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Following is the speech by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr David Lan, in moving the committee stage amendments to the Adaptation of Laws (No. 18) Bill 1998 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Madam Chairman,

I move that schedules 2 to 13 be amended as set out in the paper circulated to Members. The amendments are in line with that agreed by the Administration with the Bills Committee which examined the Adaptation of Laws Bill 1998.

It is proposed to amend the saving provisions covered by the present Bill by deleting the expression (quote) "the rights of the Central People's Government or the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under the Basic Law or other laws" (unquote) and inserting instead (quote) "the rights of the Central Authorities or the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under the Basic Law and other laws" (unquote). This proposal is made according to the text of item 10 of Annex 3 of the "Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Treatment of the Laws Previously in Force in Hong Kong in accordance with Article 160 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China".

End/Wednesday, June 23, 1999

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