CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 012/3
pa. Leg Co
112453
MOLIAN 7897
•
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1252
OF 28092OZ JULY 1993
RECE
*GISTRY
My Sanches (or)
0
1993
74
DESK OPPIL INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
PART ONE OF TWO PARTS
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL: ROUND-UP REPORT FOR THE 1992/3 SESSION
SUMMARY
1. ANOTHER BUSY YEAR FOR A ROBUST LEGCO. FURTHER CONSOLIDATION OF LEGCO SYSTEMS AND OPERATIONS. PARTY POLITICS DOMINATED COUNCIL ACTIVITIES BUT INDEPENDENT MEMBERS HOLDING THE BALANCE. DEALINGS WITH LEGCO MORE TIME-CONSUMING AND DIFFICULT BUT GOVERNMENT STILL IN FIRM CONTROL.
DETAILS
2. IN THE 1992/93 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THERE WERE ALTOGETHER 43 LEGCO SITTINGS (INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS, 10 GOVERNOR'S QUESTION SESSIONS AND THE SPECIAL SITTING TO ELECT THE PRESIDENT OF LEGCO) AND 18 REGULAR FINANCE COMMITTEE (FC) MEETINGS.
MAIN FEATURES OF INTEREST
SEPARATION OF EXCO AND LEGCO
3. FOLLOWING THE SEPARATION OF EXCO AND LEGCO, DUAL MEMBERSHIP OF THE TWO COUNCILS CEASED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SESSION. STEPS WERE TAKEN BY LEGCO TO CONSOLIDATE A SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT OPERATION (SEE PARA 4 - 9). SEPARATION OF MEMBERSHIP HAS GIVEN RISE TO COMPLAINTS BY SOME LEGCO MEMBERS OF COMMUNICATION GAPS BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO WHENEVER THE TWO COUNCILS' VIEWS ON A SUBJECT DO NOT TALLY.
ELECTED PRESIDENT
4. IN LINE WITH THE SEPARATION OF EXCO AND LEGCO, THE PRESIDENCY OF LEGCO WAS TRANSFERRED FROM THE GOVERNOR TO A NON-OFFICIAL LEGCO MEMBER. THIS TOOK PLACE FORMALLY ON 19 FEBRUARY 1993 WHEN MR JOHN SWAINE, THE THEN DEPUTY PRESIDENT, WAS ELECTED UNOPPOSED AS THE PRESIDENT. NO DIFFICULTIES AROSE FROM THE CHANGE. THERE IS UNIVERSAL RESPECT FOR THE NON-PARTISAN AND EFFECTIVE HANDLING OF COUNCIL BUSINESS BY MR SWAINE.
COMMITTEE SYSTEM
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL
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