XN000022-1984-03-07 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 1984

FINANCE COMMITTEE FUNCTION EXPLAINED

****

IN EXAMINING THE DRAFT ESTIMATES OF THE EXPENDITURE, THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MUST SATISFY THEMSELVES THAT THE VOTE PROVISION SOUGHT UNDER EACH HEAD AND SUBHEAD CAN BE PROPERLY JUSTIFIED, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN HIS INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AT THE FIRST PUBLIC MEETING

OF THE COMMITTEE, SIR PHILIP SAID1

+THIS EXAMINATION DOES NOT, OF COURSE, PRECLUDE FURTHER QUESTIONS BEING ASKED OR POINTS MADE DURING THE COMMITTEE STAGE OF THE APPROPRIATION BILL.+

THE STANDING ORDERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WERE AMENDED TO PROVIDE FOR THE EXAMINATION TO BE HELD IN PUBLIC, BUT THE RULES GOVERNING THE PROCEEDINGS WILL BE LITTLE DIFFÉRENT FROM THOSE OF PREVIOUS YEARS, HE SAID.

FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE PRESS PRESENT, SIR PHILIP OUTLINED THE RULES AS FOLLOWS:

*

ALL UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ARE MEMBERS OF FINANCE COMMITTEE AND RECEIVE COPIES OF THE DRAFT ESTIMATES TWO WEEKS BEFORE BUDGET DAY, WITH THE EXAMINATION STARTING A WEEK AFTER THAT DAY.

* DURING THE THREE INTERVENING WEEKS, MEMBERS FORM THEMSELVES

INTO WORK ING GROUPS TO STUDY THE EXPENDITURE PROPOSALS FOR THE FORTHCOMING FINANCIAL YEAR AS SET OUT IN THE DRAFT ESTIMATES.

* EACH OF THESE WORKING GROUPS DEVELOPS TWO SETS OF QUESTIONS:

FIRST, THOSE FOR WHICH THEY REQUIRE WRITTEN REPLIES FROM THE CONTROLLING OFFICERS OF THE HEADS OR SUBHEADS OF EXPENDITURE TO WHICH THEY RELATE, AND SECOND, THOSE FOR WHICH THEY REQUIRE THE CONTROLLING OFFICERS TO APPEAR BEFORE THEM IN FINANCE COMMITTEE TO GIVE ORAL REPLIES.

EDUCATION COMMISSION BEING SET UP ****

FOLLOWING CAREFUL CONSIDERATION OF THE LLEWELLYN REPORT, AN EDUCATION COMMISSION IS BEING SET UP TO CO-ORDINATE, CONSOLIDATE AND GIVE ADVICE ON EDUCATION POLICY IN HONG KONG.

THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN GIVEN THE IMMEDIATE TASK OF CONSIDERING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OTHER MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE PANEL OF VISITORS, ON WHICH SOME PROGRESS HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE, AND TO GIVE THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL ITS VIEWS WITHIN SIX MONTHS.

THEREAFTER, IT WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS REPORTS TO THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL ON DETAILS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAMME, PRIORITIES, PHASING AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS.

/THE GOVERNOR