XN000022-1980-03-27 — Page 14

THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1980

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GET MORE VALUE OUT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE

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THE NEED TO PROMOTE EFFICIENCY AND QUALITY IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE WAS STRESSED BY THE HON ALEX WU IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

HE SAID THAT +EVEN IN OUR PRESENTLY BUOYANT FINANCIAL

SITUATION, WE MUST WATCH OUR DOLLARS AND CENTS+.

AS REGARDS EFFICIENCY, HE SAID HE ANTICIPATED SOME TANGIBLE RETURN ON THE HEAVY INCREASE - NEARLY 48 PER CENT - IN EXPENDITURE ON CIVIL SERVICE TRAINING AND FOR MANAGEMENT SERVICES, DATA PROCESSING AND VISITING ADVISORS.

MR WU PAID TRIBUTE TO THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S PROPOSALS,

A STEP TOWARDS IMPROVED EFFICIENCY, TO DELEGATE AUTHORITY TO HÉAUS OF DEPARTMENTS FOR THE CREATION OF CERTAIN POSTS.

+THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAS ASSURED US THAT THIS SHOULD NOT LEAD TO A MORE RAPID GROWTH OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.

+THAT GROWTH MIGHT BE FURTHER INHIBITED BY A STRICT EXAMINATION OF CIVIL SERVICE POSTS WHOSE FUNCTIONS HAVE CHANGED, DWINDLED OR EVEN ATROPHIED WITH PASSING YEARS.

+MORE FREEDOM FOR HEADS OF DEPARTMENT TO DEPLOY STAFF TO NE» DUTIES COULD USEFULLY GO HAND-IN-HAND WITH THE POWER TO CREATE OR NOT TO CREATE NEW POSTS,+ HE SAID.

TO OBTAIN VALUE FOR OUR MONEY, MR WU CONTINUED, +WE MUST WATCH THE QUALITY OF WHAT WE BUY OVER THE WHOLE RANGE OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES AND MOST OF ALL IN EDUCATION.+

+ I HAVE REPEATEDLY DWELT ON THE WORD QUALITY', I BELIEVE THAT AS WE ARE ENTERING A NEW DECADE, WITH RISING STANDARDS OF LIVING AND EXPECTATIONS, IT WILL NOT BE ENOUGH FOR US TO MEASURE AND PROGRESS BY QUANTITY ALONE.

+PRUDENT FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT DOES NOT CONFLICT IN ANY WAY WITH IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EXISTING SERVICES OR EVEN INTRODUCING NEW SERVICES WHICH IN THEMSELVES CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE.+

MR WU DREW ATTENTION TO +MAJOR SHIFTS IN EMPHASIS IN THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S BUDGET.

THE PROPORTION OF EXPENDITURE ON SOCIAL SERVICES, HE SAID, WAS UP BUT THE DIFFERENCE WAS ENTIRELY ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE COST OF THE HOUSING PROGRAMME.

EDUCATION, MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, SOCIAL WELFARE FOR NEXT YEAR ALL REPRESENT A SMALLER PROPORTION OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE THAN PREVIOUSLY.

+THESE FIGURES DO NOT NECESSARILY CONFLICT WITH THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S ASSURANCE THAT ALL PROGRAMMES ARE BEING SATISFACTORILY IMPLEMENTED.