TNAG-2035-FCO40-2899-Visits-from-countries-other-than-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 79

Members are appointed by the Governor with the approval of the Secretary of State.

12. 14 of the 26 elected members are elected by 9 functional constituencies, each of which represents an occupation or professional group (commercial; industrial; labour; social services; medical and health care; finance and accountancy; teaching; legal; and engineering and associated professions). 5 of these functional

constituencies elect 2 members each, while the other four elect one

member each. The other 12 elected members are elected by an electoral college, comprising members of the Urban Council (which provides municipal services to Hong Kong Island and Kowloon), Regional Council (which provides similar services to the New

Territories) and the 19 District Boards.

the

13. The Legislative Council meets in public once a week. Proceedings are bilingual; members may address the Council in Chinese and English, and simultaneous interpretation is provided. Legislation is enacted in the form of Bills, which go through three readings and a committee stage. Most business, including Bills, is transacted by way of motions, which are decided by majority vote. Apart from the enactment of legislation, the business of the Council includes two major debates in each legislative session: a wide-ranging debate on government policy which follows the

Governor's address at the opening of the new session of the Council

in October each year, and the budget debate on financial and economic affairs which takes place in February and March during the second reading of the annual Appropriation Bill. Members may also question the government on policy issues for which the government is responsible, either seeking information on such issues or asking for

official action on them. Other business of the Council includes motions on subsidiary legislation, statements and policy papers (Green Papers and White Papers) for debate.

The Finance Committee

14. The Legislative Council has two standing committees which deal

with public expenditure. The Finance Committee, which consists of

the Chief Secretary, the Financial Secretary, one other official

MELAAI (4)