Changes to Legislative Council exchange sessions: A shift for enhanced communication

The ante chamber exchange sessions between government officials and legislators may no longer be held in the Legislative Council chamber, as authorities plan to meet fewer lawmakers at one time to improve communication.

Introduced in July 2022, these sessions aimed to foster regular dialogue and the exchange of ideas between lawmakers and the government.

However, according to Sing Tao Daily, The Standard’s sister publication, starting from the next meeting, the administration intends to meet with lawmakers from each policy panel instead, following a decline in participation in recent sessions.

Some legislators have expressed that the government's agendas have become uninteresting, preferring separate meetings for more in-depth discussions.

An insider from Legco revealed that "the government proposed holding two exchange sessions simultaneously -- one in the ante chamber, and another in Legco dining hall" to enhance discussion efficiency.Legco."

House Committee chairwoman Starry Lee Wai-king noted that some lawmakers suggested using the Legco dining hall for these sessions due to space constraints in front of the chamber.

However, she said it is premature to determine which panel will be the first invited to the next meeting, as this will depend on the topics the government and Legco wish to address.

A panel chairman, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed hope that the new arrangements would facilitate deeper discussions and encourage more lawmakers to participate.

Chairman of the Legco Panel on Manpower Lam Chun-sing supported the idea of the dining hall as a potential new venue, while chairman of the Constitutional Affairs Panel Lai Tung-kwok indicated that the new exchange sessions could serve as an extension of panel meetings when discussion time is limited.

(Eunice Lam)