and 28
and equipment for community halls' was underspent by $385,574 or 96.4% because of slower progress than anticipated in the building programme which led to delay in the ordering and payment of this furniture and equipment.
Head 79 – Subventions: Education
ilability - stage the late 562,137 There were a number of noteworthy variations both under the 'Annually recurrent' and also under the 'Special expendi- supply, ture' classification. In the case of ‘Annually recurrent' these were, savings of $549,451 or 21.9% under 'English Schools er than Foundation' due to increased fees resulting in lesser assistance and because fewer additional classes than anticipated ments; ppened in September 1976; and $581,852 or 21.3% under 'Private schools' mainly because fewer rural and type B imunal estate schools than anticipated applied for rates subvention; and an excess of $5,884,273 or 16% under 'Private schools tage I'
(Bought places in Forms I-III)' due to an upwards revision of fee assistance and grants. In the case of 'Special expenditure' repro- there were savings of $949,097 or 21.5% under 'Primary schools (Subsidy Code) due to delay in the progress of major supply repairs projects and reductions in the cost of certain buildings; under 'Special schools (Subsidy Code)' $417,661 or service 69.3% because of delayed progress and reduced costs for a number of major repair projects; under 'Grammar and nges in technical schools (Code of Aid for Secondary Schools)' $8,119,080 or 33% because building progress was slower than anticipated and thus delayed or deferred expenditure on the buildings and furniture and equipment; and $10,715,066 or as pre- 59.2% under 'Private asymmetrical schools' because progress in building projects was slower than anticipated and stimate purchases of furniture and equipment were delayed; and an excess of $782,266 or 17.9% under 'Pre-vocational and secondary modern schools (Code of Aid for Secondary Schools)' because of accelerated progress in the building of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association Pre-vocational School partially offset by delays in furniture and equipment pur- chases for a number of projects.
un new
ultants' nission
Head 80- Subventions: Medical
There was one significant excess of $1,186,725 (10.1%) under ‘Caritas Medical Centre' because of additional expenditure required to meet increased rates and salaries and three significant savings; $267,319 (13.9%) under 'Hong Kong Anti- rspent. cancer Society' largely because the number of subvented beds was smaller than originally anticipated; and $583,405 entary (93.5%) and $253,000 (the whole provision) under 'Special expenditure' for 'Hong Kong Anti-Tuberculosis and Thoracic
under
Deceases Association' and 'Nam Long Cancer Hospital Extension' respectively, because it was not possible to settle posals outstanding accounts due to contractors for these projects before the end of the year.
› delay under:
Head 83- Transport Department
imping The only notable variation from the estimates was a saving of $305,413 (14.3%) under the subhead 'Parking meters' because the cost of meters purchased from overseas was less than anticipated due to the strengthening of the Hong Kong dollar.
:ogress
service
of the upply,
1 Shan
Head 85- Universities and Polytechnic
There was only one noteworthy excess namely $685,660 or 10.8% under 'Student finance' as a result of the introduction of servoir
a scheme of grants and loans to full time students at the Hong Kong Polytechnic. However there was one significant station saving of $1,322,777 or 23.8% under ‘Reimbursement of rates' mainly because rates for the Hong Kong Polytechnic ed due building at Hung Hom could not be reimbursed before the end of the year and the amount reimbursable in respect of before
the Chinese University of Hong Kong was over-estimated. There were also substantial savings under three subheads in was a the 'Special expenditure' category. The largest $5,678,522 or 82.4% occurred under 'Non-recurrent grant: Universities ent of main building programme (1974-75 to 1977-78)' due largely to delay in the construction of two major projects namely the Hong Kong University's Student Day Facilities Centre and Student Hostel; and the other two savings occurred under 'Non-recurrent grant: Universities main building programme (1968-69 to 1972-73)' $734,326 or 32.4% because as the approved projects under this programme had been completed no further funds were released to the Universities during the year; and under 'Non-recurrent grant: Universities main building programme (1972-73 to 1975-76)' $648,000 or 11% because the progress of construction work for this programme was slower than anticipated.
19,144 'y and mates,
riginal ration nmes, 1g the overn-
gainst
ess of *stiga-
'9,356 Lelief' which niture
Head 86 – Urban Services Department
An exceptional excess was under 'Personal Emoluments' with $19,812,593 (46%), the principal reason being the reim- bursement of March, 1977 salaries and allowances was received from the Urban Council in April 1977. The only other excess was $1,149,172 (160.9%) under 'Refuse collecting vehicles' because a number of these vehicles were delivered earlier than originally estimated. There were three significant savings all on subheads in the ‘Annually recurrent' category. These were $534,939 (28.1%) under 'Stores and equipment' due to late delivery of stores and equipment; $288,619 (12.4%) under 'Transport and travelling' owing to delayed submission of bills for fuel oil; and $557,877 (64.6%) under Maintenance of public latrines, beaches, parks and playgrounds' because of delays in the completion of works ordered during the year. Two new subheads were opened during the year with total supplementary provision of $259,000 against which expenditure of $215,330 was actually recorded.
APPROPRIATIONS-IN-AID
9. Explanations are provided in the Revenue section of this Report under Head 12 where subheads of Excess Appro- priations-in-aid were significantly different from the amounts actually collected. Explanations are also given in that section where the actual total receipts of departmental Appropriations-in-aid exceed the amount estimated, the excess having been transferred to Head 12. However there were three departmental 'Appropriations-in-aid' subheads which did not produce an excess and where collections were significantly less than anticipated. These were under Fire Services Department with a shortfall of $379,948 or 25% because collections under 'Dangerous goods licences' were reduced due to delay in the introduction of revised fees for licences issued by the Fire Prevention Bureau; under Medical and
21
Page 45Page 46