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The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council Commission (the Commission) will table Part I of its first publication on the procedures of the Legislative Council (LegCo), "A Companion to the history, rules and practices of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" (the Companion), at the Council meeting tomorrow (June 18).
The Chairman of the Commission and the LegCo, Mr Jasper Tsang, said that it had always been the wish of the Commission to produce an authoritative guide to explain how the Legislature works. "I often need to spend a lot of time explaining our system to overseas visitors as our mode of operation is very unique," said Mr Tsang.
"Our mode of operation is an example of how the concept of 'One Country, Two Systems' is implemented. Whilst we have preserved the conventional Westminster system in our legislative process, our Rules of Procedure are in strict compliance with the Basic Law. We have also at the same time adopted Hong Kong people's practical and open approach in the way we conduct our business. Part I of this Companion will tell you how we did it." Mr Tsang said.
The Companion, when completed, will consist of three parts. While Part I is on parliamentary principles and an introduction to the organisation and procedures of the Legislature, Part II will focus on the actual conduct of business in the Council and in committees. Part III will be on public engagement and how the Legislature performs its functions through partnering with people.
"The Companion is not just for our Members and staff, but for all those who need to work with us, such as public officers, researchers, political parties and groups, and all those who want to know more about the Legislative Council," Mr Tsang said. "We are therefore putting the Companion on our Website so that everyone can have access to it. We shall continue to update the e-version of the Companion and improve its presentation as and when required. To facilitate research work, we also provide hyperlinks to source materials where possible."
The Commission appointed former Secretary General of the Legislative Council Secretariat Ms Pauline Ng in January 2013 to be the Chief Writer of the Companion.
"Ms Ng had served the Legislative Council for 22 years before she retired in 2012. Not only had she witnessed all the political changes in the Hong Kong Legislature from late 1980s onwards, she was also the one who steered all major reviews of our procedural rules during the OMELCO days and also before and after the HKSAR Legislature was established. We cannot find a more suitable person to take on this task," said Mr Tsang.
"Apart from circulating our final draft to all Commission members, we also sought views from former Presidents, President's deputies, chairs and deputy chairs of the Committee on Rules of Procedure. They all came back with positive responses and useful comments." Mr Tsang expressed gratitude in particular to the two former Presidents of the Hong Kong Legislature, Mrs Rita Fan and Mr Andrew Wong, for their valuable views on the final draft of the Companion.
"The Commission is also thankful to two other retired staff members of the Secretariat, Mr Jonathan Daw (former Legal Adviser) and Mr Law Kam-sang (former Deputy Secretary General) who provided invaluable support to the research and drafting work. We are particularly grateful to Sir Malcolm Jack, former Clerk of the UK House of Commons, who conducted a review of our Companion. Sir Malcolm Jack considers the Companion a work of considerable value and importance."
The Companion in all its three parts is expected to be completed in 2016.
A briefing on Part I of the Companion will be conducted by the Chief Writer for the media and Members' personal assistants in mid July 2014.
Ends/Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:06
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