XN000022-1986-07-16 — Page 47

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1986

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FINAL QUARTER SUMMARY PROVISION EXPLAINED

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THE NET SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION FOR THE FINAL QUARTER OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR 1985-86 WAS $250.7 MILLION, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON PIERS JACOBS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

TABLING THE SUMMARY OF THE PROVISION FOR MEMBERS' INFORMATION, MR JACOBS SAID OF THE $1 903.7 MILLION APPROVED SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION, $1 383.4 MILLION AROSE FROM THE 1985 CIVIL SERVICE AND SUBVENTED SECTOR PAY ADJUSTMENTS,

OF THE AMOUNT OF $1 903.7 MILLION, $1 653 MILLION WAS OFFSET BY SAVINGS UNDER THE SAME HEADS OR OTHER HEADS OF EXPENDITURE OR BY THE DELETION OF FUNDS UNDER THE ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS VOTES, HE SAID.

MR JACOBS NOTED THAT ITEMS IN THE SUMMARY HAD BEEN APPROVED EITHER BY FINANCE COMMITTEE OR UNDER DELEGATED AUTHORITY.

THE LATTER HAD BEEN REPORTED TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(8) (A) OF THE PUBLIC FINANCE ORDINANCE, HE SAID.

WAR MEMORIAL FUND ASSISTANCE BASED ON NEED

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THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE WAR MEMORIAL FUND HAS RECOMMENDED THAT ASSISTANCE FROM THE FUND SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE BASED ON NEED, THE HON CHAN KAM-CHUEN SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR CHAN WAS SPEAKING AS CHAIRMAN OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE WHEN HE TABLED THE COMMITTEE'S REPORT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE SAID THE MEASURE OF NEED MUST NECESSARILY BE SUBJECTIVE AND THAT GUIDANCE WAS ALREADY PROVIDED BY THE SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE TO THE BENEFICIARY IN THE HONG KONG WAR MEMORIAL FUND ORDINANCE.

+SUCH ASSISTANCE SHOULD, WE BELIEVE, BE PROVIDED TO ENSURE A REASONABLE STANDARD OF LIVING FOR THE BENEFICIARY WHO SHOULD BE RELIEVED FROM THE BURDEN OF FEAR FOR HIS MAINTENANCE AND LIVELIHOOD, + HE SAID.

HOWEVER, HE NOTED THAT THERE MIGHT NOW BE ONLY SOME 20 LOCAL AND SOME 100 OVERSEAS APPLICANTS YET TO APPLY,

MR CHAN POINTED OUT THAT THE WAR MEMORIAL FUND COMMITTEE MADE A RECOMMENDATION IN JULY LAST YEAR, AFTER CONDUCTING A REVIEW OF PROCEDURES, FOR THE FUND TO BECOME A COMPENSATION FUND FOR WAR RELATED DEATH OR DISABLILITY. WHICH WOULD FURTHER HAVE INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS NEEDED TO BE VOTED AND WAS AT VARIANCE WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON BENEFITS FOR FORMER PRISONERS OF WAR.

/HE SAID THE