(English translation prepared by
the Legislative Council Secretariat
for Members' reference only)

13 November 1998

Dr Hon LEONG Che-hung
Chairman of the House Committee
Legislative Council


Dear Dr LEONG,

Since the implementation of the Human Organ Transplant Ordinance in April this year, past experience shows that there are problems with some of the provisions in their actual operation and hence a review is needed. In this connection, the Government is going to introduce an amendment bill into the Legislative Council (LegCo), and the Panel on Health Services will hold a special meeting on 23 November to discuss the relevant provisions of the Ordinance and the policies concerned. As the amendments to the Ordinance affect the public and concern the matter of life and death, the LegCo should make early preparation in order that the amendment bill, once introduced, can be passed within the shortest time.

In view of this, I hope that a bills committee could be formed in advance of the Government's introduction of the amendment bill into this Council. Moreover, Members who wish to join the bills committee should be invited to attend the special meeting of the Panel on Health Services to join the discussion on the relevant provisions of the Ordinance and the policies concerned, so as to reduce the time required for the passage of the bill by the LegCo. However, when I mentioned my proposal to you the other day, I was told that, in accordance with the current procedure, a bills committee can only be formed after the Government has formally introduced the amendment bill into the Council. Therefore, I would like to make an alternative proposal that a special committee on the Human Organ Transplant Ordinance should be set up, and hope that this will be discussed at the House Committee meeting to be held on Friday, 20 November. Please include this matter in the agenda of the above meeting. Thank you.

(Astor CHAN)
for Hon HO Mun-ka