ENG-1995 — Page 36

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

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Government officials and members of the public may be invited to attend such meetings. A bills committee may consider the principles and merits of a bill allocated to it for scrutiny, as well as the bill's detailed provisions. It may consider any amendments relevant to the bill. A bills committee may also appoint subcommittees to help in the performance of its functions. A bills committee is normally dissolved after it has reported on the bill concerned to the House Committee.

Panels

Panels are committees of the Legislative Council set up to monitor and examine government policies and issues of public concern. The 18 existing panels cover the following policy areas: administration of justice and legal services; constitutional affairs; economic services; education; environmental affairs; financial affairs; health services; home affairs; housing; information policy; planning, lands and works; manpower; public service; recreation and culture; security; trade and industry; transport; and welfare services.

Council members, other than the President, may join any of the panels. Each panel is headed by a chairman and a deputy chairman elected from among its members. It may examine any issue that touches on the policy area with which it is concerned. In the course of discussion, the panel may invite senior government officials and representatives from different sectors of the community to provide information on the matters being examined. The panel may summarise its findings and make recommendations on important issues in the form of a report to the House Committee which may, if necessary, be tabled at a council sitting. Last year, the Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services conducted a study on the briefing out costs in the Bumiputra Malaysia Finance Limited case and made a series of recommendations in the context of public money costs control.

A panel may also form subcommittees to study specific issues. Last year, a subcommittee was formed by the Panel on Planning, Lands and Works to monitor the progress of the proposed legislation for regulating the relationship between the Wong Wai Tsak Tong and its sub-lessees on Cheung Chau Island.

Select Committees

The Legislative Council may appoint select committees to consider matters or scrutinise bills in depth. The purpose is to let small groups of members examine complex problems and to report their findings and recommendations to the council. Meetings of a select committee are normally held in private unless the committee decides otherwise. All select committees are dissolved at the end of the session. In October 1994, the council resolved to appoint a select committee to look into the landslip at Kwun Lung Lau Estate earlier in the year and related issues. The select committee, having completed its work, reported to the council in July 1995.

Redress System

Legislative Councillors operate a redress system under which members of the public can make representations on, or seek solutions to, problems arising from government policies, decisions and procedures. Under the system, members take turns to be on 'ward duty' during their duty week to meet individual complainants and to give on- the-spot guidance to staff in processing cases.