Setting of the Library Concurrent with the development of the Research and Library Services Division, the Hong Kong Legislative Council also underwent a dramatic change. An election was held in September 1995, turning in a fully elected Legislative Council, unprecedented in Hong Kong's legislative history of 152 years. The majority party in the Council is the Democratic Party. The main functions of the Legislative Council are to pass laws, control public expenditure and monitor Government policies. It meets normally once a week on Wednesday from October to July, with breaks during major public holidays.
Members carry out their work mainly through a system of committees and panels.
The Legislative Council is unicameral, and operates on a semi-presidential system, with the government of the day being represented by officials who attend Legislative Council sittings and panel meetings as and when required by the Council to answer questions on its accountability and explain policies. There is no fusion of the Executive with the Legislature, but neither is the system fully presidential because the President of the Council is not directly elected by the electorate. The President of the Council is a non-Government elected Member, again elected amongst the 60 Members of the Council. Election is held by universal suffrage, with voting age at 18 years. During this session from October 1995 to July 1996, the Council held 36 meetings.