XN000022-1972-03-01 — Page 16

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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