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Scope and Content
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Sessional Papers in this series comprise the bound volumes of Sessional Papers 1884-1885 to 1949 (with gaps), and published reports and papers since 1980 (with gaps from 2008-2010).
a. Nature
Sessional Papers are reports and documents tabled at the Legislative Council meetings as required by law, by a Council decision or by a decision or commitment of the Administration to provide information during a legislative session (see item (1) in Note). They are numbered on a sessional basis in a consecutive number sequence beginning with “1” within each session. While the types of records included as Sessional Papers varied over the years, they primarily include the following:
- Government departmental reports, the majority of which are annual reports (see item (2) in Note)
- Government accounts, financial statements and estimates
- Annual reports and financial statements of statutory bodies, including authorities, boards, commissions and committees (see item (3) in Note)
- Reports and financial statements of trust funds and other funds
- Reports of Legislative Council committees, subcommittees and Panels, (mostly before 16 July 1997, see item (4) in Note) and the reports of The Legislative Council Commission.
Different types of papers are tabled at the Council meetings after the confirmation of minutes and other businesses. They include subsidiary legislation and other instruments, Sessional Papers, and Other Papers. The latter mainly include reports and papers produced by the Council committees, subcommittees, Working Group and Panels and papers of The Legislative Council Commission that are not Sessional Papers (see LAS 59). A paper may be presented to the Council by a designated public officer or a Member, who may address the Council. Presentation of papers, including Sessional Papers are regulated by the Standing Orders or the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council.
The title and number of Sessional Papers are mostly recorded and listed under “Papers” in the agendas, minutes and Hansard of the Council meetings. From the Council meeting on 22 April 1936 and onwards, they were listed under the subheading “Sessional Papers” of “Papers.” Since the Council meeting held on 20-21 October 1999, Sessional Papers have been grouped together with Other Papers under “Other Papers” but can still be identified by the number before the title. The numbering for Sessional Papers is no longer provided in the mentioned official documents and is allotted for internal reference only since the Council meeting on 20-21 March 2019.
b. Early Papers
The earliest Sessional Papers were published in Hong Kong Government Gazette. Administrative Reports first published in 1879 also contained some papers laid before the Legislative Council. The Government Printer printed selected Sessional Papers in bound volumes between 1884 and 1949 except during Japanese occupation (1941-1945). The early annual volumes, in addition to the numbered Sessional Papers, contain other documents such as minutes of the Council meetings, the Finance Committee and the Public Works Committee. Individual Sessional Papers have been published separately since 1950.
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Physical Description
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Record items comprise paperback bound volumes, loose-leaf bundles of papers, and papers enclosed in folders.
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