TNAG-1606-FCO40-22121-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 112

Sir,

the subject

on

been

The

the principle of bilingual legislation has

and of

intensive consultation. extensive Attorney General's Chambers deserve credit for initiating a very the Laws in Chinese useful

informative Discussion Paper and issued for public discussion in April 1986. A LegCo Ad Hoc Group consisting of 13 Members under the Convenorship of my colleague,

Mr F K HU was

to examine its implications. formed in May 1986

task in 2 With usual LegCo efficiency, the Group completed its task months and an Adjournment Debate on the subject was held in this Council in July 1986.

will Members

recall that the principle of bilingual legislation was warmly welcomed by the public, and that several colleagues who important general points were emphasized by my

has obviously,

of great

at

debate. the

This,

spoke assistance to the present Ad Hoc Group.

aspects

been

The main task of my Group was to examine the technical

the of

Bills and the

practical

implications in

implementation. The basic principle that final legislative power

this Council and

the not

attention Group's meticulous

should rest

received

with

this

the

principle

in

the Bills

Executive Council

and

have been

happily

departures from

resolved.

Appropriate amendments will be moved at the Committee Stage.

Sir, briefly the proposals in the Bills are

are to provide

for legislation to enable

1.

Laws in Hong Kong to be enacted in both English

and Chinese,

2.

The English and the equal authenticity, and

Chinese versions

to

enjoy

3.

to be set up

matters

A Bilingual Laws Advisory Committee

advise the Executive Council on relating to bilingual legislation.

to