XN000022-1980-01-16 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1980 ·

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PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE

SATISFIED WITH GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO ITS RECOMMENDATIONS

*****

THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE IS SATISFIED WITH GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN ITS FIRST REPORT, THE HON LI FOOK-WO SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MR LI WAS SPEAKING AT THE TABLING OF THE SECOND REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE OF WHICH HE IS THE CHAIRMAN,

+BY AND LARGE, THE GOVERNMENT MINUTE IN RESPONSE TO OUR PREVIOUS REPORT COMMENTED ADEQUATELY ON THE CONCLUSIONS DRAWN AND RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE COMMITTEE, AND INDICATED WHAT ACTION, IF ANY, WOULD BE TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT TO RECTIFY THE IRREGULARITIES BROUGHT TO NOTICE BY THE COMMITTEE AND THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT,+ HE SAID.

*WE HOPE THAT ON THIS OCCASION THE RESPONSE WILL BE EQUALLY SATISFACTORY.+

THIS YEAR, THE COMMITTEE HAD AGAIN CONFINED ITS ATTENTION TO 21 ITEMS WHICH, IN ITS OPINION, WERE IRREGULARITIES OR SHORTCOMINGS OF A MORE SERIOUS NATURE, MR LI SAID.

HE APPRECIATED THE CO-OPERATION OF ALL BRANCH SECRETARIES OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT AND HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS WHO GAVE EVIDENCE ON ITEMS RELEVANT TO THE IR RESPONSIBILITIES AT MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE. HE ALSO THANKED THE ASSISTANCE AND ADVICE GIVEN TO THE COMMITTEE BY THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT, THE DEPUTY FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND THE DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING SERVICES.

MR LI ALSO NOTED THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT HAD IN HIS MORE RECENT REPORTS REFERRED TO CERTAIN SHORTCOMINGS IN A NUMBER OF PUBLIC BODIES AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WHICH ARE HEAVILY SUBSIDISED FROM THE PUBLIC PURSE.

+AS IN THE CASE OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS THEY ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE TAX-PAYERS FOR THE EXPENDITURE OF THEIR FUNDS, HE SAID.

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