TNAG-1580-FCO40-2154-Extension-to-Hong-Kong-of-European-Community--European-Free-1987 — Page 5

of government policies, participate in the enactment of legislation, consider complaints by members of the public against government departments and monitor the effectiveness of public

administration. The 22 appointed Unofficial members are selected

by the Governor from a wide spectrum of society and they hold

more than 300 seats, outside the two councils, on various

committees and boards dealing with public and community affairs.

The 24 elected members comprise 12 who are elected by an

Electoral College composed of members of the Urban Council

(URBCO), the Regional Council (REGCO) and Hong Kong's 19 District

Boards; and 12 who are elected by functional constituencies

representing legal, commercial, industrial, social services,

medical, teaching, labour, financial and professional groups.

1.7

The Office of Members of the Executive and Legislative

Councils (OMELCO, previously UMELCO), funded by the Hong Kong

Government, provides research and administrative assistance to

Unofficial members. OMELCO is also an established channel for

the redress of grievances, and it handles all public complaints,

the appeals and cases of maladministration. Under OMELCO redress

system, members have the right of access to government records and senior officials and to challenge the established practices

and policies of government departments. When necessary they

bring important issues to the attention of either of the two

councils.

1.8 Unofficial Members spend much time studying all Government

Bills and any course of government action

of government action which is important or

controversial, or about which representations are received from

public bodies or from members of the public. The Police Group,

which consists of a panel of eight Unofficial members and

Justices of the Peace, plus the Attorney General, monitors the

handling of complaints against the police. Similarly the ICAC

Complaints Committee, also comprising seven Unofficial members

and the Attorney General, monitors the handling of complaints

against the Independent Commission Against Corruption. Various

OMELCO panels meet regularly with senior government officials. Issues and policies of importance are discussed at these meetings and may be debated and publicly questioned at meetings of the

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