3.17 The Director of Education has now briefed the aided school councils. The Committee understand that the pha reduction of the janitor staff and cleaning grants over a period of three years from April 1985 was to commence i October 1986, retrospectively to 1 April 1985. The Committee wish to be informed whether the first two phases to reduce the level of the janitor staff retrospectively to 1 April 1985 and 1 April 1986 have been implemented. The Committee also seek confirmation that the third phase will be implemented on 1 April 1987.
3.18 Delays in the opening of the Aberdeen and Airport Tunnels because of problems associated with the development of the computer systems in respect of traffic surveillance and control, resulting in substantial financial losses to the Government. (Paragraphs 3.15-3.16 of P.A.C. Report No. 8). Departmental instructions have been incorporated into the civil engineering manual reflecting the recommendations set out in paragraphs 6.44, 6.46, 6.47 and 6.48 of the Committee's Seventh Report. A service-wide general circular setting out new procedures for applications for non-administrative computer systems has been drafted. Subject to minor changes, this was endorsed by the Computer Committee in August 1986, but has not yet been issued.
3.19 The contractor for the Aberdeen Tunnel is still unable to provide the feed-forward and prognostic forms of control in the computerized ventilation sub-system. A settlement by way of a reduction in contract payment is being negotiated.
3.20 Minor problems, mainly with the Static Emergency Power Supply system (SEPS) and the Switch Over Logic (SOL) unit, are being progressively resolved in the Airport Tunnel. However all elements of the control system are functioning satisfactorily and sufficiently to specification to make any reduction in payment unwarranted.
3.21 Meetings between the Government, the consultants and the contractors for the two tunnels continue to be held to resolve outstanding matters. The Committee wish to know what progress has been made.
3.22 The Committee attach importance to the issue of a service-wide general circular on new procedures for applications concerning non-administrative computer systems. The Committee wish to be informed when this has been done.
3.23 Cost-effectiveness of the system for Crown rent collection in the New Territories and arrears. (Paragraphs 3.17–3.20 of P.A.C. Report No. 8). In May 1986 a Working Group set up by the Director of Buildings and Lands to conduct a thorough re-examination of the system for the collection of Crown rents in the New Territories concluded that it is not cost-effective to collect small amounts of rents and made a number of recommendations for dealing with the problem. Following comments by the Land Administration Office and by the Registrar General this report was revised and re-issued as a second draft. In July 1986, the new draft was submitted to the Chairman of the Working Group for consideration. Up to September 1986 the second report had not been finalized. The Committee wish to be informed of the recommendations and conclusions of the finalized report.
3.24 The Committee understand that:
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the Crown Rent and Premium (Apportionment) Ordinance has not yet been extended to the New Territories; and
the Registrar General (Land Officer) took over the Tuen Mun District Land Registry on 1 October 1985. Provided sufficient resources are made available, the remaining three District Land Registries in Islands, Tai Po and N.T. North will be taken over in 1987–88.
3.25 Personal Emoluments. Service-wide review of the administration of job-related allowances. (Paragraphs 6.16–6.27 of P.A.C. Report No. 8). The Secretary for the Civil Service is making steady progress with a review of the justifications for the payment of various categories of job-related allowances. With regard to:
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shift duty allowance. Work has been completed on a survey of all 23,290 posts concerned except for a small number of posts in the Medical and Health Department for which additional information is still under request;
extraneous duty allowance. 38 out of 72 types (covering a total of 10,400 payments) have been cleared. 11 types have been withdrawn as they can no longer be justified. Review of the remaining 23 types is continuing;
obnoxious duty allowance (involving 23,100 payments). 2 out of 12 departments have been given a clean bill of health. Work is now in hand in the remaining 10 departments;
dangerous duties allowance. Work is in process in the 15 departments concerned;
other non-standard job-related allowances. Work commenced in August 1986.
The Secretary for the Civil Service anticipates that the task of reviewing all the past approvals for payment of job-related allowances will take another two years to complete.
3.26 The Director of Accounting Services:
has substantially completed his three-stage review of all job-related allowances of a continuous nature currently paid through the Treasury payroll system. The review covered 44,000 officers drawing the ailowances, an annual expenditure of $95 million and 45 departments. To date 44 cases have not been resolved. These are being followed up by the Treasury and the Civil Service Branch of the Government Secretariat; has revised and put into use the most commonly used input forms for the majority of job-related allowances. The revised forms require Controlling Officers to quote the relevant authority for payment, and to ensure that all payments are justified, properly authorized and kept under regular review. Other minor related input forms used for a few specific allowances will be revised when they are next due for printing; and
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