76/77
135.0
590.9
32.4%
223.5
40.9%
under ered in 97.2% ff; and
of the
-iation
carry e data entary
353 or
in the at the
· than
nding ments >rk.
Four diture andra
iginal
rates
were
ntary 1 and liture
inted
ly as n the
3.6%
2.1%
took
nces. hich
tion of these barracks, because progress in some works was slower than anticipated and because certain stores paid for in sterling were obtained more cheaply in Hong Kong dollar terms than originally estimated; $3,798,576 (14.7%) under 'Defence Costs Agreement: capital works' mainly due to delay in the completion of a project for the construc- tion of married soldiers' quarters at Sek Kong; $8,186,113 (51.2%) under 'Reprovisioning of R.A.F. Kai Tak' and $9,711,172 (54%) under 'Reprovisioning of Victoria Barracks' partly because the original provisions for these projects were over estimated and partly because progress of the works was slower than anticipated; and $577,260 (52%) under 'Security works' largely because progress of the works was slower than anticipated.
Head 32- Defence: Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force
Apart from 'Personal emoluments' there were no significant variations as regards the 12 subheads appearing in the original estimates. One new subhead 'Motor vehicles' was opened during the year with supplementary provision of $14,700 against which no expenditure was recorded.
Head 33 - Defence: Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers)
There were no significant variations in the case of the 11 subheads for which provision was made in the original estimates. One new subhead 'Purchase of surplus MOD vehicles' was opened during the year with supplementary provision of $11,500 against which expenditure of $11,445 was recorded.
Head 34 – Education Department
There were four significant variations as regards the 20 expenditure subheads appearing in the printed estimates. These were all savings. In the case of ‘Stores and equipment' the amount underspent was $1,531,513 or 22.9% because of delays in the delivery of stores by suppliers, while under 'Interest-free loans to teachers in training' and 'Scholarships, bursaries and maintenance grants' the amounts underspent were $594,600 (35.3%) and $565,910 (24.1%) respectively because the actual intake of student teachers in September 1976 was smaller than anticipated resulting in reduced payment of interest-free loans, maintenance grants and inducement grants. In the case of 'Remittance to overseas examination bodies' the amount spent was $850,011 or 16.6% less than anticipated mainly because actual exchange rates as between Hong Kong dollars and pounds sterling during the year differed considerably from those which applied at the time when the original estimate was being prepared. Two new subheads were opened during the year. The larger of these new subheads was 'Television receivers and video cassette recorders' with supplementary provision of $2,298,000 against which expenditure of $1,695,006 was incurred while the smaller was 'Equipment for Morrison Hill Technical Institute' with supplementary provision of $71,000 against which no expenditure was incurred.
Head 35 - Fire Services Department
None of the expenditure subheads showed significant excesses. There were nine significant savings; $409,709 or 14.2% under 'Administration' because there were fewer payments of subsistence allowance than originally estimated as a result of delay in the completion of new fire station and ambulance depots, and because of economies effected in electricity consumption; $689,035 or 18.1% under 'Stores and equipment' due to delays in the delivery of equipment ordered from overseas together with delays in submission of bills for stores delivered during the year; $292,085 or 14.5% under "Transport and travelling' because of delays in the delivery of vehicle spare parts and economies effected in travelling expenses; $500,000, being the whole provision, under 'Communications equipment' due to delay in the procurement of this equipment, $479,431 or 38.1% under 'Light pumping appliances' because the tender price was lower than anticipated and there was delay in the delivery of some equipment; $280,000, being the whole provision, under 'Light rescue unit appliances' due to delay in the delivery of these appliances; $1,490,256 or 57.3% under 'Major pumps' and $1,132,910 or 55.3% under 'Pump escapes/Rescue escapes' because more time than anticipated was required for the examination of tenders resulting in delay in the placing of a firm order; $507,899 or 93.7% under 'Motor ambulances' mainly because a sum of $384,950 out of the original estimate was 'frozen' during the year and was therefore no longer available to meet expenditure; and $2,300,756 or 72.4% under 'Turntable ladders' because only one of three units ordered from overseas was delivered during the year.
Head 36 Government Supplies Department
—
The subhead 'Unallocated stores' recorded issues as being greater than purchases by approximately $9.2 million com- pared with the net expenditure of $2 million estimated, which envisaged that purchase, freight and other charges would amount to $100 million and be offset by issues of $98 million. In the event only about $76.3 million was spent on pur- chases mainly because a number of expensive Waterworks items which were over-ordered in previous years did not require replenishment and because manufacturing and other difficulties led to delay in the delivery of stores ordered during the year. Considering the value of purchases made, issues at some $85.5 million (instead of the $98 million originally estimated) were relatively high due to departments being encouraged to make more use of standard stocks available under the unallocated stores range. There were savings of $352,809 (54.6%) under ‘Allocated stores: Local landing charges' largely due to a decrease in the number of consignments received and in the number of deliveries handled by transportation contractors and $1,541,785 (49.4%) under 'Furniture and equipment for Government offices, buildings and quarters' because of stringent controls and the cooperation of departments in cutting down requirements and because the number of new leased quarters requiring furniture was smaller than anticipated.
ion'.
with
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Head 37 - Home Affairs Department
'here
lain-
оса-
The only subhead to record a significant variation was 'City District Office services' where actual expenditure was $408,503 or 23.7% less than originally estimated because fewer seminars were held for Mutual Aid Committees than originally anticipated and there was a reduction of activities in respect of the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign.
13