2. The Chairman said that he had advised the Chief Secretary that members were unhappy that the Administration had threatened not to proceed with the Bill if the Council agreed to the Committee stage amendments on mandatory membership. The Chief Secretary had reiterated the Administration's position on the matter. The Chairman added that although members had agreed at the last meeting that the Second Reading debate on the Bill be resumed on 15 January l997, the Administration had not given notice for the resumption by the deadline of 6 January 1997.

III.Legal Service Division report on the subsidiary legislation tabled in the Legislative Council on 8 January 1997 (gazetted on 3 January 1997)

(LegCo Paper No. LS 79/96-97)

3. The Legal Adviser said that only the Boilers and Pressure Vessels (Amendment) Regulation 1997 involved fee increases. According to the LegCo Brief, the Pressure Equipment Advisory Committee had been consulted and raised no objection to the proposal. However, one of its members representing the trade had proposed increasing the fees by 16%, instead of the proposed 19%. The Legal Service Division was seeking clarification from the Administration on some technical points and would give a further report at the next meeting.

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4. Members raised no queries on the subsidiary legislation.

IV.Position report on Bills Committees and Subcommittees

(LegCo Paper No. CB(2) 882/96-97)

5. Members noted the report.

Waste Disposal (Amendment) Bill 1996

6. The Chairman said that a Bills Committee was formed on the above Bill. In response to Dr John TSE Wing-ling's suggestion to accord priority to the Bills Committee, members had earlier agreed that the Bill should be discussed by the Panel on Environmental Affairs first, and that the Panel should report to the House Committee on whether further study by a Bills Committee was necessary.

7. On behalf of Miss Christine LOH, Chairman of the Panel, Dr TSE reported that the Panel had discussed the Bill at its meeting on 7 January 1997 and recommended that further study by a Bills Committee was not necessary.

8. In response to the Chairman, the Legal Adviser referred members to the report of the Legal Service Division on the Bill which was considered by the House Committee on 5 July 1996. The Legal Service Division was satisfied that the legal and drafting aspects of the Bill were in order.

9. Members agreed that the Bills Committee should be removed from the waiting list and that the Second Reading debate on the Bill could resume.

V.Further reports by the Legal Service Division on outstanding bills

(a) Motor Vehicles (First Registration Tax) (Amendment)(No 2) Bill 1996

10. The Legal Adviser said that members had agreed at the meeting on 29 November 1996 to support the Bill in principle. In response to some queries subsequently raised by Mr Ronald ARCULLI, the Secretary for the Treasury had agreed to clarify in his speech during the Second Reading debate that the condition of payment of additional first registration tax on the resale of a vehicle imported for personal use would only be imposed if the increase was related to tax avoidance or under-declaration of the vehicle value upon importation. In the circumstances, Mr ARCULLI had agreed to support the Bill.

11. Members agreed that the Second Reading debate on the Bill be resumed.

(b) Carriage by Air Bill

(LegCo Paper No. LS 77/96-97)

12. Members noted the report and agreed that the Second Reading debate on the Bill be resumed.

VI.Legal Service Division report on bills referred to the House Committee under Standing Order 42(3A)

(a) Legal Aid (Amendment) Bill 1996

(LegCo Paper No. LS 76/96-97)

13. The Legal Adviser said that while the legal and drafting aspects of the Bill were in order, the Legal Service Division had sought clarification from the Administration on some technical points on the draft Legal Aid (Assessment of Resources and Contributions) (Amendment) Regulation 1996 which was proposed to come into operation at the same time as the Bill. The Administration had now agreed to prepare a revised version of the draft Regulation.

Chairman

14. Miss Margaret NG said that the legal profession felt that the Bill was long overdue. Although the proposed adjustments were on the low side compared with the prices of the day, she asked members to support the Bill for the benefit of legal aid recipients. The Chairman expressed concern that the Bill did not address the request of the Bills Committee on Coroners Bill that legal aid should be extended to persons attending death inquests. Miss NG said that the Administration had agreed to consider the matter in the context of an overall review scheduled for early 1997. The Chairman undertook to seek clarification from the Chief Secretary.

15. Subject to the revised draft Regulation being in order, members agreed that the Second Reading debate on the Bill be resumed.

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(b) Enduring Powers of Attorney Bill

Powers of Attorney (Amendment) Bill 1996

(LegCo Paper No. LS 81/96-97)

16. The Legal Adviser said that the Legal Service Division was still scrutinizing the Bills and would give a further report to members.

17. Mr Andrew CHENG, Deputy Chairman of the Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services, said that the Panel had discussed and agreed to support the Bills in principle.

18. In response to Miss Margaret NG, the Legal Adviser said that a summary of the specific comments made by the various organizations was attached to the LegCo Brief. Their responses were broadly in favour of the proposed enduring power of attorney scheme. On safeguards against abuse of enduring power of attorney, any interested party could apply to the High Court for an order for revocation of the enduring power of attorney or removal of an attorney.

