CHAPTER 4 Legislative Council
The main functions of the Legislative Council are to enact laws, control public expenditure and debate matters of public concern. The Council meets in public fortnightly throughout most of the year.
The procedures of the Council are broadly similar to those of a parliament and questions may be asked by the Unofficial Members relating to any area of Government responsibility. Question time also provides an opportunity for Unofficial Members to obtain explanations of official actions and intentions in regard to topical issues. The questions usually numbering between 10 and 15 per sitting-stem from Unofficial Members' wide public contacts, as well as from complaints and representations made to the UMELCO Office and points arising from regular district visits. The views of Unofficial Members expressed in LegCo have a strong influence on Government policies.
The President of the Council is the Governor, and the Chief Secretary, Financial Secretary and Attorney General are ex-officio Members. At the beginning of the 1984-85 session, there were 13 nominated Official and 31 Unofficial Members of LegCo. The Unofficial Members were:
Sir Roger Lobo, CBE, LLD, JP (Senior Unofficial Member of LegCo) Dr Harry FANG, CBE, LLD, JP
Mr LO Tak-shing, CBE, MA, JP
Dr Francis TIEN, CBE, OBE, LLD, DSoSc,
JP
Mr Alex WU, CBE, JP
Mr S L CHEN, CBE, DSC, JP
Miss Lydia DUNN, CBE, LLD, JP
Fr Patrick T McGovern, OBE, SJ, JP
Mr Peter C WONG, OBE, JP
Mr WONG Lam, OBE, JP
Dr HO Kam-fai, OBE,JP
Mr Allen LEE, OBE, JP
Mr Andrew SO, OBE, JP
Mr F K HU, OBE, JP
Mr WONG Po-yan, OBE, JP
Mr W CL Brown, OBE, JP Mr CHAN Kam-chuen, OBE, JP Mr J J Swaine, OBE, QC, JP Mr Stephen CHEONG, OBE, JP Mr Benton CHEUNG Yan-lung, OBE, MBE, SBStJ, JP
Mrs Selina CHOW, OBE, JP Miss Maria TAM, OBE, JP Dr Henrietta IP
Mr CHAN Ying-lun Mrs Rita FAN
Mrs Pauline NG
Mr Peter POON, MBE, JP
Mr YEUNG Po-kwan, CPM Dr Kim CHAM, JP Mr Keith LAM, JP Mr Carl TONG
Fr McGovern passed away on 30.9.84 and Mr LO Tak-shing ceased to be an Unofficial Member of the Legislative Council on 12.2.85 upon resignation.
Standing Orders of LegCo The proceedings of LegCo are governed by Standing Orders made by the Council in pursuance of the Hong Kong Royal Instructions.
The Chief Secretary, Sir Philip Haddon-Cave, moved an amendment to the Standing Orders on 6.2.85 in the Council to the effect that as from 13.3.85, the Finance Committee would conduct all its meetings in public, except when confidential items were discussed.
Sir Roger Lobo, on behalf of his Unofficial colleagues, placed on record their support for the
amendment, saying that it was a further step towards the development of open Government.
Referring to recent amendments to the Standing Orders, Sir Philip pointed out that the latter had been amended in 1983 to permit the Finance Committee to sit in public to examine the draft annual estimates before the Appropriation Bill was considered by a committee of the Council.
Further changes had then been made in 1984, to enable the Public
Accounts Committee to hold its hearings in public. Therefore, he said, it was only right that regular meetings of the Finance Committee should be held in public as well.
Business of LegCo
There were 28 public sittings of LegCo during the 1984-85 Session. Two major parliamentary events of the Council each year are the Governor's opening address at the commencement of the Session and the annual budget debate. It is customary for the Governor to review Government plans and development proposals annually at the first meeting of the Session which usually takes place during the first week of October, and the opportunity is taken by Unofficial Members to debate matters of public concern and all facets of Government business. At the time of the annual budget presentation, groups of Unofficials analyse and study in depth the Government's proposals.
Annual Policy Debate
The Governor delivered his annual policy address at the opening of LegCo on 4.10.84. Twenty-six Unofficials spoke to the Motion of Thanks on 24.10.84 and 25.10.84. The main subjects covered by the Unofficials included:
Social Welfare
Review Public Assistance Scheme; extend public assistance to widows with young children and to those unable to work due to chronic illness; comprehensive review of social welfare welcomed since present system is complicated and difficult for clients to understand; Government should re-consider the establishment of a Central Provident Fund; Government should take more positive measures in the management of street sleepers; legislation under which street
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