCH LEGISLATION IF A RESOLUTION TO AMEND IS MOVED OR IF THE LEGISLATION IS MADE THE SUBJECT OF A MOTION FOR DEBATE OR AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE.

HOWEVER, MISS TAM SAID, MEMBERS HAD COME ACROSS SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION THE ENACTMENT OF WHICH ENHANCED NOT ONLY THE ACTIVITIES OF A SECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO THE POSITION OF HONG KONG AS A FINANCIAL CENTRE OF THE WORLD OR AFFECTED THE INTEREST OF A VITAL SECTION OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES.

UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, MEMBERS BELIEVED IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION, OR TO EXPLAIN THE NECESSARY BALANCE STRUCK BETWEEN PROTECTING THE SECTORAL INTEREST AS WELL AS PUBLIC INTEREST.

+WITH THE AMENDMENT PROPOSED IN THIS MOTION, WE SHALL BE ABLE TO DO SO WITHOUT THE AFOREMENTIONED RESTRICTIONS, + MISS TAM SAID.

SEWAGE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT KEPT UNDER REVIEW *****

THE NEED FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO HONG KONG'S TRUNK SEWERAGE SYSTEM AND SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS IS KEPT UNDER REGULAR REVIEW. THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON NICKY CHAN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

ANSWERING A QUESTION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FROM THE HON WONG PO-YAN, MR CHAN SAID THIS WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE SEWERAGE SYSTEM MET NEW REQUIREMENTS AND DID NOT BECOME A CONSTRAINT ON FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.

/MINOR UPGRADING