TNAG-2449-FCO40-3565-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 243

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Bughs

Mr Bup

PS/Lord Caithness

CONFIDENTIAL

Mi 8012/1

Bolz

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FROM: P F Ricketts

х

Hong Kong Department

DATE: 2 January 1992

cc: Sir J Coles

Ms Brooks,

Legal Advisers

Mr Wye, RAD

Mr Cox

ons 3/1/92.

812

propasto Special Aducais

HONG KONG: LEGCO STANDING COMMITTEES

1.

Redacted Under FOI Exemption Sec 27(1)(a)(c)(d)

The Minister might be interested to see the attached

record of discussion in ExCo on 10 December about the

various proposals for amending the LegCo Committee System.

This makes clear that

as well as the Governor and the Chief Secretary are concerned that proposals for increasing the number of LegCo Standing Committees would in practice mark a shift of power

from the Executive to the Legislature.

2.

There are two proposals on the table:

Dr C H Leong, with support from the United Democrats,

proposes to create a number of additional Standing

Committees (with statutory powers to compel witnesses) to

replace the exisiting system of OMELCO panels. These Committees would have the dual functions of vetting Bills

and monitoring Government policies (Dr Leong's description of his proposal in the South China Morning Post is

attached).

BUGAFU/1

JRB

CONFIDENTIAL