Provisional Legislative Council

PLC Paper No. CB(3)575(01)

Ref: CB(3)/C/2 (III)


Committee on Members ' Interests

Minutes of meeting
held on Monday, 19 January 1998 at 9:00 a.m.
in Conference Room B of the Legislative Council Building

Members present :

    Hon Mrs Miriam LAU Kin-yee, JP (Chairman)
    Hon YEUNG Yiu-chung (Deputy Chairman)
    Hon NG Leung-sing
    Prof Hon NG Ching-fai
    Hon LEE Kai-ming

Members absent :

    Dr Hon Mrs TSO WONG Man-yin
    Hon Bruce LIU Sing-lee

Clerk in attendance :

Mrs Betty LEUNG
Chief Assistant Secretary (3)1

Staff in attendance:

Mr LEE Yu-sung
Senior Assistant Legal Adviser

Ms Miranda HON
Senior Assistant Secretary (3)1

I. Confirmation of minutes of the meeting held on 25 November 1997

(PLC Paper No. CB(3)422)

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 November 1997 were confirmed without amendment.

II. Follow-up on the items identified for review by the Committee in June 1997

(a) Definition of "political organization" and cash subsidy

(PLC Paper No. CB(3)455(01))

2. The Chairman invited members to consider whether the drafting on the proposed changes to item III(7) of the Guidelines on Registration of Interests, as contained in PLC Paper No. CB(3)455(01), could adequately reflect members' decisions made at the last meeting. Members noted the following changes:

  1. adding a footnote to the term "political organization" to indicate that its meaning was the same as that of "political body" in the Societies Ordinance; and

  2. adding a new sentence which was "Such registrable interests include cash subsidy of HK$5000 or above each month." after " ... it would suffice if a Member merely registers such interests directly received from his political organization."

3. Members then examined the drafting and agreed to accept it.

(b) Registration of land or property owned by a Member as a nominee

(PLC Paper No. CB(3)455(02))

4. The Chairman invited members to consider whether the drafting on the proposed changes to Category 7 of the Registration Form on Members' Interests, as contained in PLC Paper No. CB(3)455(02), was in order. Members noted the following changes:

  1. requiring Members to register any land or property excluding the only or principal residence in Hong Kong which they owned and ordinarily lived in; and

  2. in the footnote, "Registrable interest" was taken to include "land or property owned by a Member directly or indirectly, such as through a company in which he has control or has more than 50% shares, or through a third person". Also, a new point was added, which was "The only or principal residence in Hong Kong which a Member owns and ordinarily lives in need not be registered unless he also derives an income from it."

5. Members then examined the drafting and agreed to accept it.

6. Members considered that since membership of the Provisional Legislative Council would lapse after June 1998, it would serve a better purpose for the revised Guidelines and Registration Form to be recommended to the new Legislative Council for use. Meanwhile, the House Committee should be informed of the views of the Committee.

III. Date of next meeting

7. Members noted that the Chairman would convene future meetings if necessary.

8. The meeting ended at 9:15 am.


Provisional Legislative Council Secretariat
19 January 1998