XN000022-1985-06-28 — Page 12

10

FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1985

THE FORECAST EXPENDITURE FOR CAPITAL WORKS FOR THE PERIOD 1986/87 TO 1989/90 WILL RANGE FROM $364 MILLION TO $612 MILLION.

THIS REPRESENTS THE TOTAL AMOUNT TO BE PAID TO CONTRACTORS FOR THE COUNCIL'S CAPITAL PROJECTS, AS ESTIMATED BY THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

ON TOP OF THIS, 16 PER CENT OF THE AMOUNT PAID WILL HAVE TO BE ADDED AS ON-COSTS INCURRED BY THE GOVERNMENT, IN LINE WITH THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS WITH URBAN COUNCIL. THIS WILL RANGE FROM 358 MILLION IN 1986/87 TO $98 MILLION IN 1989/90.

MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ALSO AGREED TO RETAIN THE EXISTING PROCEDURE WHEREBY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY WILL, ON RECEIPT OF FORECASTS FROM VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, CONSIDER THE LATEST FORECASTS OF GOVERNMENT'S OVERALL FINANCES, TAKE A VIEW ON OVERALL EXPENDITURE LIMITS FOR THE FORECAST PERIOD AND DECIDE ON THE PROVISIONAL ACCEPTABLE LEVEL FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1986/87 FOR EACH DEPARTMENT TO OBSERVE IN PREPARING ITS BUDGET FOR THAT YEAR.

THE EFFECT OF DOING THIS WOULD BE THAT THE ANNUAL BUDGET WOULD BE PREPARED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PAL FIGURE APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.

SELECT COMMITTEES SET UP

***

THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL TODAY APPOINTED THREE SELECT COMMITTEES FOR THE BETTER DISCHARGE OF ITS FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

THEY ARE THE WAYS AND MEANS SELECT COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL BE HEADED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL, MR CHEUNG YAN-LUNG- THE RECREATION AND CULTURE SELECT COMMITTEE TO BE CHAIRED BY DR HO MAN-WUI, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE TO BE CHAIRED BY DR PANG HOK-TUEN.

THE SELECT COMMITTEES WILL ADVISE THE COUNCIL ON POLICY ISSUES AND THE IR MEMBERSHIP IS RESTRICTED TO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

THE RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE THREE SELECT COMMITTEES ARE FOR

THE WAYS AND MEANS SELECT COMMITTEE TO DEAL WITH FINANCE, ADMINISTRATION AND CAPITALS;

THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE TO DEAL WITH ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS, PUBLIC HEALTH, SANITATION AND HYGIENE, AND

THE RECREATION AND CULTURE SELECT COMMITTEE TO DEAL WITH RECREATION, SPORTS AND CULTURE, INCLUDING THE MANAGEMENT OF RELATED FACILITIES AND SERVICES.

/THE MEMBERSHIP