16
Wednesday, March 1, 1972
COST OF BASIC GOVERNMENT SERVICES KEPT AT STEADY LEVEL
To Enable Substantial Increases In Spending On Social Services
Substantial increases in expenditure on developmental and social
services have been made possible because Government has succeeded in keeping
the relative cost of basic services, such as general administration and law
and order,steady at around 17 per cent of total spending.
This was stated by the Financial Secretary, the Hon. C.P. Haddon-Cave,
at today's Budget meeting of the Legislative Council.
He urged Members of Legislative Council to study closely two appendices
to the 1972-73 Draft Estimates. These analyse estimated expenditure by function
and also the changing pattern of spending for the eleven years ending 1972-73 compared with the expenditure proposals for 1972-73 and the forecast of expenditure
for the three years ending 1975/76.
Mr. Haddon-Cave said the forecast for 1973-74 was for a total
expenditure of $4,505 million, a $848 million increase on 1972-73, largely
due to a "leap forward" of $557 million in capital expenditure, followed by smaller
increases thereafter. He stressed, however, that these figures were subject
to many qualifications.
The form of the Draft Estimates, he said, followed the usual form.
"We have persevered with our efforts to ensure that the layout of each
catimate reflects the administrative organisation of the department concerned
Bo as to indicate the manner in which the funds provided by the Legislature
will be spent but we are not yet satisfied that the layout is entirely satisfactory
in every case.
The Financial