Provisional Legislative Council

Infobox Parliament
name = Provisional Legislative Council
of Hong Kong
香港臨時立法會
coa_pic =
session_room =
house_type = Unicameral
houses =
leader1_type = President of the Provisional Legislative Council
leader1 = Rita Fan Hsu Lai-tai
party1 = Independent
election1 = 1996
members = 63
p_groups = none - all pro-China
election3 = 1996
meeting_place = Shenzhen Guesthouse Hotel & Legislative Council Building
website = The Provisional Legislative Council (Chinese: 臨時立法會, frequently abbreviated to 臨立會) was the interim legislature of Hong Kong from 1997 to 1998. The legislature was founded in Guangzhou and sat in Shenzhen from 1996 (with offices in Hong Kong) until the handover in 1997 and moved to Hong Kong to replace the Legislative Council of Hong Kong thereafter.

History

The Provisional Legco was set up in 1996 by the People's Republic of China (PRC) to serve as a provisional legislature of Hong Kong, after the proposal package of electoral changes for the 1995 Legislative Council elections that was deemed unconstitutional by the PRC was passed in the Legislative Council. It was believed that the formation of the council according to the proposal by the government of Chris Patten, then governor, favoured pro-democracy candidates.

Legislative Council Building

For the first five months, the PLC met in one of the conference halls at the Shenzhen Guesthouse Hotel. From 1 July 1997 to 1998 it sat at Legislative Council Building in Hong Kong.

Council committees and the Legco Secretariat sat at various locations:

* Huaxia Art Centre, Shenzhen from February 22 to June 21, 1997
* Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Extension - July 1, 1997

The Council held 60 meetings, 17 motions and passed 13 bills introduced by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong.

The Legco Secretariat offices were on the 3 floor of the Huaxia Art Centre.

Organization

The 60-member Provisional Legislative Council was elected in 1996 by block vote by the 400 member Selection Committee, an electoral college handpicked by the PRC. It had its meetings in the city of Shenzhen across the border, until it replaced the Legislative Council upon the transfer of sovereignty. The term of the PLC lasted until the first legislative elections in 1998.

Until the handover, the PLC had no legal standing in Hong Kong and acted as a transition body for the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

In the first five months prior to the handover, the PLC was involved in transition work towards replacing the British legislature:

* devising a new electoral system to govern polls for the SAR’s first Legislative
* appointment of top judges to Hong Kong's new courts
* review and sanction of the 1997-1998 budget
* voting on proposals by the Preparatory Committee towards amend or repeal some of the existing Hong Kong laws

Members of the Provisional Legislative Council

eating Arrangement

The PLC likely sat around a conference when it met at the Shenzhen Guesthouse Hotel. The President of the PLC sat at one end of the table.

After 30 June 1997, the members of the Legislative Council are seated to the left and front of the President's chair in the chambers. The three rows to the right are reserved for the secretaries and other civil servants of the government, and other people whom appear in the meetings.

President of the Provisional Legislative Council

The Presidents of the PLC was Rita Fan, whom later lead the legislative council following the handover.

Members

A list of members of the legislative council from 1996 to 1998:

* Leong Che-hung
* Rita Fan - President or Presiding Officer
* Chow Liang Shuk-yee
* Andrew Wong
* Frederick Fung
* Cheng Kai-nam - jailed for stealing and selling [http://www.pathfinder.com/asiaweek/magazine/2000/0908/nat.hk.cheng.html info]
* Wong Siu-Yee
* James Tien
* David Chu Yu-Lin
* Ho Sai-Chu
* Edward Ho Sing-Tin
* Dr Raymond Ho Chung-Tai
* Ng Leung Sing
* Professor Ng Ching Fai
* Eric Li Ka Cheung
* Lee Kai Ming
* Allen Lee
* Elsie Tu
* Peggy Lam Pei Yu Dja
* Henry Wu
* Ngai Shiu Kit
* Henry Tang
* Yuen Mo
* Ma Fung Kwok
* Cheung Hon Chung
* Dr Tso Wong Man Yin
* Leung Chun Ying
* Dr Leong Che Hung
* Sophie Leung La Yau Fan
* Mok Ying Fan
* Hui Yin Fat
* Chan Choi Hi
* Chan Yuen Han
* Chan Wing Chan
* Chan Kam Lam
* Jasper Tsang Yok-sing
* Cheung Kai Nam
* Dr Philip Wong Yu Hong
* Kennedy Wong Ying Ho
* Dr Charles Yeung Chun Kam
* Yeung Yiu Chung
* Ip Kwok Him
* Chim Pui Chung
* Bruce Liu Sing Lee
* Lau Kwong Wah
* Lau Wong Fat
* Miriam Lau Kin Yee
* Ambrose Lau Hong-Chuen
* Choy Kan Pui
* Paul Cheng Ming Fun
* Cheung Yiu Tong
* Dr Tan Siu Tong
* Timothy Fok
* Kan Fook Yee
* Ngan Kam Chuen
* Lo Suk Ching
* Dr. Law Cheung Kwok
* Maria Tam Wai Chu
* Tam Yiu-Chung
* Dr. David Li Kwok Po
* Ronald Arculli
* Howard Young

Officers of the Provisional Legislative Council

The only officer found in the records was for the Clerk, Pauline Ng Man-Wah.

tanding Committees

* Finance Committee
* Public Accounts Committee
* Committee of Members' Interest

ee also

* Legislative Council of Hong Kong
* Provisional Executive Council of Hong Kong
* Hong Kong Provisional Legislature election, 1996
* Legislation of the Provisional Government of Hong Kong