ENG-2019 — Page 35

1

Constitution and Administration

Committee on Members' Interests

The Committee on Members' Interests consists of seven members who are appointed by the President of the Legislative Council according to an election procedure determined by the House Committee. It considers complaints made in relation to council members' registration and declaration of interests, and members' claims for the reimbursement of operating expenses or applications for advances of operating funds. It also examines arrangements for the compilation, maintenance and accessibility of the Register of Members' Interests, considers matters of ethics related to members' conduct, and gives advice and issues guidelines on such

matters.

In 2018-19, the committee received 29 complaints. All the complaints were outside the committee's purview and handled in accordance with the Procedure of the Committee on Members' Interests for Handling Complaints.

Investigation Committees

A motion may be moved to censure a council member under Article 79(7) of the Basic Law and Rule 49B(1A) of the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council. Under Rule 49B(2A), upon the moving of the motion, debate shall be adjourned and the matter stated in the motion shall be referred to an investigation committee unless the council otherwise orders.

An investigation committee formed in 2016-17 concerning a motion to censure Hon Holden Chow Ho-ding, and another investigation committee formed in 2017-18 concerning a motion to censure Hon Hui Chi-fung, will continue their work in the next legislative session.

Committee on Rules of Procedure

The Committee on Rules of Procedure reviews the rules and the council's committee system, and proposes changes to the council. Its 12 members are appointed by the President of the Legislative Council according to an election procedure determined by the House Committee. In 2018-19, the committee held three closed meetings.

Committee on Access to the Legislature's Documents and Records

The Committee on Access to the Legislature's Documents and Records determines whether a document or record should be released for access earlier than the expiry of the closure period specified in the Policy on Access to the Legislature's Documents and Records. The committee also sets guidelines on implementing the policy, considers any objection against the denial of access to a document or record by the Clerk to the Legislative Council, and considers any other matters relating to the policy. In 2018-19, the committee held one closed meeting. It approved 20 requests to disclose documents and records. The Clerk to the Legislative Council conducts reviews on closed documents and records in existence for more than 25 years, and approved the disclosure of 11 files in 2018-19.

Lists of the disclosed documents and records are uploaded onto the legislature's website.

5