Legislators yesterday called on the administration to consult them more and to inform them of important announcements or decisions before disclosing the news to the media.

On important bills, they urged the administration to consult extensively and to allow sufficient time for legislators to examine them, Miriam Lau, chairman of the Legislative Council House Committee, said yesterday.

Lau complained that some principal government officials are "strangers" to the Legislative Council and its committees and only send their deputies to answer questions and explain government policies, thus preventing the accoun-tability system from functioning properly.

"The chief executive, as head of the government, should attend the Legislative Council more, and set up a good example for ministers and principal officials," she said.

"I have recently written to the chief executive on behalf of the House Committee to invite him to brief us after duty trips to Beijing but unfortunately he does not concur on the need for such briefings."

She was speaking at the opening session of the Motion of Thanks debate on the 2004 Policy Address.

Although the scope of the session covered economy, unemployment and trade and commerce, David Li, for the banking sector, touched on constitutional development.

Li said his constituency expected Tung Chee-hwa to announce a timetable for constitutional review in the Policy Address.

He hoped the consultation would be open, transparent and rational and offer the people opportunity to put forward their views on how they wish to be governed.

(HK Edition 02/05/2004 page2)