XN000022-1985-03-13 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1985 ·

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PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE COMMENTS NOTED

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THE ADMINISTRATION HAD TAKEN PARTICULAR NOTE OF THE OBSERVATIONS SET OUT IN THE GENERAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS SECTION OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 7 TABLED ON JANUARY 23, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE WAS MAKING A STATEMENT ON THE GOVERNMENT MINUTE IN RESPONSE TO REPORT NO. 7 OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE.

HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS AND SECRETARIAT BRANCHES HAD BEEN REMINDED OF THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF AD HOC WORKING GROUPS AND STEERING COMMITTEES, WHICH WERE DESIGNED TO OVERCOME THE CO-ORDINATION PROBLEMS REFERRED TO BY THE COMMITTEE, WERE CAREFULLY DRAFTED AND PROPERLY APPROVED TO ESTABLISH CLEAR LINES OF RESPONSIBILITY, SIR PHILIP SAID.

MOREOVER, SIR PHILIP SAID, CONTROLLING OFFICERS HAD ALSO BEEN REMINDED THAT THEY REMAINED AT ALL TIMES FULLY RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE PROPER DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS UNDER THEIR CONTROL.

SIR PHILIP SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE GOVERNMENT MINUTE WAS TWOFOLD FIRST, TO COMMENT AS APPROPRIATE ON THE CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE AND, SECOND, TO INDICATE WHAT ACTION THE ADMINISTRATION HAD TAKEN, OR PROPOSED TO TAKE, TO REMEDY IRREGULARITIES AND TO IMPROVE PROCEDURES AND, IF NECESSARY, TO EXPLAIN WHY IT INTENDED THAT NO ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN.

ON THE SUGGESTION BY THE HON S.L. CHEN FOR A COURSE IN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FOR DIRECTORATE OFFICERS, SIR PHILIP SAID STEPS WERE BEING TAKEN BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING SERVICES AND THE CIVIL SERVICE TRAINING DIRECTOR TO DEVELOP A FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT COURSE FOR SENIOR OFFICERS.

+THE COURSE WILL BE IN THE FORM OF REGULAR SEMINARS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE AWARENESS OF CONTROLLING OFFICERS AND OTHER DIRECTORATE OFFICERS AS TO CURRENT BUDGETARY STRATEGY AND THE POLICY DECISIONS AND MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THAT STRATEGY, HE SAID.

+WHILE THE TIMING OF THE COURSE HAS NOT YET BEEN DECIDED, WE CERTAINLY HOPE TO BE ABLE TO HOLD THE FIRST ONE BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR, SIR PHILIP SAID.

IN ADDITION, HE SAID, THE SENIOR STAFF COURSE, WHICH COMMENCED IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR, HAD ON ITS PROGRAMME A FULL SESSION DEDICATED TO FINANCIAL POLICY AND BUDGETARY MANAGEMENT.

THESE COURSES,