Useful information

Rules of Procedure

PART C

ARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS

PART C ARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS

PART A MEMBERS AND OFFICERS OF THE COUNCIL
1.Oath or Affirmation
1A.Precedence of Members
1B.The President of the Legislative Council
2.Language
3.Presiding in Council and in Committee of the Whole Council
4.Election of President
5.President’s Deputy
6.Duties of the Clerk
7.Counsel to the Legislature
8.Attendance of the Chief Executive
9.Attendance of Public Officers
10.Participation of Public Officers in Proceedings
PART B SESSIONS, MEETINGS AND ADJOURNMENTS OF THE COUNCIL
11.Ordinary Sessions
12.First Meeting of Term
13.The Chief Executive’s Policy Address
14.Days and Hours of Meetings
15.Meetings for Urgent Business
16.Motions for the Adjournment of the Council
17.Quorum
PART C ARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS
18.Order of Business at a Meeting
19.The Agenda of the Council
PART D PETITIONS AND PAPERS
20.Presentation of Petitions
21.Presentation of Papers
PART E QUESTIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT
22.Nature of Questions
23.Question Time
24.Notice of Questions
25.Contents of Questions
26.Asking and Answering of Questions
27.Meeting under Rule 8
PART F STATEMENTS AND PERSONAL EXPLANATIONS
28.Statements by Designated Public Officers
28A.Personal Explanations
PART G MOTIONS
29.Notice of Motions and Amendments
30.Manner of Giving Notice of Motions and Amendments
31.Restriction on Motions and Amendments
32.Motions on Previous Decisions of Council
33.Manner of Debating Motions
34.Manner of Debating Amendments to Motions
35.Withdrawal of Motions and Amendments
PART H RULES OF SPEAKING
36.Time and Manner of Speaking
37.Recommendations of House Committee as to Time of Speaking
38.Occasions when a Member may Speak more than once
39.Interruptions
40.Adjournment of Debate or of Proceedings of a Committee of the Whole Council
41.Contents of Speeches
42.Behaviour of Members during Meeting
43.Application of Rules to Committees
PART I RULES OF ORDER
44.Decision of the Chair
45.Order in Council and Committee
45A.Naming and Suspending
PART J VOTING
46.Decision on Motions
47.Decision of Council and Committee of the Whole Council
48.Use of Electronic Voting System
49.Divisions
PART JA PROCEDURES FOR PARTICULAR MOTIONS
49A.Application of this Part
49B.Disqualification of Member from Office
PART JB REPORTS OF HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION AND OTHER INSTRUMENTS AND RELATED MOTIONS
49C.Application of this Part
49D.Presentation of Reports of House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments
49E.Motions on Reports of House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments
PART K PROCEDURE ON BILLS
50.Form of Bills
51.Notice of Presentation of Bills
52.Presentation and Publication of Bills
53.First Reading of Bills
54.Second Reading
55.Committal of Bills
56.Functions of Committees on Bills
57.Amendments to Bills
58.Procedure in Committee of the Whole Council on a Bill
59.Procedure on Reporting of Bill from Committee of the Whole Council
60.Procedure in Select Committee on a Bill
61.Procedure on Reporting of Bill from a Select Committee
62.Procedure on Recommittal of Bill Reported from Select Committee
63.Third Reading
64.Withdrawal or Postponement of Bills
65.Presentation of Bill for Signature of Chief Executive
66.Bills Returned for Reconsideration
PART L FINANCIAL PROCEDURE
67.Presentation and Second Reading of Appropriation Bill
68.Procedure in Committee of the Whole Council on Appropriation Bill
69.Amendments to Heads of Estimates in Committee of the Whole Council on Appropriation Bill
69A.Procedure on Reporting of Appropriation Bill from Committee of the Whole Council
70.Third Reading of Appropriation Bill
PART M COMMITTEES
71.Finance Committee
72.Public Accounts Committee
73.Committee on Members’ Interests
73A.Investigation Committee
74.Committee on Rules of Procedure
74A.Committee on Access to the Legislature’s Documents and Records
75.House Committee
76.Bills Committees
77.Panels
78.Select Committees
79.Procedure of Select Committees
79A.Exercise of Voting Rights of Chairmen of Committees
79B.Determining the Time and the Place of a Meeting of a Committee by the Deputy Chairman of the Committee
79C.Determining the Agenda of a Meeting of a Committee by Chairmen of Committees
79D.Powers of Chairman and Deputy Chairman of a Committee in Office
80.Attendance of Witness
81.Premature Publication of Evidence
PART N MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS
81A.Remote Meetings of Council or Committee
82.Employment of Members in Professional Capacity
83.Registration of Interests
83A.Personal Pecuniary Interest to be Disclosed
83AA.Claims for Reimbursement of Operating Expenses or Applications for Advance of Operating Funds
84.Voting or Withdrawal in case of Direct Pecuniary Interest
85.Sanctions relating to Interests, Operating Expenses or Operating Funds
86.Admission of Press and Public
87.Disorderly Conduct
88.Withdrawal of Members of the Press and of the Public
89.Procedure for Obtaining Leave for Member to Attend as Witness in Civil Proceedings
90.Procedure for Obtaining Leave to Give Evidence of Council Proceedings
91.Suspension of Rules
92.Procedure if Rules of Procedure do not Provide
93.Interpretation
Schedule 1 Procedure for the Election of the President of the Legislative Council
Schedule 2 Policy on Access to the Legislature’s Documents and Records
Schedule 3 Procedure for Conducting Remote Meetings of the Council and a Committee
Table showing dates at which Rules of Procedure were made and amended

