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Paragraph 37 Standing Committees.

Changes not yet applied. Later legislation changes this provision in ways not yet written into the text below:

(1)

The Legislative Council shall establish at least two Standing Committees of the Council, each of which shall be charged with responsibility for monitoring the conduct of business of the Government for which responsibility has been assigned to a Minister or Ministers under section 12(1) of this Constitution.

(2)

Each Standing Committee shall consist of members of the Legislative Council who are not Ministers.

(3)

The composition of each Standing Committee shall, so far as possible, ensure that the representation of political parties in the Committee is proportionate to the numerical strength of those parties in the Legislative Council.

(4)

At least one Standing Committee shall be presided over by a member of the Legislative Council in opposition to the Government.

(5)

Each Standing Committee shall have power—

(a)

to summon any Minister, or any public officer of a department of government for which a Minister is responsible, to appear before it;

(b)

subject to any law or Standing Orders, to require any person so summoned to answer questions and provide information about the conduct of business of the Government by the Minister or department concerned;

(c)

to report upon its activities to the Legislative Council.

(6)

The Legislative Council shall publish reports submitted to it under subsection (5)(c) of this section.

(7)

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this section, Standing Orders shall provide for the composition and functions of, and proceedings and conduct of business before, Standing Committees.