XN000022-1983-04-13 — Page 21

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1983

20

MEMBERS THANKED FOR WORK ON BILL

****

MEMBERS OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE, HEADED BY THE HON. F.K. HỤ, AND MEMBERS OF THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION, WERE CONGRATULATED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON. JOHN GRIFFITHS, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY FOR THEIR WORK ON THE BILLS OF EXCHANGE (AMENDMENT) BILL 1983.

MR GRIFFITHS WAS MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL, WHICH AIMS AT REMOVING UNCERTAINTY CONCERNING LIABILITY OF PERSONS WHO SIGN BILLS OF EXCHANGE.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WILL RESUME ON APRIL 27.

REPORT ON DRAFT ESTIMATES ***

THE REPORT BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE ON THE DRAFT ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE 1983-84 WAS PRESENTED AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

TABLING THE REPORT, THE HON THE CHIEF SECRETARY SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE SAID THAT AT THE REQUEST OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, THE MEETINGS THIS YEAR TOOK PLACE OVER FOUR AFTERNOONS, TWO MORE THAN USUAL, ENABLING MEMBERS TO EXAMINE THE DRAFT ESTIMATES IN GREATER DETAIL.

+ INSTEAD OF THE PRECIS OF THE ORAL AND WRITTEN ANSWERS WHICH USUALLY MAKES UP THE OFFICIAL REPORT, WE HAVE THIS YEAR PROVIDED A MUCH FULLER ACCOUNT BY ATTACHING BOTH THE ORAL AND WRITTEN REPLIES TO MEMBERS' QUESTIONS AS ENCLOSURES TO THE REPORT.

+THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT WHICH I THINK WILL BE WELCOMED BY MEMBERS, THE PRESS AND THE PUBLIC,+ SIR PHILIP SAID,

THIS NEW STYLE REPORT, HE SAID, PROVIDES A MUCH CLEARER INDICATION THAN PREVIOUSLY OF THE ATTENTION GIVEN BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO THE EXAMINATION OF THE DRAFT ESTIMATES, AND OF THE CARE TAKEN BY CONTROLLING OFFICERS AND THE FINANCE BRANCH TO RESPOND TO MEMBERS' ENQUIRIES.

/21