ENG-2001 — Page 42

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

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9. If a motion initiated jointly by one-fourth of all the Members of the Legislative Council charges the Chief Executive with serious breach of law or dereliction of duty and if he or she refuses to resign, the council may, after passing a motion for investigation, give a mandate to the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal to form and chair an independent investigation committee. The committee shall be responsible for carrying out the investigation and reporting its findings to the council. If the committee considers the evidence sufficient to substantiate such charges, the council may pass a motion of impeachment by a two-thirds majority of all its members and report it to the Central People's Government for decision; and

10. To summon, as required when exercising the above-mentioned powers and

functions, persons concerned to testify or give evidence.

Composition

Under the Basic Law, the Legislative Council of the HKSAR shall be constituted by election. The election of the second term of the Legislative Council was held on September 10, 2000.

The 60 members of the second term of the Legislative Council comprise 24 members returned by geographical constituencies through direct elections, 30 members returned by functional constituencies representing different sectors of the community, and six members returned by an Election Committee comprising 800 elected representatives of the community. The President of the Legislative Council is elected by and from among members of the council.

The second term of office of the Legislative Council began on October 1, 2000, and in accordance with the Basic Law and the Legislative Council Ordinance, the term of office is four years (2000-2004).

Meetings of the Legislative Council

The Legislative Council normally meets on Wednesday afternoons in the Chamber of the Legislative Council Building to conduct business which includes the tabling of subsidiary legislation and other papers and reports for the council's consideration; asking of questions for replies by the Government; the introduction and consideration of bills and proposed resolutions; and debates on motions concerning matters of public interest.

All Legislative Council meetings are open to the public and are conducted in Cantonese, Putonghua or English with simultaneous interpretation provided. The proceedings of the meetings are recorded verbatim in the Official Record of Proceedings of the Legislative Council.

During the 2000-2001 legislative session (from October 2000 to September 2001), the Legislative Council held 37 meetings. Three of these were devoted to the Chief Executive's Question and Answer Sessions. The council passed a total of 29 bills and asked 610 questions and 986 supplementary questions. Altogether, 262 items of subsidiary legislation were tabled in the council for consideration; 223 of these were not amended, six were amended and nine were repealed by resolution of the council. The Administration also moved 11 motions relating to subsidiary legislation for the council's positive approval by resolution. Members of the council moved 117 motions; 60 of these related to subsidiary legislation, five concerned the council's