XN000022-1985-04-17 — Page 14

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VNESDAY, APRIL 17, 125

BUT THE CIVIL SERVICE IS NOT A VAST INCHOATE MASS: IT IS A DYN AMIC ORGANISATION COMPRISING MORE THAN 60 DEPARTMENTS AND FREE STANDING AGENCIES, ENGAGED IN AN IMMENSE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES AND MANNED BY A VARIETY OF DEPARTMENTAL GRADES AND COMMON SERVICE CADRES. SO PICK UP A POINT MADE BY MR P.K. YEUNG: IN OUR DESIRE TO CONTAIN THE SIZE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE, WORK PRESSURES- WHICH ARE SOMETIMES, INEVITABLY, UNEVENLY SPREAD - WORK PRESSURES AND MORALE, PARTICULARLY AT MIDDLE AND LOWER LEVELS, MUST NOT BE CASUALLY OVERLOOKED,

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MR P.K. YEUNG ALSO SPOKE OF THE VALUABLE WORK OF THE

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DI RECTOR OF AUDIT IN DRAWING ATTENTION TO WASTE AND INEFFICIENCY WHEREVER IT OCCURS. MAY I ASSURE MR YEUNG, AND I DON'T THINK IT IS NECESSARY TO ASSURE HIM MAY I ASSURE MR YEUNG THAT THE DIRECTOR'S CRITICISMS DO NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS. THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE IN ANY EVENT MAKES CERTAIN THAT THEY DO NOT. INDEED, AS SYSTEMS ND PROCEDURES ARE PROGRESSIVELY IMPROVED, THERE HAVE BEEN FEWER INSTANCES OF UNCOLLECTED REVENUE AND WASTED EXPENDITURE, WHILE THERE IS NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY, IT IS SIGNIFICANT HOW RELATIVELY F# IRREGULARITIES THERE ARE HAVING REGARD TO THE VERY LARGE VOLUME OF TRANSACTIONS ENTERED INTO EACH YEAR.

MR CHAN KAM-CHUEN MADE THE POINT THAT THE GROWTH OF THE CIVIL SERVICE OVER THE LAST DECADE HAS OUTSTRIPPED POPULATION GROWTH. SHOULD HOPE SO. I CAN SEE NO LOGICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE GROWTH RATES OF THESE TWO AGGREGATES, THE CIVIL SERVICE AND POPULATION. I CAN SEE NO LOGICAL CONNECTION

BETWEEN THE GROWTH RATES OF THESE TWO AGGREGATES EXCEPT IN THE MOST GENERAL POLICY SETTING. A BETTER CORRELATION WOULD BE WITH THE GDP: IN THE 10 YEARS ENDING 1984 THE GDP IN REAL OR CONSTANT FRI CE TERMS INCREASED BY 2-1/3RD TIMES WHEREAS THE APPROVED ESTABLIS MENT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE INCREASED BY (ONLY) JUST OVER A HALF. AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE, BUT I SHALL SAY IT AGAIN, THE GROWTH RATE OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE (AND, BY EXTENSION, OF THE SIZE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE) IS ESSENTI ALLY A FUNCTION OF PUBLIC POLICY. PUBLIC POLICY IS DETERMINED BY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SUBJECT TO THE FINANCIAL AUTHORITY OF THIS COUNCIL, PUBLIC POLICY IS NOT DETERMINED

IN DETERMINING BY THE CIVIL SERVICE ACTING ON ITS OWN AUTHORITY. PUBLIC POLICY, A WHOLE COMPLEX OF CONSIDERATIONS HAS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. AS THE POPULATION GROWS, MORE SERVICES AND FACILITIES, AND THUS MORE CIVIL SERVANTS TO PROVIDE, THEM ARE REQUIRED. AT THE SAME TIME, THE PRESSURES BUILD UP TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THESE POPULATION-ORIENTED SERVICES AND FACILITIES ESPECIALLY IN THE FIELDS OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE, AND THESE INVARIABLY INVOLVE ADDITIONAL MANPOWER. ADDITIONALLY, AS OUR SOCIETY BECOMES MORE COMPLEX AND SOPHISTICATED, A WHOLE RANGE OF OTHER SERVICES AND FACILITIES HAVE TO BE PROVIDED, INCLUDING REGULATORY SYSTEMS.

FRINGE BENEFITS