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Following is the speech by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr David Lan, in moving the second reading of the Adaptation of Laws (No.30) Bill 1999 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Madam President,

I move the Second Reading of the Adaptation of Laws (No.30) Bill 1999. The purpose of the Bill is to adapt 24 Ordinances, in relation to private and religious bodies, to bring them into conformity with the Basic Law and with Hong Kong's status as a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.

Although the Hong Kong Reunification Ordinance and the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance have set out the principles on how to construe various expressions which are inconsistent with the Basic Law and with Hong Kong' status as a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, it is still unacceptable to retain these references in the laws of Hong Kong. We therefore must introduce this Bill to amend the relevant expressions.

The Bill proposes mainly terminological changes, such as replacing references to "the Colony" by "Hong Kong". In the Bill, where there is any provision which saves "the rights of Her Majesty the Queen, Her Heirs or Successors", it will be replaced by "the rights of the Central Authorities or the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under the Basic Law and other laws". The 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.

Like other adaptation of laws bill, the proposed adaptation amendments in this Bill, when passed and enacted, and subject to Article 12 of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights, will take effect retrospectively as from the date of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The proposed amendments in this Bill would obviate the need to make reference to the Hong Kong Reunification Ordinance and the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance. I earnestly request Members' support for the bill.

Thank you, Madam President.

End/Wednesday, July 14, 1999

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