THE MONITOCING PROGRAMME
6. IN THE LIGHT OF THIS APPROACH WE SET OURSELVES A MONITORING
PROGRAMME WHICH WOULD ENABLE US, IN EFFECT, TO AUDIT THE DAY-TO-DAY
WORK OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE. IN ORDER TO ASSIST US IN OUR
MONITORING ROLE, WE INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAMME ARRANGEMENTS TO
WITNESS (IN THE WORDS OF OUR TERMS OF REFERENCE) ''ASPECTS OF THE
EXERCISE OF CONSULTATION''.
7. WE WERE CONSCIOUS OF THE DELICATE CHARACTER OF OUR 'AUDIT'
FUNCTION. WE HADE TO KEEP IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH THE COMMISSIONER
AND HIS COLLEAGUES IN THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE, SO THAT WE COULD SCRUTINISE THE MATERIAL ON WHICH THEY WERE WORKING AND ALSO RAISE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE WISHED AT THOSE OF THEIR MEETINGS WE ATTENDED. AT THE SAME TIME WE HAD TO AVOID TRESPASSING, IN ANY WAY, ON THE PROPER PRESERVES OF THE COMMISSIONER AND HIS STAFF. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE COOPERATIVE WAY IN WHICH THEY GAVE US ACCESS TO
EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR WORK, AND TO ALL THE MATERIAL CONTRIBUTING
TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE REPORT.
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8. WE TOOK CARE TO ENSURE THAT OUR 'WITNESS' FUNCTION SHOULD NOT BE MISUNDERSOOD. AS OUR TERMS OF REFERENCE MADE CLEAR, IT WAS NOT FOR US EITHER TO RECEIVE EXPRESSIONS OF PUBLIC VIEWS' OR TO ATTEMPT IN OUR REPORT ''TO ASSESS PUBLIC OPINION' ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT. WE WERE CONVINCED, HOWEVER, THAT OUR ATTENDANCE, AS WITNESSES OR OBSERVERS, AT SELECTED PARTS OF THE CONSULTATION PROCESS WOULD ENHANCE THE CREDIBILITY OF OUR ROLE, PARTICULARLY IN THE EYES OF HONG KONG: AND THAT IT WOULD ALSO HELP US TO MONITOR MORE EFFECTIVELY THE WORK OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE.
9. WE DISCHARGED OUR AUDIT FUNCTIONS IN THE FOLLOWING WAY:-
(A) AS A FIRST STEP WE EXAMINED THE ORGANISATION OF THE
ASSESSMENT OFFICE AND THE INSTRUCTIONS TO ITS STAFF, WHICH WE NOTED HAD BEEN TESTED IN A PRACTICE RUN IN THE
MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER: AND WE ATTENDED A PRESENTATION, ARRANGED AT OUR REQUEST, OF THE PROCEDURES WHICH THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE PLANNED TO APPLY. WE ALSO MADE IT OUR BUSINESS TO BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE OFFICE, AND TO OBSERVE, WITHOUT INTERFERING,
HOW THEY WERE PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES.
(B) THROUGHOUT THE CONSULTATION PERIOD WE CARRIED OUT SPOT CHECKS OF THE WAY IN WHICH THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE WAS - IMPLEMENTING ITS PROCEDURES - THAT IS, THE PROCESSES OF COLLECTING THE LETTERS AND SUBMISSIONS FROM P.0. BOX 9000, OF REGISTERING, TRANSLATING, ANALYSING AND ASSESSING THEM: AND FINALLY OF DISPOSING OF THEM WITH THE REQUIRED
SAFEGUARDS FOR CONFIDENTIALITY.
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