Appendix D-Contd.
18 The considerable increases in expenditure in 1984-85 and 1985-86 were mainly due to the additional operating expenses required for running the new Supreme Court building and the Kwun Tong Court building. Additional expenditure in 1986–87 was mainly due to the operating expenses of the District Court/Magistracy and Government Office building at Wan Chai reclamation and the Sha Tin Court building, which opened during the year, and the employment of a consultant from the United Kingdom to review the administration of the Judiciary. 19 In 1987-88 increased expenditure will result from the opening of the Tuen Mun Court building, the introduction of two computer systems and a visit by a group of Chinese legal practitioners to Hong Kong for an exchange of views and ideas in respect of the judiciary system.
20 The growth in expenditure on Legal Department services in the past four years is mainly due to the department's need for additional staff to cope with the workload generated by the increased number and growing complexity of both criminal and civil cases. The rapid growth of commercial crime and civil arbitration cases started in 1983-84 and has led to a need for additional staff and engagement of leading Queen's Counsel and expert witnesses from overseas to assist the department in presenting such cases. The following table shows the expenditure of the department in engaging lawyers and expert witnesses in the past few years—
Table 7
1986-87
1987-88
Revised
Draft
Expenditure ($mn)
1982-83
4.2
1983-84
1984-85
1985-86
Estimate
Estimate
7.4
15.5
23.2
43.1
48.5
Percentage increase over
27.3%
76.2%
109.5%
49.7%
85.8%
12.5%
the preceding year
21 The increased number of commercial crime cases has also necessitated the employment of professional accountants from the private sector in the investigation of a number of the more complex cases. Expenditure rose from $3.1 million in 1983–84 to $17.0 million in 1986–87, and a further increase is expected in 1987-88.
22 In 1985-86, the department started a programme to translate all the laws of Hong Kong into Chinese. This programme was expanded in 1986-87 to include legislation in both English and Chinese. Additional staff have been provided and this has contributed to the increase in expenditure of the department in the three years 1985–86 to 1987-88.
23 From 1982-83 to 1986–87, the Independent Commission Against Corruption experienced a steady growth in consolidated account expenditure.
24 To promote a greater awareness of the evils of corruption, the Community Relations Department has launched a publicity campaign every year through television, radio and the press. The department has also embarked on the promotion of moral education in schools by the production of social morality programmes and teaching aids for schools. Liaison functions and special programmes are also organized involving local organizations, residents and selected categories of people. Statistics showing the number of such events organized over the past five years are as follows-
Table 8
1982
1983
1984
Number of liaison functions completed
11 796
14 049
17 975
1985
17 703
1986
17 613
Number of special programmes
158
175
177
166
218
undertaken by local offices
25 The number of corruption reports received each year and of follow-up investigations has been quite steady in the past five years. Relevant statistics are as follows-
Table 9
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
Number of corruption reports received Number of reports investigated
2 349
2 526
1 082
1 110
2 365
1 124
2 550
2 574
1 129
1 260
26 The main categories of work of the Corruption Prevention Department are the study of new subject areas, the review or monitoring of previously completed studies, and the provision of corruption prevention advice and external training. Statistics on the number of assignments and monitoring work undertaken over the past five years are as follows-
47
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