XN000022-1985-04-17 — Page 29

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1985

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ON THE NUMBER OF PERSONS ENGAGED IN THE MONITORING PROCESS, MR JACOBS SAID THE CONSULTANTS' REPORT MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE MONITORING ORGANISATION CONSISTED NOT ONLY OF THE FINANCIAL MONITORING UNIT BUT ALSO THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES? DEPARTMENT AND CERTAIN DIVISIONS OF THE ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH,

+WHILE THE FINANCIAL MONITORING UNIT COMPRISES THE FIVE OFFICERS, THERE ARE OTHERS IN THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT WHO ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE AS DO MEMBERS OF THE ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH.

+AS TO OTHER PUBLIC UTILITIES A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS AND BRANCHES SUCH AS THE POST OFFICE AND TRANSPORT ARE ALSO INVOLVED.

+THE POINT MADE BY THE CONSULTANTS IS THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE FORMALISED TO A GREATER DEGREE AND THAT THE CO-ORDINATION SHOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE. A MODEST INCREASE IN STAFF MAY BE NEEDED, + MR JACOBS SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THERE WAS ALSO A UMELCO PUBLIC UTILITIES PANEL WHICH CONCERNED ITSELF WITH THE AFFAIRS OF THE PUBLIC UTILITIES,

REFERRING TO PRICE INCREASES SOUGHT BY PUBLIC UTILITIES, MR JACOBS SAID THAT PUBLIC UTILITIES HAD TO ADJUST THEIR PRICES TO RECOVER THE COST OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED.

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BUT OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD SOME INCREASES HAD BEEN SO MODEST THAT THERE HAD IN FACT BEEN A DECREASE IN REAL TERMS IN THE PRICES CHARGED BY CERTAIN PUBLIC UTILITIES.

OTHER INCREASES, MR JACOBS SAID, WHILE THEY MIGHT BE LARGE IN PERCENTAGE TERMS, WERE VERY SMALL IN NOMINAL TERMS BECAUSE THE BASE WAS COMPARATIVELY LOW.

REPORT ON HOUSING SUBSIDY READY SOON

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THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON HOUSING SUBSIDY TO PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS WILL REPORT WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, AND A GREEN PAPER WILL BE ISSUED FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION BEFORE FIRM PROPOSALS ARE PUT TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

THIS WAS SAID TODAY BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, THE HON DAVID FORD, DURING THE BUDGET DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE SAID WITHOUT WISHING TO PRE-EMPT THE REPORT THAT THE BEST SOLUTION WOULD BE FOR RENTAL TENANTS, WHO COULD WELL AFFORD TO UPGRADE THEIR HOUSING, TO MOVE TO HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME FLATS THAT THE RENTAL FLATS THEY GAVE UP COULD BE OFFERED TO THOSE WAITING PATIENTLY IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

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/CHAIRED BY