TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1984
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PRIOR TO THE MEETINGS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, WHO ARE THE ONLY MEMBERS TO HAVE A VOTE, FORM THEMSELVES INTO WORKING GROUPS TO STUDY THE ESTIMATES AND FORMULATE QUESTIONS AS TO THEIR CONTENT AS OPPOSED TO THE POLICIES UNDERLINING THEM.
THESE QUESTIONS ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO CATEGORIES - THOSE REQUIRING WRITTEN REPLIES FROM CONTROLLING OFFICERS AND THOSE FOR WHICH THOSE OFFICERS WILL HAVE TO APPEAR IN PERSON BEFORE THE COMMITTEE TO GIVE ORAL EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT OF THE PROVISION SOUGHT.
EACH AFTERNOON'S MEETING WILL BE DEVOTED TO THE EXAMINATION OF A GROUP OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND THE AGENDA WILL COMMENCE WITH A BRIEF CONSIDERATION OF THE WRITTEN REPLIES TO THE WRITTEN QUESTIONS RAISED BEFORE THE MEETING.
IF MEMBERS WISH TO RAISE FURTHER QUESTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THESE REPLIES, THEY WILL SIGNIFY THEIR INTENTION TO THE CHAIRMAN AT THIS STAGE. HE WILL THEN ARRANGE FOR THE RELEVENT CONTROLLING OFFICER TO ATTEND THE MEETING AFTER ALL THE OTHER CONTROLLING OFFICERS LISTED IN THE TIMETABLE FOR ORAL EXAMINATION THAT AFTERNOON HAVE BEEN EXAMINED. IF THE CONTROLLING OFFICER IS ALREADY ON THE LIST, THE QUESTION WILL BE PUT TO HIM AFTER HE HAS ANSWERED THOSE QUESTIONS OF WHICH HE HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN NOTIFIED.
EACH CONTROLLING OFFICER CALLED TO APPEAR PERSONALLY FOR ORAL EXAMINATION WILL SIT NEXT TO THE CHAIRMAN IN THE CHAMBER. THE CHAIRMAN WILL READ OUT EACH OF THE QUESTIONS TO WHICH MEMBERS HAVE REQUESTED AN ORAL REPLY, AND THE OFFICER WILL THEN REPLY. THE CHAIRMAN HAS THE RIGHT TO RULE OUT OF ORDER ANY QUESTIONS WHICH HE CONSIDERS INAPPROPRIATE TO THE EXAMINATION OF THE ESTIMATES.
AFTER EACH REPLY, MEMBERS MAY ASK SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE SAME SUBJECT. AFTER THE CONTROLLING OFFICER HAS ANSWERED ALL THE NOTIFIED QUESTIONS AND THE SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS, MEMBERS MAY ASK ANY OTHER QUESTIONS RELATIVE TO THE HEAD OR SUBHEAD OF EXPENDITURE CONTROLLED BY THE OFFICER APPEARING BEFORE THEM, INCLUDING QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE WRITTEN REPLIES.
WHEN ALL CONTROLLING OFFICERS ON THE LIST FOR THE AFTERNOON HAVE BEEN EXAMINED, THE CHAIRMAN WILL SUMMON IN, ONE BY ONE, ANY OTHER CONTROLLING OFFICER TO WHOM MEMBERS WISH TO PUT QUESTIONS AS NOTIFIED AT THE START OF THE MEETING.
THE DEPUTY FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND THE ASSISTANT FINANCIAL SECRETARY OR SECRETARIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE GROUP OF SERVICES UNDER EXAMINATION ON ANY GIVEN AFTERNOON WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE TO PROVIDE FURTHER CLARIFICATION OF THE ISSUES UNDER DISCUSSION.
THE CHIEF SECRETARY IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND THE OTHER OFFICIAL MEMBERS ARE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, WHO HAVE NO VOTE.
ALL UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ARE MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WITH FULL VOTING POWERS.
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