This database contains information on matters discussed in Council meeting since the fifth term of LegCo. Hinting by its name, the database is built upon the PDF hansard files. Relying on the bookmarks and section codes of the hansard files, the data endpoints retrieve data from the files directly.
For more details of the database, see https://www.legco.gov.hk/odata/english/hansard-db.html.
Here are the key identifies that is useful for locating the necessary data from the Hansard database:
HansardID is the numerical ID of a hansard file. A hansard file is the Record of Proceedings of a Council meeting. Since there are three versions of hansard—Floor Chinese and English, each Council meeting has three hansard files, meaning that there are three Hansard IDs corresponding to the same meeting.
RundownID is the numerical ID of a rundown in the hansard file. In simple terms, rundowns can be understood as individual paragraphs in the Record of Proceedings.
SectionCode is the alphabetical code stipulating the type of business as indicated in the LegCo Rules of Procedures 18(1) that a paragraph text is referring to in the hansard file.
BookmarkName is the alphabetical code stipulating details of the rundown. A detailed explanation can be found here.
SpeakerID is the numerical ID stipulating the speaker of a paragraph text in the hansard file.
These identifiers essentially indicate the when (HansardID), where (RundownID), what (SectionCode) and who (SpeakerID) of a paragraph text in the Record of Proceedings.
All functions in this database have an option to return only the total count of the records matching the specified parameters instead of returning the data frame containing the result. To activate this option, specify count = TRUE:
# Fetch the total number of questions put on the government in LegCo in April, 2019
v <- questions(from = "2019-04-01", to = "2019-04-30", count = TRUE)
v## [1] "44"This database is accessible with the following functions/data:
hansard() fetches the information of the hansard files.
v <- hansard(from = "2019-02-20", to = "2019-02-20")
v## HansardID MeetingDate AgendaDate isCEQandA isCEQT
## 1 2691 2019-02-20 00:00:00 2019-02-20 00:00:00 0 1
## 2 2714 2019-02-20 00:00:00 2019-02-20 00:00:00 0 0
## HansardFileURL
## 1 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220q-translate-e.pdf
## 2 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdfIf isCEQandA is 1, the hansard file is the Record of Proceedings of a Chief Executive’s Question and Answer Session.
If isCEQT is 1, the hansard file is the Record of Proceedings of a Chief Executive’s Question Time.
legco_section_type is a data frame containing the meaning of the section code.
v <- legco_section_type
head(v)## SectionCode
## 1 r2r
## 2 oth
## 3 pex
## 4 orq
## 5 sta
## 6 rsl
## NameEng
## 1 Remaining proceedings after the Second Reading
## 2 Taking of Oath
## 3 Personal Explanations
## 4 Oral Questions
## 5 Statements by Public Officers
## 6 Request for Special Leave of the Council to Give Evidence of Council Proceedings
## NameChi
## 1 二讀後的餘下程序
## 2 作出立法會誓言
## 3 個人解釋
## 4 口頭質詢
## 5 官員聲明
## 6 就立法會會議程序提供證據一事請求給予特別許可subjects() fetches all subjects being discussed in a Council meeting.
# Fetch second reading of bills during the Council meeting on February 20, 2019
v <- subjects(hansard_id = 2714, section_code = "b2r")
head(v)## MeetingDate Subject
## 1 2019-02-20 00:00:00 SECOND READING OF GOVERNMENT BILLS
## 2 2019-02-20 00:00:00 Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2019
## 3 2019-02-20 00:00:00 Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill 2019
## ResumptionOf SectionCode RundownID HansardID
## 1 NA b2r 899626 2714
## 2 NA b2r 899628 2714
## 3 NA b2r 899650 2714The RundownID indicates the starting RundownID of the subject concerned. For instance, the starting RundownID of Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2019 is 899628, meaning that the paragraph text of this subject is from 899628 to 899649.
If the business is a continuation of a previous meeting, the date of the previous meeting will be shown in the field ResumptionOf.
speakers() fetches the basic information of speakers in LegCo council meetings. Speakers here refer to all personnel who can speak during the meetings, which include not only LegCo members but also government officials and Secretariat staff.
# Fetch a list of all speakers in LegCo council meetings
v <- speakers()
head(v)## SpeakerID NameChi NameEng Type Initial
## 1 6 行政長官 CHIEF EXECUTIVE PO CE
## 2 2 秘書 CLERK LC CLK
## 3 4 全委會主席 CHAIRMAN LC CM
## 4 7 政務司司長 CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION PO CSA
## 5 5 代理全委會主席 DEPUTY CHAIRMAN LC DCM
## 6 3 代理主席 DEPUTY PRESIDENT LC DPSD
## FirstName LastName
## 1
## 2
## 3
## 4
## 5
## 6# Fetch a list of all speakers who are LegCo members
v <- speakers(type = "MB")
head(v)## SpeakerID NameChi NameEng Type Initial FirstName LastName
## 1 108 梁志祥 LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG MB LCC Che-cheung LEUNG
## 2 138 林卓廷 LAM CHEUK-TING MB LCT Cheuk-ting LAM
## 3 35 李卓人 LEE CHEUK-YAN MB LCY Cheuk-yan LEE
## 4 120 廖長江 MARTIN LIAO MB ML Cheung-kong LIAO
## 5 104 陳志全 CHAN CHI-CHUEN MB CCC Chi-chuen CHAN
## 6 148 許智峯 HUI CHI-FUNG MB HCF Chi-fung HUI# Look up the details of a speaker with the id 6
speakers(speaker_id = 6)## SpeakerID NameChi NameEng Type Initial FirstName LastName
## 1 6 行政長官 CHIEF EXECUTIVE PO CEEvery single paragraph in the hansard files (excluding section titles and summoning of bells) is marked with the unique Speaker ID to indicate the speaker of the text.
