ENG-1995 — Page 31

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

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the budget debate on financial and economic affairs concerning the annual Appro- priation Bill, which takes place in March.

Members of the council may question the government on policy issues for which the latter is responsible, either seeking information on such issues or asking for official action on them. Members may request either oral or written answers to the questions, and may put forward supplementary questions for the purpose of elucidating an answer already given. Altogether, 159 oral and 760 supplementary questions on a wide range of topics were raised during the 42 sittings in 1994-95. In addition, 508 written questions were tabled for reply by the administration.

The council normally meets in public on Wednesdays for the transaction of normal council business. About once a month, the Governor answers questions from members at a special sitting.

All Legislative Council sittings and most meetings of its bills committees, subcommittees and panels are open to the public. The increased transparency of the Legislative Council has helped promote better awareness and understanding of the constitutional role and functions of the council.

The council operates three standing committees the Finance Committee, the Public Accounts Committee, and the Committee on Members' Interests. A House Committee is constituted to consider bills, subsidiary legislation and other council business.

-Finance Committee

The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council formerly consisted of 56 non- government members of the council and the Chief Secretary and the Financial Secretary as ex officio members. In the Legislative Council term which began in October 1995, the committee has 59 members, i.e. all members of the council except the President. Members elect the chairman and deputy chairman from among themselves.

The Finance Committee scrutinises public expenditure, both at special meetings held in March to examine the draft estimates of expenditure for the year ahead, and at regular meetings, held between October and July, at which members con- sider proposals which entail changes to the approved estimates, or note financial implications of new policies. These meetings are held in public.

The Finance Committee has two subcommittees, Establishment and Public Works, which also meet in public. The Establishment Subcommittee examines the adminis- tration's proposals for the creation, redeployment and deletion of permanent and supernumerary posts remunerated from the directorate pay scales, the creation of directorate-level consultancy positions for periods lasting more than 12 months, and changes to the structure of civil service ranks and grades (including pay scales, new grades and new ranks). It makes recommendations on such proposals to the Finance Committee for approval and reports to the Finance Committee on the size and cost of the civil service and the changes in departmental establishments.

The Public Works Subcommittee examines the administration's proposals for the upgrading of projects to, or downgrading from, Category A of the Public Works Programme, or changes to the scope and/or approved estimates of projects already in that category. It makes recommendations on such proposals to the Finance Committee for approval.