THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 1978
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE COMES INTO BEING SOON
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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, TODAY ASSURED THAT THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE WILL SOON BE BROUGHT INTO BEING IN GOOD TIME FOR IT TO CONSIDER THE REPORT AND CERTIFICATE OF THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT ON THE ACCOUNTS FOR 1977-78.
IN WINDING UP THE BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS, SECRETARIES, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF ORGANISATIONS IN RECEIPT OF PUBLIC FUNDS WILL BE CALLED BEFORE THE COMMITTEE TO ANSWER ANY POINTS PUT TO THEM.
+THE COMMITTEE WILL BE CONCERNED WITH PRINCIPLES AND SYSTEM, NOT WITH DETAILS AND PERSONALITIES, AND WILL LOOK TO THE DEPUTY FINANCIAL SECRETARY, AS THE HEAD OF THE BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTROL AND
MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS, TO SEE THAT APPROPRIATE ACTION IS TAKEN ON ITS REPORT,+ HE SAID.
HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT A GREATER DEGREE OF DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY FROM BOTH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND FINANCE BRANCH IS CALLED FOR TO RELIEVE THEIR WORKLOAD AND SAID THAT HE HAD ASKED THE DEPUTY FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO SET IN MOTION A REVIEW OF DELEGATED AUTHORITIES.
MR. HADDON-CAVE NOTED THAT A LIGHTER WORKLOAD WOULD ENABLE MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO DIRECT THEIR ATTENTION, EVEN MORE THAN AT PRESENT, TO WHAT THE HON. LYDIA DUNN DESCRIBED AS THE POLICIES AND PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING EXPENDITURE PROPOSALS.+
THE FINANCE BRANCH WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO DEVOTE MUCH MORE OF THEIR TIME TOWARDS DETERMINING WHETHER DEPARTMENTS ARE ACHIEVING VALUE-FOR-MONEY IN THEIR EXPENDITURE PERFORMANCE, HE ADDED.
MR. HADDON-CAVE ALSO SAID THAT HE AND THE FINANCE BRANCH WERE EXTREMELY CONSCIOUS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT THE HON. S.L. CHEN DESCRIBED AS 'COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF PUBLIC SPENDING' THOUGH, SOMETIMES, +WE ARE NOT ABLE TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AS WE WOULD LIKE TO BE.+
WITH REFERENCE TO MISS LYDIA DUNN'S REMARKS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION PRESENTED FINANCE COMMITTEE WITH +FAIT ACCOMPLI+ SITUATIONS, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID THAT AS THE CHIEF SECRETARY HAD EXPLAINED, FINANCE COMMITTEE COULD DECLINE TO SANCTION, THE. PROVISION SOUGHT.
/HE SAID