rundown() fetches the paragraph text in hansard files. Note that the result is not in any specific order so it is necessary to reorder if needed.
# Fetch records of proceedings of the second reading of Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2019
v <- rundown(rundown_id = 899628:899649)
v <- v[order(v$RundownID), ]
rownames(v) <- 1:nrow(v)
v[3:5, ]## RundownID MeetingDate
## 3 899630 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 4 899631 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 5 899632 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## Content
## 3 DEPUTY PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Secretary, please hold on. Mr SHIU Ka-fai, what is your point of order?
## 4 MR SHIU KA-FAI (in Cantonese): Deputy President, I think a quorum is lacking in the Chamber.
## 5 DEPUTY PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Are you requesting a headcount?
## BookmarkName SpeakerID HansardID
## 3 SP_LC_DPSD_00206 3 2714
## 4 SP_MB_SKF_00207 140 2714
## 5 SP_LC_DPSD_00208 3 2714
## HansardFileURL
## 3 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=SP_LC_DPSD_00206
## 4 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=SP_MB_SKF_00207
## 5 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=SP_LC_DPSD_00208Though of little use, BookmarkName can be a useful parameter to search for the necessary data. The BookmarkName of the starting Rundown of a subject is a combination of section code and the sequence number. For instance, the two bills that were under the process of second reading have a BookmarkName of “b2r01” and “b2r02” respectively. Therefore, it is possible to directly fetch the starting RundownID of the first bill under second reading on February 20, 2019, i.e. Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2019, by specifying the BookmarkName:
# Fetch the first bill under second reading on February 20, 2019
v <- rundown(bookmark_name = "b2r01", from = "2019-02-20", to = "2019-02-20")
v## RundownID MeetingDate Content
## 1 899628 2019-02-20 00:00:00 Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2019
## BookmarkName SpeakerID HansardID
## 1 b2r01 NA 2714
## HansardFileURL
## 1 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=b2r01Similarly, it can be applicable on other SectionCode as well, such as “pop01” and “pop02”.
questions() fetches the question put on the government by LegCo members. Note that this function does not take HansardID as a filtering parameter.
# Fetch questions being put on the government during the Council meeting on February 20, 2019
v <- questions(from = "2019-02-20", to = "2019-02-20")
head(v)## MeetingDate QuestionType
## 1 2019-02-20 00:00:00 Oral
## 2 2019-02-20 00:00:00 Oral
## 3 2019-02-20 00:00:00 Oral
## 4 2019-02-20 00:00:00 Oral
## 5 2019-02-20 00:00:00 Oral
## 6 2019-02-20 00:00:00 Oral
## Subject
## 1 Following up marine incidents
## 2 The overloaded public health care system
## 3 Alleviating the pressure on the services of public hospitals
## 4 Medical and nursing manpower in the public health care system
## 5 Regulation of e-sports venues
## 6 Construction documentation of the Shatin to Central Link project
## Speaker SpeakerID RundownID
## 1 STEVEN HO 97 899439
## 2 WILSON OR 143 899457
## 3 CHAN HOI-YAN 161 899479
## 4 HELENA WONG 117 899496
## 5 JEREMY TAM 157 899514
## 6 LAM CHEUK-TING 138 899529
## HansardFileURL
## 1 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=orq01
## 2 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=orq02
## 3 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=orq03
## 4 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=orq04
## 5 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=orq05
## 6 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=orq06Similar to the output of subjects(), RundownID here refers to the starting RundownID, which can be used to determine the range of the full question text.
bills() fetches bills being debated in LegCo Council meetings.
