TNAG-1750-FCO40-2470-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 140

CHAPTER IV

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

The Functions of the Legislative Council

74. The primary function of the Legislative Council is the enactment of legislation, including legislation for taxation and for the appropriation of public funds. Ten officials of the Administration are responsible for introducing government business and legislation into the Council. The remaining Members. of the Legislative Council, who are not officials, are able to question the Administration on public issues for which it is responsible and to debate ques- tions of policy. They are also involved in advising on the formulation of govern- ment policies, through participation in advisory committees and specialist panels and by studying and commenting on draft bills and policy documents.

75. There are two Standing Committees of the Legislative Council: the Finance Committee and the Public Accounts Committee. The Finance Com- mittee, which has two Sub-Committees dealing with the establishment of the public service and the Public Works Programme, scrutinizes all public expendi- ture and approves the financial implications of new policies and programmes. The Public Accounts Committee examines and reports on the findings in the Director of Audit's Report on the Government's annual statement of accounts.

76. Since the start of the 1985/86 session, when membership of the Legislative Council was increased from 45 to 56, the volume of work has developed substantially. The frequency of Council meetings has increased from fortnightly to weekly. The Council's role in scrutinizing legislation, and in helping to shape Government policies, has been further developed in Select Committees and in numerous ad hoc groups and panels. Council Members regularly meet a wide cross-section of people, and thus keep closely in touch with public opinion. They have also travelled extensively overseas on fact-finding missions. The Council's role as monitor of the performance of the Government is increasingly displayed in the Council Chamber, both at question time and in debates on issues of public concern or current interest.

Composition of the Legislative Council

77. In addition to the President, the Council is now made up of:

(a) 10 Official Members: three public officers ex-officio (the Chief Secre- tary, the Financial Secretary and the Attorney General), and seven others appointed by the Governor.

(b) 22 Appointed Members: appointed by the Governor.

(c) 24 Elected Members: 12 elected by the nine functional constituencies. and 12 by the electoral college, details of which are at Appendices C and D respectively.

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