Legislative Council Annual Report 2016-2017

• • The Committee revisited matters relating to quorum of the Council. After considering the Committee's request, the President instructed a local Senior Counsel togivewrittenadviceon the relevant issues andprovided theCounsel's advice to the Committee for further reference; • • At the request of the President, the Committee revisited the issues concerning order in Council and committees. Members considered that a framework setting out various options for dealing with repeated or persistent disorderly conduct of Members at Council or committee meetings, including the suspension of Members or prohibition from attending meetings, and the introduction of some forms of financial penalties, should be drawn up for consultation with all Members; • • The Committee reviewed the procedure for the election of the President. The Committee concluded that a consultation should be conducted to seek the views of all Members on whether Members running for the office of President should be required to make a statutory declaration to affirm that they have satisfied the requirements of nationality and residency in Hong Kong under Article 71(2) of the Basic Law during the nomination process; and • • As the establishment of the Innovation and Technology Bureau in 2015 may affect the work of the relevant Panels, the Committee considered the proposals to rationalize the terms of reference of the Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting, Panel on Commerce and Industry and Panel on Economic Development. The Committee considered that a more in-depth review might be necessary and the opportunities should be taken to re-examine how the various subject areas should be distributed among all Panels. Meanwhile, no change should be made to the terms of reference of the three Panels for the time being, pending the consultation of all Members on any new proposals. [  Report of the Committee] The Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the House Rules. Legislative Council Annual Report 2016-2017 51