TNAG-1366-FCO40-1812-Hong-Kong-Legislative-Council-(Powers-and-Privileges)-Bill-1-1985 — Page 135

UMELCO RESTRICTED

DRAFT SPEECH BY HON LYDIA DUNN, CBE, LLD, JP

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

12.6.85

Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Bill 1985

sir,

This Bill has quite rightly attracted a great deal of public interest and generated a great deal of comment. So much has been said by so many there is now a thorough state of confusion in many people's minds.

What, for instance is the purpose of today's debate? "To make a new law" many would say. It is nothing of the

sort. Our aim today is much simpler. It is to express our approval in principle that a law should be made to ensure in this Legislature:-

that Members should be able to speak

freely without fear that they will be subject to legal action;

that when we need the assistance of

witnesses, there are proper legal arrangements to govern the way in which these witnesses can be of most help for the public good;

that there are sanctions against mischevious attempts to frustrate the

work of the body required to make laws for the good government of Hong Kong.

The purpose of our Second Reading debate is to resolve these matters of principle and record where, in substance, changes should be made to the draft of the Bill,

UMELCO RESTRICTED

Page 135Page 136