| Law passed for five more elected seats on District Councils |
|
The Legislative Council (Legco) today (June 7) approved the District Councils Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 3) Order 2006 for implementing the proposed addition of two elected seats on the Islands District Council (DC) and three elected seats on the Sai Kung DC.
Starting from the next term in 2008, the number of elected seats on the Island DC will increase from eight to 10, and the number of elected seats on the Sai Kung DC will increase from 20 to 23. Following is the speech by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose Lee, in moving resolution for approval of the Order at Legco today (June 7) in the absence of the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs, Mr Stephen Lam, who is on duty trip outside Hong Kong: Madam President, I move that the District Councils Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 3) Order 2006 be approved. The purpose of this subsidiary legislation is to add two elected seats on the Islands District Council and three on the Sai Kung District Council starting from the next term of the District Councils in 2008, so as to cater for the population growth in these two districts between 2003 and 2007. In February this year, the Constitutional Affairs Bureau consulted the Legco Panel on Constitutional Affairs, the Islands District Council and the Sai Kung District Council on the proposed addition of seats. The proposal was generally supported. The Chief Executive in Council made the relevant Order at the Executive Council meeting on May 9, 2006. The Legco House Committee has considered the Order at its meeting on May 26, and decided that there was no need to form a Sub-committee on Subsidiary Legislation to examine the Order. Subject to the approval of the Order by the Legislative Council today, the Electoral Affairs Commission will proceed with the demarcation of constituency boundaries for the 2007 District Councils election having regard to the revised numbers of seats and in accordance with the statutory criteria for demarcation. Later this year, the Electoral Affairs Commission will publish its provisional recommendations on the demarcation of Hong Kong's 405 District Council constituency areas for public consultation. The final recommendations will be submitted to the Chief Executive before the statutory deadline in November this year. May I ask Members to approve the Order to enable the implementation of the proposed addition of seats. Thank you, Madam President. Ends/Wednesday, June 7, 2006 |