# Fetch bills debated during the Council meeting on February 20, 2019
v <- bills(hansard_id = 2714)
head(v)## MeetingDate
## 1 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 2 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 3 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 4 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 5 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 6 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## Subject
## 1 Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2019
## 2 Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill 2019
## 3 Inland Revenue (Profits Tax Exemption for Funds) (Amendment) Bill 2018
## 4 Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 7) Bill 2018
## 5 Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2019
## 6 Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Bill 2019
## Section SectionCode RundownID
## 1 First Reading of Government Bills b1r 899623
## 2 First Reading of Government Bills b1r 899624
## 3 Resumption of Second Reading Debate on Government Bills b2d 899655
## 4 Resumption of Second Reading Debate on Government Bills b2d 899698
## 5 Second Reading of Government Bills b2r 899628
## 6 Withdrawal of the Bill b2r 899628
## HansardID
## 1 2714
## 2 2714
## 3 2714
## 4 2714
## 5 2714
## 6 2714
## HansardFileURL
## 1 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=b1r01
## 2 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=b1r02
## 3 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=b2d01a
## 4 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=b2d02a
## 5 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=b2r01
## 6 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=b2r01Note that the name of a bill may appear more than once like above, since the bill went through first and second reading in the same meeting. To fetch more detailed information and key dates of a particular bill, use all_bills() instead.
motions() fetches the motions discussed in Council meetings.
# Fetch motions discussed during the Council meeting on February 20, 2019
v <- motions(hansard_id = 2714)
head(v)## MeetingDate
## 1 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 2 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 3 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## Subject
## 1 Proposed resolution under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance
## 2 Proposed resolution under Article 75 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China
## 3 Motion under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance
## Section SectionCode RundownID HansardID
## 1 Members' motions mbm 899758 2714
## 2 Members' motions mbm 899768 2714
## 3 Members' motions mbm 899812 2714
## HansardFileURL
## 1 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=mbm01
## 2 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=mbm02
## 3 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=mbm03Similar to the output of subjects() and questions(), RundownID here refers to the starting RundownID, which can be used to determine the range of the full question text.
petitions() fetches the petitions raised by LegCo members in Council meetings.
# Fetch petition laid during the Council meeting on January 19, 2018
v <- petitions(from = "2018-01-10")
v## MeetingDate
## 1 2018-01-10 00:00:00
## Subject
## 1 Mr Charles Peter MOK, with the other three Members, will present a petition to this Council
## Speakers RundownID HansardID
## 1 CHARLES PETER MOK 781135 2278
## HansardFileURL
## 1 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr17-18/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20180110-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=pop01addresses() fetches fetches addresses made by members or government officials while presenting papers to the Council.
# Fetch addresses given during the Council meeting on February 20, 2019
v <- addresses(hansard_id = 2714)
v## MeetingDate
## 1 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## Subject
## 1 Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Reports of the Director of Audit on the Accounts of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the year ended 31 March 2018 and the Results of Value for Money Audits (Report No. 71)
## Speaker RundownID HansardID
## 1 ABRAHAM SHEK 899435 2714
## HansardFileURL
## 1 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=add01statements() fetches statements made by government officials in Council meetings.
# Fetch statements made by government officials during the Council meeting on April 22, 2015
v <- statements(from = "2015-04-22")
v## MeetingDate
## 1 2015-04-22 00:00:00
## Subject
## 1 Consultation Report and Proposals on the Method for Selecting the Chief Executive by Universal Suffrage
## Speaker RundownID HansardID
## 1 CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION 408564 997
## HansardFileURL
## 1 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr14-15/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20150422-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=sta01voting_results() fetches the results of votes conducted in Council meetings.
# Fetch results of votes conducted during the Council meeting on January 19, 2018
v <- voting_results(hansard_id = 2714)
head(v)## MeetingDate
## 1 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 2 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 3 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 4 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 5 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## 6 2019-02-20 00:00:00
## Subject
## 1 Inland Revenue (Profits Tax Exemption for Funds) (Amendment) Bill 2018
## 2 Inland Revenue (Profits Tax Exemption for Funds) (Amendment) Bill 2018
## 3 Inland Revenue (Profits Tax Exemption for Funds) (Amendment) Bill 2018
## 4 Inland Revenue (Profits Tax Exemption for Funds) (Amendment) Bill 2018
## 5 Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 7) Bill 2018
## 6 Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 7) Bill 2018
## VoteResult SectionCode RundownID HansardID
## 1 Passed b2d 899665 2714
## 2 Passed cwc 899677 2714
## 3 Passed cwc 899685 2714
## 4 Passed b3r 899695 2714
## 5 Passed b2d 899709 2714
## 6 Passed cwc 899720 2714
## HansardFileURL
## 1 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=EV_VOTED_00241
## 2 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=EV_VOTED_00253
## 3 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=EV_VOTED_00261
## 4 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=EV_VOTED_00271
## 5 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=EV_VOTED_00286
## 6 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=EV_VOTED_00298voting_results() only returns the overall result of the vote. To fetch the voting record of individual members, use voting_record() instead.
summoning_bells() fetches instances in which the summoning bell have been rung in LegCo Council meetings.
# Fetch instances of summoning bell during the Council meeting on January 19, 2018
v <- summoning_bells(hansard_id = 2714)
head(v)## MeetingDate SectionCode RundownID HansardID
## 1 2019-02-20 00:00:00 b2r 899635 2714
## 2 2019-02-20 00:00:00 mbm 899775 2714
## HansardFileURL
## 1 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=EV_BELL_00211
## 2 https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/counmtg/hansard/cm20190220-translate-e.pdf#nameddest=EV_BELL_00354