XN000022-1994-07-08 — Page 7

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FRIDAY, JULY 8,

JULY 8, 1994

SHE HOPED THAT MEMBERS COULD COMPLETE CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL DURING THE SUMMER SO THAT THE LEGISLATION COULD BE ENACTED IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR.

THE THIRD AREA OF CONCERN RELATED TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS RAISED BY MEMBERS AT THE SPECIAL FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND THE SHORT TIME BRANCHES WERE GIVEN TO ANSWER THEM.

IN MARCH THIS YEAR MEMBERS RAISED A TOTAL OF 1,570 INITIAL QUESTIONS AND 253 SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS ON THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE ITEMS.

SHE TOLD MEMBERS THAT THE FINANCE BRANCH WAS CARRYING OUT A REVIEW OF THIS YEAR'S EXECISE AND THE ADMINISTRATION WILL LATER IN THE YEAR PROPOSE WAYS OF IMPROVING THE SYSTEM.

ANOTHER SUBJECT OF CONCERN WAS THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PRIVATE MEMBERS' BILLS.

WHILST RECOGNISING MEMBERS' CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT то MOVE PRIVATE MEMBERS' BILLS, MRS CHAN WAS WORRIED THAT A PROLIFERATION OF SUCH BILLS COULD UPSET CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT PRIORITIES IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME AND AFFECT THE GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO ENACT THE LEGISLATION IT NEEDED ΤΟ CARRY OUT ITS POLICIES IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

SHE URGED MEMBERS то DISCUSS THEIR PROPOSALS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION SO THAT THESE CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO PUBLIC BILLS WHENEVER APPROPRIATE.

SHE ALSO HOPED THAT THE ADMINISTRATION COULD BE GIVEN AMPLE NOTICE IN THE EVENT THAT MEMBERS DECIDE TO INTRODUCE PRIVATE MEMBERS' BILLS.

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CHIEF SECRETARY MEETS REPORTERS * * * * *

THE FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN'S REPLIES TO REPORTERS OUTSIDE THE LEGCO CHAMBER AFTER BRIEFING LEGCO MEMBERS THIS (FRIDAY) AFTERNOON:

MRS CHAN: THIS IS THE SECOND BRIEFING THAT I'VE DONE FOR LEGCO MEMBERS. IN RESPONSE TO MEMBERS' REQUEST, I HAVE AGREED THAT WE WILL STEP UP THE FREQUENCY OF THIS BRIEFING AND EXCHANGE TO EVERY OTHER MONTH. BUT WE'VE JUST HAD A VERY USEFUL DISCUSSION, REVIEWING THE WORK OF THE PAST YEAR. IT IS QUITE EVIDENT THAT LEGCO HAS HAD A VERY BUSY YEAR AND I THINK ITS RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. DURING THE SESSION, LEGCO PASSED A HUNDRED AND FOUR BILLS, COMPARED WITH 84 BILLS LAST YEAR. WE LOOKED AT AREAS IN WHICH WE COULD STREAMLINE CURRENT WORKING ARRANGEMENTS SO AS

то IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE RATIONALISATION OF THE PANELS THAT LOOK AT VARIOUS ISSUES AND PROCESS BILLS; THE QUESTION OF WHETHER WE CAN ATTEMPT TO REDUCE THE HIGH NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT ARE ASKED EVERY YEAR IN CONNECTION WITH THE DRAFT ESTIMATES, BECAUSE FOR THE LAST DRAFT ESTIMATES, WE HAD OVER FIFTEENTH HUNDRED QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS, ALL OF WHICH HAD BEEN ANSWERED WITHIN A PERIOD OF ONE TO TWO DAYS. SO DURING THOSE TWO DAYS, THE GOVERNMENT VIRTUALLY CAME TO A HALT. SO I SUGGESTED TO MEMBERS THAT PERHAPS THE QUESTIONS COULD BE SPREAD DURING THE YEAR AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS MIGHT NOT BE SO URGENT, SO THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS A BIT MORE TIME TO ANSWER THEM. BUT IN GENERAL, I AM GLAD TO SAY THAT WE FELT THAT WE HAD A VERY GOOD YEAR WITH LEGCO. IT HAS BEEN A VERY CONSTRUCTIVE AND COOPERATIVE PARTNERSHIP AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE OF THE SAME IN THE COMING YEAR.

WELL

/QUESTION