PLC Paper No. CB(2) 37

Ref : PLC/HC/4

Minutes of the special meeting held at the Legislative Council Chamber at 5:22 pm on Tuesday, 8 July 1997

Members present :


Dr Hon LEONG Che-hung, JP (Chairman)
Hon IP Kwok-him (Deputy Chairman)
Hon WONG Siu-yee
Hon James TIEN Pei-chun, JP
Hon David CHU Yu-lin
Hon HO Sai-chu, JP
Dr Hon Raymond HO Chung-tai, JP
Hon NG Leung-sing
Prof Hon NG Ching-fai
Hon LEE Kai-ming
Hon Mrs Elsie TU, GBM
Hon Mrs Selina CHOW, JP
Hon Mrs Peggy LAM, JP
Hon Henry WU
Hon NGAI Shiu-kit, JP
Hon Ronald ARCULLI, JP
Hon MA Fung-kwok
Dr Hon Mrs TSO WONG Man-yin
Hon Mrs Sophie LEUNG LAU Yau-fun, JP
Hon MOK Ying-fan
Hon CHAN Choi-hi
Hon CHAN Yuen-han
Hon CHAN Kam-lam
Hon Kennedy WONG Ying-ho
Dr Hon Charles YEUNG Chun-kam
Hon CHIM Pui-chung
Hon Bruce LIU Sing-lee
Hon LAU Kong-wah
Hon Ambrose LAU Hon-chuen, JP
Hon Paul CHENG Ming-fun, JP
Dr Hon TANG Siu-tong, JP
Hon Timothy FOK Tsun-ting
Hon LO Suk-ching
Dr Hon LAW Cheung-kwok

Members absent :


Hon Edward HO Sing-tin, JP
Hon Eric LI Ka-cheung, JP
Dr Hon David LI Kwok-po, JP
Hon Allen LEE, JP
Hon Henry TANG Ying-yen, JP
Hon YUEN Mo
Hon CHEUNG
Hon-chung
Hon LEUNG Chun-ying, JP
Hon HUI Yin-fat, JP
Hon CHAN Wing-chan
Hon TSANG Yok-sing
Hon CHENG Kai-nam
Hon Frederick FUNG Kin-kee
Hon Andrew WONG Wang-fat, JP
Dr Hon Philip WONG Yu-Hong
Hon Howard YOUNG, JP
Hon YEUNG Yiu-chung
Hon LAU Wong-fat, JP
Hon Mrs Miriam LAU Kin-yee, JP
Hon CHOY Kan-pui, JP
Hon CHENG Yiu-tong
Hon KAN Fook-yee
Hon NGAN Kam-chuen
Hon TAM Yiu-chung, JP

Clerk in attendance :

Mrs Justina LAM

Clerk to the House Committee

Staff in attendance :

Mr Ricky C C FUNG, JP	Secretary General
Mr Jimmy MA	Legal Adviser
Mr LEE Yu-sang	Senior Assistant Legal Adviser
Ms Pauline NG	Assistant Secretary General 1
Miss Anita HO	Assistant Legal Adviser 2
Mr Arthur CHEUNG	Assistant Legal Adviser 5
Ms LEUNG Siu-kum	Chief Assistant Secretary (Complaints)
Ms Kathleen LAU	Chief Public Information Officer
Mrs Sharon TONG	Chief Assistant Secretary (2)1
Mrs Percy MA	Chief Assistant Secretary (2)5
Mr Paul WOO	Senior Assistant Secretary (2)5
Mrs Eleanor CHOW	Senior Assistant Secretary (2)8

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1 The Chairman said that the purpose of this special meeting was to discuss any matters raised at the special briefing session conducted for Members by the Administration earlier that afternoon.

1. Electoral arrangements for the first Legislative Council


2 The Chairman said that the Administration had briefed members on the electoral arrangements for the first Legislative Council at the special briefing session. When the relevant Bill was introduced into the Council, a Bills Committee could be formed to study it in detail.


2. Immigration (Amendment) (No. 5) Bill


3 The Chairman said that in response to the Administration's proposal that the three readings of the Bill be completed at the Council meeting on 9 July 1997, members had earlier agreed that a subcommittee should be formed to study the Bill. The subcommittee would hold its meeting immediately after this meeting.

4 Mr Ronald ARCULLI suggested that a special House Committee meeting should be held after the ceremony for signing the Affirmation of Allegiance book on 9 July 1997 to enable the Subcommittee to report its deliberations to members. Members agreed.


3. Legislative Provisions (Suspension of Operation) Bill 1997


5 The Chairman said that the Bill sought to suspend the operation of seven Ordinances enacted from Bills introduced by Members of the previous Legislative Council and passed by the Council before the handover. The Administration had requested that the three readings of the Bill be completed at the Council meeting on 9 July 1997. He invited members' views on the matter.

6 Mrs Selina CHOW was of the view that the new HKSAR Government should be given more time to study the impact of the legislative changes on Government policies and operations. She suggested that a subcommittee should be formed and should hold a meeting with the Administration immediately after this meeting. The subcommittee could then make a recommendation as to whether the three-reading proposal should be supported. Some members supported her proposal. Mr James TIEN pointed out that there was urgency to suspend the operation of the five labour-related Ordinances which had far-reaching implications. Mr WONG Ying-ho said that while he supported Mrs CHOW's proposal, he was concerned about members' capacity to study the Immigration (Amendment) (No. 5) Bill and this Bill concurrently.

7 Other members were of the view that the Bill should be dealt with in the normal manner, i.e. it should be studied by a Bills Committee after it was introduced into the Council. Mr MA Fung-kwok added that new Members who had little knowledge about the seven Ordinances in question would need more time to consider the Bill.

8 After discussion, the Chairman put the following two options to vote -


1. a subcommittee should be set up to study the Bill immediately, pending its introduction into the Council on 9 July 1997 and referral to the House Committee on 11 July 1997; or

2. the Bill should be processed in the normal manner.


11 members voted for (a) and 15 members voted for (b). The Chairman concluded that the House Committee would consider setting up a Bills Committee on the Bill after it was introduced into the Council.

The meeting ended at 5:45 pm.

Provisional Legislative Council Secretariat
15 July 1997