Fifth Legislative Council (2012 - 2016)

Through a committee system as shown below, Members perform the critical roles of scrutinizing bills, reviewing and approving public expenditure and monitoring the work of the Government. There are three standing committees, namely, the Finance Committee, the Public Accounts Committee and the Committee on Members’ Interests. In addition, the House Committee co-ordinates matters relating to the business to be transacted at Council meetings and monitors the progress of studying bills and subsidiary legislation. The scrutiny of bills that require more in-depth study is carried out by bills committees, which report their deliberations to the House Committee. The committees that monitor and examine policy issues are called panels. There are currently 18 panels, whose formation and terms of reference were approved by the Council on the recommendation of the House Committee.