TNAG-1366-FCO40-1812-Hong-Kong-Legislative-Council-(Powers-and-Privileges)-Bill-1-1985 — Page 85

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ultimate control is in the hands of the elected legislature which is secured under the Sino-Britiah Joint Declaration.

The fourth point is whether we are protecting any

This bill has been extensively amended which vested interest. shows that we are responding to public opinion. Although the

to codify the original prime objective

Parliamentary practices in common law which is extended or can be extended to a colonial legislature under the doctrine of inherent necessity, the Ad Hoc Group quickly realized that the concept of Parliamentary privilege is far removed from the

We therefore aimed at ordinary life of people in Hong Kong.

The bill now betare Indeed, we have

7(2), 13, 14, 15, 16,

We bave asked for

retaining what is in fact necessary for this Council to function efficiently and effectively; and cast aside much of what is knew to be "inherently necessary". Council reflects this practical approach. received representations on Clauses 3, 4, 37, 19, 20, 24 and 25 of the original bill. Amendments to all, except Clauses 3 and 4 and 24 of that

Those who made representations to us should original bill. take account of the fact that we have responded readily to their representations, but I believe it would not be proper for the Legislative Council at any time to act purely in response to

pressure.

Fifthly, there are representations made on the future development of this Commoil,

The Chairman of the Bar Association, The Prusident of the Law Society and the Chairman of Justice call for a review of whether with an elected legislature there should be created the office of a speaker of the Legislative Council and the povers, duties and responsbilities of that office; a review of the relationship between the Council and ita committees; a review of the relationship between the Council and the executive bodies and whether there should be a committee of

All these points privileges or some suitable local equivalent. will need to be considered between now and 1987.