Provisional Legislative Council

PLC Paper No. 321/96-97

Ref : PLC/HC/4

House Committee of the Provisional Legislative Council

Minutes of the meeting
held at the Main Hall, Huaxia Art Centre, Shenzhen
on Saturday, 24 May 1997 at 10:50 a.m.


Members present:

The Honourable IP Kwok-him (Deputy Chairman)
The Honourable WONG Siu-yee
The Honourable HO Sai-chu
The Honourable HO Sing-tin, Edward
Dr the Honourable HO Chung-tai
The Honourable NG Leung-sing
Prof the Honourable NG Ching-fai
The Honourable LEE Kai-ming
The Honourable LEE Peng-fei, Allen
The Honourable Mrs TU, Elsie
The Honourable Mrs LAM, Peggy
The Honourable WU, Henry
The Honourable NGAI Shiu-kit
The Honourable ARCULLI, Ronald
The Honourable Mrs TSO WONG Man-yin
The Honourable Mrs LEUNG LAU Yau-fun, Sophie
The Honourable MOK Ying-fan
The Honourable HUI Yin-fat
The Honourable CHAN Choi-hi
The Honourable CHAN Yuen-han
The Honourable CHAN Wing-chan
The Honourable CHAN Kam-lam
The Honourable TSANG Yok-sing
The Honourable CHENG Kai-nam
The Honourable FUNG Kin-kee, Frederick
The Honourable WONG Wang-fat, Andrew
The Honourable YOUNG, Howard
The Honourable YEUNG Chun-kam
The Honourable YEUNG Yiu-chung
The Honourable CHIM Pui-chung
The Honourable LIU Sing-lee, Bruce
The Honourable LAU Kong-wah
The Honourable LAU Wong-fat
The Honourable Mrs LAU Kin-yee, Miriam
The Honourable LAU Hon-chuen, Ambrose
The Honourable CHOY Kan-pui
The Honourable CHENG Ming-fun, Paul
The Honourable CHENG Yiu-tong
Dr the Honourable TANG Siu-tong
The Honourable KAN Fook-yee
The Honourable NGAN Kam-chuen
The Honourable LO Suk-ching
Dr the Honourable LAW Cheung-kwok
The Honourable TAM Wai-chu, Maria
The Honourable TAM Yiu-chung


Members absent:

Dr the Honourable LEONG Che-hung (Chairman)
The Honourable TIEN Pei-chun, James
The Honourable CHU Yu-lin, David
The Honourable LI Ka-cheung, Eric
The Honourable LI Kwok-po, David
The Honourable Mrs CHOW LIANG Shuk-yee, Selina
The Honourable TANG Ying-yen, Henry
The Honourable YUEN Mo
The Honourable MA Fung-kwok
The Honourable CHEUNG Hon-chung
The Honourable LEUNG Chun-ying
Dr the Honourable WONG Yu-hong, Philip
The Honourable WONG Ying-ho, Kennedy
The Honourable FOK Tsun-ting, Timothy

Clerk in attendance:

Ms Pauline NG      Clerk to the House Committee


Staff in attendance:

Mr Arthur CHEUNG      Legal Adviser

Miss Salumi CHAN      Committee Clerk 2

Mr Raymond LAM      Assistant Committee Clerk 5


As the Chairman was in Beijing attending an international conference, the Deputy Chairman took the chair.

I. Confirmation of the minutes of the 5th meeting on 17 May 1997
    (PLC Paper No. 281/96-97)

        2. The minutes were confirmed.

II. Matters arising

    (a) Report by the Chairman on his meetings with the President and the Secretary for Policy Co-ordination of the Chief Executive's Office

         3. In response to a member's request, the Deputy Chairman undertook to clarify with the Secretary for Policy Co-ordination on the list of bills to be presented to the Provisional Legislative Council (PLC/Council) before 1 July 1997.

    (b) Task Force on the Ceremonial and Logistical Arrangements for 1 July 1997

         4. The Deputy Chairman informed members that in response to the circular issued by the Secretariat, a total of 17 Members had indicated that they wished to join the Task Force on the Ceremonial and Logistical Arrangements for 1 July 1997 (the Task Force). The list of the 17 Members was tabled at the meeting for members' information (Appendix). He also reported that the President had considered it more appropriate for her to exchange views with the Task Force rather than becoming one of its members. As some of the issues to be dealt with by the Task Force were considered at the Preparatory Committee (PC) meeting on 23 May 1997, the President had an informal meeting with these 17 Members just before the House Committee meeting and briefed them on the PC's decisions on the swearing-in arrangements, including those for the Members of the PLC, on 1 July 1997.

