TNAG-1442-FCO40-1926-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 82

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(a)

(b)

(c)

(a)

6.

in deciding on policy, the Executive Council has available a

direct and authoritative source of advice on the likely

degree of support or opposition in the Legislative Council or

the community generally, in relation to proposals brought

before it for consideration;

(the general content of members who sit on both Councils can advise on whether/draft legislation is likely to be acceptable to the Legislative

Council in the terms proposed by Government departments; or

whether a stage of public consultation is required before

legislation is proposed to the Legislative Council;

many policy decisions require the funds to make them

effective. With members of the Legislative Council (also

members of the Legislative Council Finance Committee)

present, the Executive Council can judge before deciding on a policy whether

whether the Finance Committee would be likely to vote such funds to support it;

in

when policies are debated

the Legislative Council the

Government makes a statement of the

the justification for its

policy. It is valuable in the ensuing debate to have in the

Legislative Councilo members who were present at the Executive Council discussion, and who can in consequence elaborate on the issues considered by the Executive Council.

The advantages to the Legislative Council of having some of

its members on the Executive Council are that:

(a)

there is a channel through which the likely feeling in the

Legislative Council can be conveyed to the Executive Council

before decisions are made, thus reducing the likelihood that

policies not acceptable to the majority of members will be

presented to the Council in the form of legislation

proposals for funds;

or

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