Rules of Procedure

(1)

A petition may be presented to the Council only by a Member. Every petition shall be in the Chinese language or the English language.

(2)

A Member who wishes to present a petition to the Council shall give notice to the President not later than 3 clear days before the meeting at which he wishes to present it. When giving such notice he shall certify in writing to the President that the petition is respectful and, in his opinion, deserving of presentation. (L.N. 47 of 2021)

(3)

Except with the written consent of the Chief Executive, the President shall not permit a petition to be received if, in his opinion, the petition requests that provision should be made for imposing or increasing a tax, for imposing or increasing a charge on the revenue or other public moneys of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or for altering such a charge otherwise than by reducing it, or for compounding or remitting a debt due to the Government.

(4)

The signification of the Chief Executive's consent shall be recorded in the minutes of proceedings.

(5)

No speech shall be made by a Member presenting a petition beyond a summary statement of the number and description of the petitioners and the substance of the petition.

(6)

If, immediately after a petition has been presented, a Member rises in his place and requests that the petition be referred to the House Committee, the President shall call upon those Members who support the request to rise in their places. If no less than one half of all Members of the Council then rise the petition shall stand referred to the House Committee. (L.N. 187 of 2017)

(1)

A paper may be presented to the Council by a designated public officer or, with the permission of the President, by a Member, but no paper shall be so presented unless notice of it has been given not less than 2 clear days before the Council meeting at which the paper is to be presented provided that the President may in his discretion dispense with such notice. (L.N. 47 of 2021)

(2)

Whenever a Member or a designated public officer wishes to present a paper he shall send a copy of it to the Clerk, who shall distribute a copy to each Member and may also arrange for its publication. A copy of the paper shall be laid on the Table of the Council at the opening of the next meeting and the Clerk shall record its laying and the date of publication in the minutes of the proceedings of that meeting.

(3)

Subject to subrules (4) and (4A) and Rule 49D (Presentation of Reports of House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments), whenever a paper has been laid on the Table of the Council, the Member or the designated public officer presenting it may, with the permission of the President, address the Council thereon. (L.N. 74 of 2005; L.N. 245 of 2009)

(4)

Subject to subrule (4A), whenever a report of a Bills Committee or of a committee to which a bill has been referred for consideration under Rule 54(4) (Second Reading) has been laid on the Table of the Council, the Member presenting it may, with the permission of the President, address the Council on the report at the commencement of the resumption of the second reading debate on the relevant bill.

(4A)

Where the purpose of the resumption of the second reading debate on a bill is for making an announcement for the withdrawal of the bill in accordance with Rule 64 (Withdrawal or Postponement of Bills), the Member presenting a report of a Bills Committee or of a committee to which the bill has been referred for consideration at the meeting of the Council at which such an announcement is to be made may, with the permission of the President, address the Council thereon at the time when the report is laid on the Table of the Council.

(5)

Subject to subrule (7), a Member or a designated public officer may address the Council on subsidiary legislation (other than that subject to section 35 of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap. 1)) or the instrument referred to in Rule 29(2)(b) (Notice of Motions and Amendments) which is laid on the Table of the Council, provided that the period (or any extended period) under section 34 of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap. 1) or under any other statutory provision providing for amendment has not expired. A Member or a designated public officer who wishes to address the Council under this subrule at any meeting shall give written notice to the President of his wish before the beginning of that meeting, and may only address the Council if the President has given his consent.

(6)

No debate may arise on any address presented by a Member or a designated public officer under subrule (3), (4A) or (5) but the President may in his discretion allow short questions to be put to the Member or the designated public officer making the address for the purpose of elucidating any matter raised by the Member or the designated public officer in the course of his address. (L.N. 74 of 2005)

(7)

No address shall be made under subrule (5) on any subsidiary legislation or instrument referred to in the report which is the subject of a motion moved under Rule 49E(2) (Motions on Reports of House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments). (L.N. 245 of 2009)