         5. In the light of the latest development, members considered that the only issue which remained to be resolved was that relating to the venue(s) for holding the meeting(s) of the PLC on 1 July 1997, which would eventually be determined by the President. Members therefore agreed that there was no need to reduce the number of members who had signified interest in taking part in the Task Force, and considered that these 17 Members should meet as and when necessary to exchange views with the President on the subject.

III.Business arising from previous Council meetings

    (a) Legal Advisers' reports on bills referred to the House Committee in accordance with Rule 54(4)

           (i) Urban Council (Amendment) Bill 1997
           Regional Council (Amendment) Bill 1997
           District Boards (Amendment) Bill 1997
           (PLC Paper No. 282/96-97)

           (ii) Societies (Amendment) Bill 1997
           (PLC Paper No. 283/96-97)

          (iii) Public Order (Amendment) Bill 1997
           (PLC Paper No. 284/96-97)

         6. The Legal Adviser referred members to the three reports on the above Bills. He pointed out that these five Bills aimed at filling the legal vacuum resulting from the resolution of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress that certain provisions in the relevant Ordinances were in contravention of the Basic Law and should therefore not be adopted as laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He also reported on the meeting schedules of the two Bills Committees formed to study these Bills.

IV. Business for the Council meeting on 31 May 1997

     (a) Bills

         7. Members noted that no notice had so far been received on the first and second readings of bills and resumption of debate on the second reading of bills for the Council meeting on 31 May 1997.

    (b) Motions

         8. Members also noted that no notice of motions had so far been received from Members or from the Chief Executive's (CE's) Office.

V. Business for the Council meeting on 7 June 1997

     (a) Bills

         9. Members noted that no notice had so far been received on the first and second readings of bills and resumption of debate on the second reading of bills for the Council meeting on 7 June 1997.

    (b) Motions

         10. Members also noted that no notice of motions from Members or from the CE's Office had been received so far. However, the Deputy Chairman reminded members that the House Committee had tentatively agreed that the debate on the motion on the transitional budget for 1997-98 could be resumed at the Council meeting on 7 June 1997.

VI. Any other business

    (a) Seating arrangements for Members at Council meetings on and after 1 July 1997

         11. The Deputy Chairman reminded those members who had not yet returned the completed questionnaire to do so before the deadline, i.e. by noon that day. The results would be compiled for a decision by the House Committee at the next meeting.

         12. In response to the Deputy Chairman's request, the Clerk reported that in drawing up the various options in the questionnaire, she had also taken into account the view of the President that if the Chairman of the House Committee was seated at the first seat, it appeared logical to have the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee seated at the second seat. With the concurrence of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, option (e) was so modified. The Clerk also pointed out that the purpose of the questionnaire was to obtain a general picture of members' preferences to facilitate a decision to be made at the next meeting. In response to a member's comment that the questionnaire should not include any option which had not been discussed by the House Committee, the Deputy Chairman suggested that if it had turned out that option (e) was the most preferred option, members could discuss at the next meeting whether the proposal that the Deputy Chairman be seated at the second seat be adopted.

    (b) Scheduling of work by Bills Committees

         13. The Deputy Chairman reminded members that since the last Council meeting before 1 July had been scheduled for 21 June (and probably also on 22 June), Bills Committees should take note of the limited time available for the scrutiny of Bills and plan their work schedules accordingly.

         14. The meeting ended at 11:15 a.m.



Provisional Legislative Council Secretariat
26 May 1997


附錄
Appendix


有 意 參 加 1997 年 7 月 1 日 儀 式 及 後 勤 安 排 專 責 小 組 的 議 員 名 單
List of Members who wish to join the Task Force on the Ceremonial and Logistical Arrangements for 1 July 1997



王紹爾議員        Hon WONG Siu-yee
何鍾泰議員        Dr Hon HO Chung-tai
吳亮星議員        Hon NG Leung-sing
吳清輝議員        Prof Hon NG Ching-fai
周梁淑怡議員        Hon Mrs Selina CHOW
林貝聿嘉議員        Hon Mrs Peggy LAM
倪少傑議員        Hon NGAI Shiu-kit
袁武議員        Hon YUEN Mo
梁振英議員       Hon LEUNG Chun-ying
梁智鴻議員       Dr Hon LEONG Che-hung
梁劉柔芬議員       Hon Mrs LEUNG LAU Yau-fun
莫應帆議員        Hon MOK Ying-fan
陳鑑林議員        Hon CHAN Kam-lam
葉國謙議員        Hon IP Kwok-him
劉江華議員        Hon LAU Kong-wah
劉漢銓議員        Hon Ambrose LAU
霍震霆議員        Hon Timothy FOK

總數     Total：17