10
CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
and 18 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. The committee 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 1999-2000 session, the committee held 15 meetings and examined a total of 79 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. Their respective memberships are open to all members of the Finance Committee.
The Establishment Subcommittee 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 1999-2000 session, the subcommittee held 11 meetings and examined a total of 37 proposals put forward by the Administration.
The Public Works Subcommittee 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 1999-2000 session, the subcommittee held 16 meetings and examined a total of 93 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 that 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 appointed by the President of the Legislative Council in accordance with an election procedure determined by the House Committee.
During the 1999-2000 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, 1999 and the Director's Reports on the Results of Value for Money Audits (Report Nos. 33A, 33 and 34). The PAC held 18 public hearings and 35 meetings during the period. The conclusions and recommendations of the committee are contained in PAC Report Nos. 33A, 33, 33B and 34 tabled in the Legislative Council on December 8, 1999, February 16, 2000, April 12, 2000 and June 21, 2000, respectively.