TNAG-1365-FCO40-1811-Hong-Kong-Legislative-Council-(Powers-and-Privileges)-Bill-1-1985 — Page 99

All

to

For this

of characteristic is a It

necessary

that they should be free Legislative Councils debate the issues of the day and to reflect public opinion in the course of informed debate. purpose too, and in order to carry out properly their duty to scrutinise legislation and to control public

be enabled

Tam Miss

powers they need relevant

to

material. As

to

has

expenditure, investigate pointed out we have already seen in this Council the development of the work of the Finance Committee in public, the examination of witnesses in the Public Accounts Committee to audit public expenditure, and established to committee select છે. most recently, investigate problems

associated with the moderu To enable

phenomenon of complex commercial crimes. Members of this Council to act ip the public interest to investigate topics that are of public concern, the Council must enjoy powera to require the attendance of nembers of the public with informacion or knowledge to impart and to produce documents and to give evidence. As has been pointed out however the arrangements in paragraph 16 of the 111 as presently drafted are too far-reaching in protection of individual witnesses for they might affect the rights of third parties and Amendments will be defeat the code of justice.

proposed

to

E

nake such evidence

inadmissible

in

subsequent proceedings which I hope will be seen to be

adequate protection for that purpose.