| LC: Speech by SCA on motion to amend District Councils (Subscribers and Election Deposit for Nomination)(Amendment) Regulation 2003 |
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Following is the speech by the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Mr Stephen Lam, on the motion to amend the District Councils (Subscribers and Election Deposit for Nomination)(Amendment) Regulation 2003 at the Legislative Council meeting today (June 18):
Madam President, I move that the District Councils (Subscribers and Election Deposit for Nomination)(Amendment) Regulation 2003 be amended as set out in the Agenda. The captioned Amendment Regulation was laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 21 May 2003. A subcommittee was formed by the Council subsequently to collectively examine three pieces of subsidiary legislation relating to the District Council Elections, including the District Councils (Subscribers and Election Deposit for Nomination)(Amendment) Regulation 2003. The Subcommittee has now completed its scrutiny of this Amendment Regulation. In the course of its deliberation, the Subcommittee expressed its support for the policy objective underlying the Amendment Regulation. However, the Subcommittee also took the view that there was room for further improvement in drafting and presentation as regards certain aspects of the provisions. Following discussion with the Subcommittee, the Administration now proposes to make changes to some of the provisions. These proposed changes are all technical in nature, which are aimed at making the provisions clearer and easier to understand. The proposed changes have been endorsed by the Subcommittee. I would like to sincerely thank the Honourable Ip Kwok-him, the Subcommittee Chairman, and the other Members of the Subcommittee for the comments they made during the scrutiny of the Amendment Regulation. Thank you, Madam President. END/Wednesday, June 18, 2003 |