TNAG-1842-FCO40-2617-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 37

Proceedings

Any

the Council, which usually meets once a week in public. are bilingual and simultaneous interpretation is provided.

member may introduce a Bill (except where it involves the raising of

public revenue or the use of public funds), but in practice almost

all Bills are presented by official members. They are subject to three readings and a committee stage. After being enacted, and receiving the Governor's assent, they are published as Ordinances.

Each week non-official members of the Council address questions to

the Government on a wide range of issues. These are answered by

official members on behalf of the Administration. Other business of

the Council includes motions on subsidiary legislation, statements and debates on policy (which may be debated on a motion or adjournment).

on the

9. The Council has two standing committees which deal with public

expenditure. The Finance Committe, which consists of the Chief

Secretary, the Financial Secretary, one other official member and

all 46 non-official members, scrutinizes all proposals for public expenditure. Its authority is specifically required for any changes made to the annual appropriations approved by the Legislative

Council. The Public Accounts Committee, which consists of a

Chairman and six members, all of whom are non-officials, examines

and reports on the findings in the annual report of the Director of

Audit, as well as on reports by the Director on value-for-money studies undertaken by him. Both Committees meet in public, although

the Finance Committee occasionally considers individual items in

camera.

OMELCO

10. The non-official members of the Executive and Legislative

Councils have for many years functioned as a separate entity with

their own staff and offices the office of the members of the

Executive and Legislative Councils (OMELCO). They have set up 16 specialist panels to monitor the policy and progress of work in the various areas of government activity, such as education, manpower, health, welfare, the civil service, transport, trade and industry