PLC Paper No. CB(1) 208
Ref: CB1/R/1
Paper for the House Committee Meeting
on 19 September 1997
Election of Members for Appointment to the Committee on Rules of Procedure
Purpose
This paper seeks the advice of the House Committee on the election procedure for the appointment of Members by the President of the Provisional Legislative Council to sit on the Committee on Rules of Procedure.
Background
2.At the Council meeting on 10 September 1997, Members endorsed amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Provisional Legislative Council, including those relating to the formation of a Committee on Rules of Procedure (the Committee). The Committee will take over matters originally dealt with by the Working Group on Rules of Procedure which was dissolved by motion in the Council also on 10 September 1997.
3.The functions of the Committee are to review the Rules of Procedure of the Council and the committee system and to propose to the Council such amendments or changes as are considered necessary. The Committee may examine matters of practice and procedure relating to the Council referred by the Council or its committees or the President, or raised by its own members. The President may be invited to attend its meeting to advise on matters of practice and procedure relating to the Council.
Proposal
4. In accordance with Rule 74A of the Rules of Procedure (copy attached at the Appendix), the Committee shall consist of a Chairman, a Deputy Chairman and 10 members who shall be Members appointed by the President in accordance with an election procedure determined by the House Committee.
5.In line with the election procedure for the Committee on Members ' Interests and the Public Accounts Committee, it is proposed that 12 Members are to be elected by way of nomination made orally at an open meeting of the House Committee for the Committee on Rules of Procedure. Having regard to the size and functions of the Committee, the membership of the Committee should be broadly representative of the membership of the Council. In the event of there being more nominations than the places available, an election shall be conducted by a show of hands.
6.After the 12 members of the Committee have been elected, these members shall elect the Chairman and Deputy Chairman from among themselves. The names will then be forwarded to the House Committee for endorsement before a proposal is submitted to the President.
Advice sought
7.Members are invited to:
- endorse the procedure for the election of Members for appointment to sit on the Committee as set out in paragraphs 5 and 6; and
- subject to the House Committee ' s endorsement of the election procedure, note that an election of members of the Committee will be conducted at the House Committee meeting on 17 October 1997.
Provisional Legislative Council Secretariat
10 September 1997
