CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
and 17 panels. Bills Committees are appointed on a need basis to examine bills introduced into the council.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee consists of all Members of the Legislative Council except the President. The Chairman and the Deputy Chairman are elected from among its members. It normally meets in public on Friday afternoons to scrutinise and approve public expenditure proposals put forward by the Government. Its work includes the scrutiny of the annual budget presented by the Financial Secretary to the Legislative Council in the form of an Appropriation Bill, which sets out the Government's annual expenditure proposals for the following financial year. During the 1998–99 session, the committee held 22 meetings and examined a total of 105 financial proposals.
Two subcommittees have been set up under the Finance Committee. They are the Establishment Subcommittee and the Public Works Subcommittee, both of which also conduct meetings in public.
The Establishment Subcommittee has 23 members. It examines and makes recommendations to the Finance Committee on the Government's proposals for the creation, redeployment and deletion of directorate posts, and for changes to the structure of Civil Service grades and ranks. During the session under review, the subcommittee held 11 meetings and examined a total of 48 proposals put forward by the administration.
The Public Works Subcommittee consists of 28 members. It examines and makes recommendations to the Finance Committee on the Government's expenditure proposals under the Capital Works Reserve Fund for projects in the public works. programme and building projects carried out by or on behalf of subvented organisations. During the 1998-99 session, the subcommittee held 20 meetings and examined a total of 120 proposals put forward by the administration.
Public Accounts Committee
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) considers reports of the Director of Audit on the accounts and the results of value-for-money audits of the Government and other organisations which are within the purview of public audit. It may invite government officials and staff of public organisations to attend public hearings to give explanation, evidence or information, or any other persons to assist it in relation to such explanation, evidence or information. The PAC's seven members are elected in accordance with an election procedure determined by the House Committee and are appointed by the President of the Council.
During the 1998-99 legislative session, the PAC examined the Director of Audit's Report on the Accounts of the Government of the HKSAR for the year ended March 31, 1998, and the Director's Reports on the Results of Value for Money Audits (Report Nos. 30, 31 and 32). The PAC held 27 public hearings and 36 meetings during the period. Its conclusions and recommendations are contained in PAC Report Nos. 30, 31 and 32. Report Nos. 30 and 31 were tabled in the Legislative Council on February 10, and Report No. 32 on July 7.
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