Greater London Authority Bill

Greater London Authority Bill - continued	House of Lords
PART II, GENERAL FUNCTIONS AND PROCEDURE - continued
Public accountability - continued

back to previous text


People's Question Time.	40. - (1) The Mayor and the Assembly shall twice in every financial year hold and attend a meeting which is to be open to all members of the public, to be known as a "People's Question Time".
	(2) A People's Question Time shall be held on a date to be determined by the Mayor and the Assembly, but which is not less than-
	(a) one month before, or
	(b) one month after,
	a State of London debate held pursuant to section 39(1) above.
	(3) At least one month prior to the date on which each People's Question Time is to be held, the Mayor-
	(a) shall determine the place at which the meeting is to be held; and
	(b) shall take such steps as will in his opinion give adequate notice of the date and place of the meeting to members of the public.
	Deputy Mayor
The Deputy Mayor.	41. - (1) There shall be a Deputy Mayor of London ("the Deputy Mayor").
	(2) The Deputy Mayor shall have such functions as may be conferred or imposed upon him by or under this Act or any other enactment, whenever passed or made.
	(3) The Deputy Mayor shall be appointed by the Mayor from among the Assembly members.
	(4) A person must not hold the offices of Deputy Mayor and Chair of the Assembly at the same time.
	(5) If the Mayor appoints as Deputy Mayor the person who is the Chair of the Assembly, a vacancy shall arise in the office of Chair of the Assembly.
	(6) Subsections (4) and (5) above apply in relation to the Deputy Chair of the Assembly as they apply in relation to the Chair of the Assembly.
	(7) A person appointed Deputy Mayor shall not act in that office unless or until he has satisfied in respect of his office as an Assembly member the requirements of section 23(1) above.
	(8) A person shall cease to be the Deputy Mayor if-
	(a) he ceases to be an Assembly member;
	(b) he at any time gives notice of resignation as the Deputy Mayor to the proper officer of the Authority; or
	(c) the Mayor at any time gives him notice terminating his appointment as Deputy Mayor.
	(9) A person who ceases to be Deputy Mayor shall be eligible for reappointment.
	Chair and Deputy Chair of the Assembly
Functions.	42. - (1) There shall be-
	(a) an office of Chair of the London Assembly ("the Chair of the Assembly"); and
	(b) an office of Deputy Chair of the London Assembly ("the Deputy Chair of the Assembly").
	(2) The Chair of the Assembly shall have-
	(a) the function of chairing meetings of the Assembly; and
	(b) such other functions as may be conferred or imposed upon him by or under this Act or any other enactment, whenever passed or made.
	(3) Subsection (2)(a) above is subject to any provision made by or under this Act or any other enactment, whenever passed or made, or by the standing orders of the Authority.
	(4) The Deputy Chair of the Assembly shall have-
	(a) the function of chairing meetings of the Assembly when authorised or required to do so by or under this Act or any other enactment, whenever passed or made, or in accordance with the standing orders of the Authority; and
	(b) such other functions as may be conferred or imposed upon him by or under this Act or any other enactment, whenever passed or made.
Appointment.	43. - (1) The Chair of the Assembly and the Deputy Chair of the Assembly shall each be elected at a meeting of the Assembly.
	(2) The Chair of the Assembly and the Deputy Chair of the Assembly must be elected from among the members of the Assembly.
	(3) A person must not hold the offices of Chair of the Assembly and Deputy Chair of the Assembly at the same time.
	(4) The Deputy Mayor is not eligible to be the Chair of the Assembly or the Deputy Chair of the Assembly.
	(5) If the Deputy Chair of the Assembly is elected to fill a vacancy in the office of Chair of the Assembly, a vacancy shall arise in the office of Deputy Chair of the Assembly.
	(6) If a vacancy arises in the office of Chair of the Assembly or Deputy Chair of the Assembly, the first business at the next meeting of the Assembly shall be to fill the vacancy.
	(7) A person elected Chair of the Assembly or Deputy Chair of the Assembly shall not act in that office unless or until he has satisfied in respect of his office as an Assembly member the requirements of section 23(1) above.
	Meetings and procedure of the Assembly
Meetings of the whole Assembly.	44. - (1) Before the expiration of the period of ten days following the day of the poll at an ordinary election, there shall be a meeting of the Assembly to elect-
	(a) the Chair of the Assembly; and
	(b) the Deputy Chair of the Assembly.
	(2) Not later than 15 days after the day of the poll at the first ordinary election, and thereafter at intervals of not more than one month, there shall be a meeting of the Assembly-
	(a) to consider the Mayor's monthly written report under section 37 above, and
	(b) to enable Assembly members to question the Mayor or any employees of the Authority who are required to attend such meetings and answer questions put to them by Assembly members.
	(3) Notice of the time and place of any meeting to be held pursuant to subsection (2) above shall be given to the Mayor at least fourteen days prior to the date of the meeting.
	(4) An extraordinary meeting of the Assembly may be called at any time by the Chair of the Assembly.
	(5) If-
	(a) the Chair of the Assembly refuses to call an extraordinary meeting of the Assembly after a requisition for that purpose, signed by five Assembly members, has been presented to him, or
	(b) if, without so refusing, the Chair of the Assembly does not call an extraordinary meeting within seven days after such a requisition has been presented to him,
	any five Assembly members may forthwith call an extraordinary meeting of the Assembly.
	(6) Section 46 below shall not apply in relation to any function of the Assembly under this section.
Assembly procedure.	45. - (1) The Assembly may determine its own procedure and that of its committees (including quorum).
	(2) Subsection (1) above is subject to-
	(a) sections 42 to 44 above;
	(b) Schedules 5 and 6 to this Act; and
	(c) any other provision made by or under this Act or any other Act (whenever passed) which regulates, or provides for the regulation of, the procedure of the Assembly or committees of the Assembly.

Prepared 30 July 1999