Gov't not rushing anthem bill

May 19, 2020

Chief Executive Carrie Lam：
It is entirely incorrect to say that we are planning to urgently pass the National Anthem Bill. The National Anthem Bill went through its proper process in the Legislative Council and was completed in May last year, a year ago. It has completed the scrutiny by the bills committee chaired by Martin Liao with a lot of meetings, public hearings and so on. It has completed the process of presenting the report of the bills committee, compiled by the secretariat - not by us - by the LegCo Secretariat, back to the then House Committee. 

It's only left for us to do a final step under the Rules of Procedure, which is to consult the House Committee Chairman on the exact date to go back to LegCo for the resumption of second reading. But unfortunately, since October last year, we have wasted a full seven months without a House Committee Chairman for us to consult with. 

After yesterday’s election, we have a House Committee Chairwoman installed. So the timetable for presenting the bills committee’s report and also for the resumption of the second reading of the National Anthem Bill will go forward next Wednesday because this is the first priority bill in terms of the chronology of events. So there isn’t even a subjective assessment, it is just in accordance with the chronology of events.

(To watch the full press briefing with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Government is not planning to urgently pass the National Anthem Bill, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said today.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Executive Council meeting this morning, Mrs Lam said the bill went through the proper process in the Legislative Council.

She said: “It is entirely incorrect to say that we are planning to urgently pass the National Anthem Bill.

“It has completed the scrutiny by the bills committee chaired by Martin Liao with a lot of meetings, public hearings and so on.

“It has completed the process of presenting the report of the bills committee, compiled by the secretariat - not by us - by the LegCo Secretariat, back to the then House Committee.”

Mrs Lam pointed out that the Government then had to carry out a final step under the Rules of Procedure, which is to consult the House Committee Chairman on the date to go back to LegCo for a resumption of second reading.

“But unfortunately, since October last year, we have wasted a full seven months without a House Committee Chairman for us to consult with.

“After yesterday’s election, we have a House Committee Chairwoman installed.

“So the timetable for presenting the bills committee’s report and also for the resumption of the second reading of the National Anthem Bill will go forward next Wednesday.”