TNAG-1596-FCO40-2181-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 153

SECRET 高度機密

4

(b)

to vote or deny funds;

(c)

to debate matters of policy;

(a)

to question the Administration on public issues for which it is responsible;

(e)

to call the Administration to account for the expenditure of public funds.

13.

Under existing practice the ten government officials who are members of

of the Legislative Council are regularly called upon to represent the government position in debate and to answer questions. Other officials may be called to attend meetings of the Council's Standing Committees (the Finance and Public Accounts Committees) and of the two sub-committees of the Finance Committee.

14.

The government officials who are members of the Legislative Council and, in particular, the three ex-officio members who are also ex-officio members of the

the Executive

The

Council, play an important role in introducing government business and legislation into the Council. participation of officials in the workings of the Council is thus a distinctive feature of the present relationship between the executive and the legislature. While it would be possible for officials to attend before the legislature without being members, consideration would need to be given to appropriate arrangements for the introduction of government business and legislation, functions which have hitherto been carried out only by full members of the Legislative Council.

This question is discussed

paragraphs 9-11 of Note 3 in this series.

in

G.F. 316

SECRET 高度機密