19. Members agreed to support the Bill in principle, pending a further report from the Legal Service Division.

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(c) Freight Containers (Safety) Bill

(LegCo Paper No. LS 78/96-97)

20. The Legal Adviser said that the Bill sought to extend an international convention to Hong Kong and to introduce safety standards for containers user for domestic and international transport. The Sino-British Joint Liaison Group had agreed that the convention should apply to Hong Kong before and after 30 June 1997.

21. In view of the implications of the Bill on the shipping and container industries, Mrs Miriam LAU suggested and members agreed that a Bills Committee be set up. The following members agreed to join the Bills Committee : Mrs Miriam LAU Kin-yee, Mr Howard YOUNG and Mr Lawrence YUM Sin-ling.

(d) Trade Unions (Amendment) Bill 1997 - Member's Bill introduced by Mr LEE Cheuk-yan

(LegCo Paper No. LS 80/96-97)

22. The Legal Adviser said that the Bill sought to allow registered trade unions to establish a political fund. As highlighted in the report, the Legal Service Division would follow up on a number of technical points. He added that Mr LEE Cheuk-yan, Member in charge of the Bill, had already circulated a note explaining details of the Bill to members.

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23. The Chairman said that the Panel on Manpower would be briefed on the Bill by Mr LEE on 20 January 1997.

24. Members agreed not to set up a Bills Committee to study the Bill.

VII.Further business for the LegCo sitting on 15 January 1997

Bill - 1st and 2nd Reading

Security and Guarding Services (Amendment) Bill 1997

(Member's Bill to be introduced by Mr CHAN Wing-chan)

25. The Chairman said that the above Bill would be introduced into LegCo on 15 January 1997 and considered by the House Committee on 17 January 1997.

VIII.Business for the LegCo sitting on 22 January 1997

(a) Questions

(LegCo Paper No. CB(3) 439/96-97)

26. 20 questions (six oral and 14 written) had been tentatively scheduled.

(b) Statement

27. No statement had been notified.

(c) Government Motion

28. No motion had been notified.

(d) Bills - 1st and 2nd Readings

(i) Administration of Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1997

(ii) Auxiliary Forces Pensions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 1997

(iii) Housing (Amendment) Bill 1997

(Member's Bill to be introduced by Mr Bruce LIU)

29. The Chairman said that the above Bills would be introduced into LegCo on 22 January 1997 and considered by the House Committee on 31 January 1997.

(e)Motion debate on 'Rental assistance'

30. Members noted the wording of the motion to be moved by Mr James TO.

(f) Motion debate on 'Ma On Shan/Tai Wai rail link'

31. Members noted that the wording of the motion to be moved by Mr CHOY Kan-pui had been considered at the last meeting.

32. The Chairman advised members that the deadline for giving notice of amendments to the above motions, if any, was 15 January 1997.

IX.Advance information on motion debate for the LegCo sitting on 29 January 1997

Motion to be moved by Mrs Elizabeth WONG

33. On behalf of Mrs Elizabeth WONG who was not at the meeting, Mr LEE Cheuk-yan said that Mrs WONG intended to move a motion for the adjournment of the Council at the sitting on 29 January 1997 for the purpose of a debate. The subject of the debate would be along the lines that 'In order to maintain the independence, impartiality and credibility of the President of the Legislative Council, the Hon Mr Andrew WONG Wan-fat should voluntarily relinquish his presidency'.

34. The Secretary General drew members' attention to Standing Order No. 9(4) which stated that a Member may move a motion for the adjournment of the Council 'for the purpose of raising any public matter for which the Government is responsible, with a view to eliciting a reply from a designated public officer.' He said that the proposed subject matter did not appear to be one for which the Government was responsible.

35. In response to Mr LEE, the Chairman advised that the deadline for giving notice of motions to be moved at the sitting on 29 January 1997 was 14 January 1997, whereas that for an adjournment debate was 20 January 1997.

36. Mr LEE agreed to advise Mrs WONG accordingly.

X.Reports of Panels/Bills Committees/Subcommittees

Report of the Bills Committee on the Environmental Impact Assessment Bill

(LegCo Paper No. CB(1) 640/96-97)

37. Mr Edward HO, Chairman of the Bills Committee, referred members to the report and said that subject to the Committee stage amendments to be moved by the Administration, the Bills Committee recommended that the Second Reading debate on the Bill be resumed on 29 January 1997.

38. In response to Mr James TIEN as to whether the enactment of the Bill would have adverse effects on residential developments, Mr HO said that all projects that were likely to have significant impacts on the environment were listed as designated projects in Schedule 2 to the Bill. A residential development would be taken as a designated project if it had no less than 2,000 flats and was not served by public sewerage networks by the time a flat was occupied.

39. Members agreed that the Second Reading debate on the Bill be resumed.

XI.Any Other Business

Governor's Question Time on 23 January 1997

40. Miss Margaret NG, Chairman of the Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services, said that the Panel had discussed the development of the case of Judge Caird at its meeting held the day before. The Panel was dissatisfied that the Governor had decided not to appoint a judicial tribunal to investigate the case and to allow Judge Caird to retire on medical ground. The Panel would like to ask the Governor to respond to Members' questions relating to the case at the forthcoming Question Time. Members agreed that the Chairman should raise the matter with the Chief Secretary.