XN000022-1985-04-18 — Page 9

.t

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 1985

HE THEREFORE MOVED AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE AN AMENDMENT TO DELETE THE WHOLE OF CLAUSE 8 FROM THE BILL.

WHAT REMAINED OF THE BILL WERE NON-CONTROVERSIAL PROPOSALS TO MAKE A NUMBER OF AMENDMENTS TO THE PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS ORDINANCE IN REGARD TO ITS DISCIPLINARY RULES AND PROCEDURES AND THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MR BROWN SAID.

OPPORTUNITY HAD ALSO BEEN TAKEN TO RECTIFY MINOR DEFECTS IN THE ORDINANCE AND GENERALLY ATTEND TO MATTERS OF A HOUSE-KEEPING+ NATURE CONSIDERED NECESSARY BY THE HONG KONG SOCIETY OF ACCOUNTANTS, HE ADDED.

SUPPORTING THE AMENDMENT, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE, SAID THE COUNCIL OF THE HONG KONG SOCIETY OF ACCOUNTANTS HAD CONFIRMED ITS AGREEMENT TO THIS APPROACH, WHICH WOULD PERMIT THE REMAINDER OF THE BILL TO BE PASSED.

+ IT WILL ALSO STRENGTHEN THE ADMINISTRATION AND PROCEDURES OF THE COUNCIL AND CLARIFY, AS PROPOSED IN CLAUSE 7, THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANT TO BE ISSUED WITH A PRACTISING CERTIFICATE UNDER SECTION 29A OF THE ORDINANCE,+ HE SAID.

HE THANKED THE PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL OF THE HONG KONG SOCIETY OF ACCOUNTANTS +FOR THEIR PATIENT AND DETAILED RESPONSES TO THE MANY QUESTIONS PUT TO THEM+.

HE ALSO THANKED MR BROWN AND THE MONETARY POLICY GROUP IN UMELCO +FOR THE METICULOUS YET SYMPATHETIC EXAMINATION OF THE ISSUES INVOLVED+.

+THIS PROTRACTED EXERCISE CLEARLY INDICATES THAT THIS COUNCIL IS RESPONSIVE TO MATTERS OF PUBLIC CONCERN EVEN WHERE THE CLAUSE AT ISSUE IN THIS BILL WOULD HAVE AFFECTED ONLY A SMALL, AND DECREASING, NUMBER OF PRACTISING ACCOUNTANTS.

+THE COMPROMISE PROPOSED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS HAS THE ADMINISTRATION'S SUPPORT, HE SAID.

t

19