18. Order of Business at a Meeting

(1)
The business of each meeting other than a meeting under Rule 8 (Attendance of the Chief Executive) or Rule 13 (The Chief Executive's Policy Address) shall be transacted in the following order:
(L.N. 237 of 2021)
- (a)
  
  (Repealed L.N. 237 of 2021)
- (b)
  
  Obituary and other ceremonial speeches.
- (c)
  
  Reading by the President of messages and announcements by the President.
- (d)
  
  Presentation of petitions.
- (e)
  
  Laying on the Table of papers and of reports of committees.
- (f)
  
  Asking and answering of questions put to the Government.
- (g)
  
  Statements by designated public officers.
- (h)
  
  Personal explanations.
- (i)
  
  Government bills.
- (j)
  
  Government motions other than those specified in paragraph (ja). (L.N. 245 of 2009)
- (ja)
  
  Government motions on subsidiary legislation and other instruments made under an Ordinance.
  (L.N. 245 of 2009)
- (jb)
  
  Members' motions on subsidiary legislation and other instruments made under an Ordinance, excluding motions moved under Rule 49E(2) (Motions on Reports of House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments). (L.N. 245 of 2009; L.N. 47 of 2021)
- (jc)
  
  Requests for leave under Rule 89 (Procedure for Obtaining Leave for Member to Attend as Witness in Civil Proceedings) and Rule 90 (Procedure for Obtaining Leave to Give Evidence of Council Proceedings). (L.N. 47 of 2021)
- (k)
  
  Members' bills.
- (l)
  
  Members' other motions.
  (L.N. 245 of 2009; L.N. 47 of 2021)
- (m)
  
  (Repealed L.N. 47 of 2021)
- (n)
  
  Proceedings under Rule 16(4) (Motions for the Adjournment of the Council).
(2)

The items of business mentioned in paragraphs (b), (c), (g) and (h) of subrule (1) shall not require notice; but with the exception of the item of business mentioned in paragraph (c) they shall not be entered upon save with the previous leave of the President.
(L.N. 47 of 2021; L.N. 237 of 2021)

19. The Agenda of the Council

(1)

The Agenda of the Council shall be decided by the President, and shall be in Chinese and English. Subject to subrule (1A), all items of business for a meeting of which notice has been given shall be placed on the Agenda for that meeting in the order required by Rule 18 (Order of Business at a Meeting). (L.N. 187 of 2017)
(1A)

In respect of any motion or any bill to be placed on the Agenda for a meeting of the Council, the President or the Chairman of a committee of the whole Council shall have the power to select the amendments, new clauses or new schedules to be proposed to such motion or bill, and also the power to direct two or more motions or amendments considered by him to be cognate to be combined, and to set a time limit on the consideration of such motion or bill.
(L.N. 187 of 2017; L.N. 47 of 2021)
(2)

All questions to the Government shall be placed on the Agenda of the Council in accordance with the provisions of Rule 26(1) and (2) (Asking and Answering of Questions).
(3)

This Rule does not apply to a meeting under Rule 8 (Attendance of the Chief Executive) or Rule 13 (The Chief Executive's Policy Address). (L.N. 237 of 2021)

18. Order of Business at a Meeting

Order of Business at a Meeting

The Agenda of the Council