ENG-1996 — Page 36

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

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House Committee

The House Committee comprises all members of the Legislative Council except the President. Its chairman and deputy chairman are elected from among its members. The House Committee co-ordinates the business of the council and most of its committees.

The House Committee may appoint bills committees to study bills and sub- committees to consider specific subsidiary legislation and issues of public concern.

When the council is in session, the House Committee meets every week. Regularly on the agenda of these meetings are reports on bills and subsidiary legislation. introduced into the Council; questions that members intend to put to the government; motions and bills to be debated; and any other matters relating to the business of the council.

Bills Committee

After a bill has been introduced into the Legislative Council, it is referred to the House Committee which may allocate the bill to a bills committee for detailed scrutiny. Any member of the Legislative Council, other than the President, may join a bills committee. The chairman is elected among members of the bills committee.

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. It may also consider the bill's detailed provisions and any amendments relevant to the bill. A bills committee may appoint subcommittees for the purpose of assisting the committee in the performance of its functions. A bills committee is dissolved as soon as the bill it has considered passes through the Legislative Council or when the House Committee so decides.

Panels

Panels are committees of the Legislative Council set up to monitor and examine government policies and issues of public concern. Eighteen panels have been formed covering 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, including legislative and financial proposals, 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, and may table the report at a council sitting.

A panel may form subcommittees to study specific issues. In 1996, six subcommittees were formed to assist the respective panels studying specific subject areas: reviewing matters related to the transparency of advisory and statutory bodies in Hong Kong, monitoring the Long Term Housing Strategy Review, examining the Police Management Review Reports, monitoring progress of the Western Corridor