XN000022-1981-02-25 — Page 22

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1981

DEFENCE

SIR PHILIP SAID THE DRAFT ESTIMATES PROVIDED FOR TOTAL EXPENDITURE OF $1 783 MILLION ON DEFENCE, COMPARED WITH THE REVISED ESTIMATE OF $1 651 MILLION FOR 1980-81, AN INCREASE OF 8 PER CENT.

HE SAID A NEW DEFENCE COSTS AGREEMENT FOR A SEVEN YEAR TERM STARTING ON APRIL 1, 1981 WAS SIGNED LAST OCTOBER REPLACING ONE IN EFFECT SINCE 1976.

UNDER THE NEW AGREEMENT, SIR PHILIP SAID, THE RESIDENT GARRISON WOULD BE STRENGTHENED BY AN ADDITIONAL INFANTRY BATTALION, RAISING THE TOTAL FROM FOUR TO FIVE. ABOUT $40 MILLION IS INCLUDED IN THE DRAFT ESTIMATES FOR WORK ON NEW BARRACKS NEEDED FOR THE NEW BATTALION.

HE SAID WORKS SERVICES WOULD TOTAL $183 MILLION FOR BOTH CAPITAL WORKS AND MAINTENANCE AND THE REPROVISION ING OF LYEMUN AND SHAM SHUI PO CAMPS WAS ESTIMATED AT $131 MILLION.

SIR PHILIP ALSO SAID CONSTRUCTION OF FIVE NEW PATROL CRAFT SHOULD START IN 1981-82 AND BE COMPLETE BY THE END OF 1984.

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S 75 PER CENT CONTRIBUTION TO CAPITAL COSTS IN 1981-82 WOULD BE $66 MILLION.

OTHER PROVISIONS IN THE DRAFT ESTIMATES INCLUDE $26 MILLION FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION, AND $3 MILLION FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE BORDER FENCE SYSTEM, AND $4 MILLION FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG AUXILIARY AIR FORCE AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING THREE NEW TWIN ENGINE HELICOPTERS DELIVERED IN 1980-81.

INCREASE IN PRIMARY SCHOOL PLACES *****

EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION IN 1981-82 IS ESTIMATED TO BE $3 634.7 MILLION, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SIR PHILIP SAID THE DRAFT ESTIMATES INCLUDED PROVISION OF $1 023 MILLION FOR GOVERNMENT AND AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

HE SAID THAT IN LINE WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY THAT NO CHILD SHOULD HAVE TO TRAVEL AN UNREASONABLE DISTANCE TO ATTEND PRIMARY SCHOOL, 14 NEW PRIMARY SCHOOLS, PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL 2 500 PLACES, ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN THE FISCAL YEAR IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES IN THE NEW TOWNS AND OTHER DEVELOPING AREAS,

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IN PURSUIT OF THE OBJECTIVE TO INCREASE DURING THE 1980S, THE NUMBER OF PLACES IN SCHOOLS, TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND ADULT EDUCATION CENTRES, SIR PHILIP SAID THAT BY SEPTEMBER 1981, SUBS IDISED FORM IV PLACES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS WOULD BE INCREASED TO 58 400- FULL-TIME PLACES ON CRAFT AND DIPLOMA COURSES AT THE FIVE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES TO 4 200 AND PART-TIME DAY COURSES TO 16 000.

'THE ESTIMATES