XN000022-1986-11-19 — Page 13

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1986

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EXTRA PROVISION OF $195.7 MILLION FOR SECOND QUARTER

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A SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION OF $195.7 MILLION WAS APPROVED FOR THE SECOND QUARTER OF THE 1986-87 FINANCIAL YEAR, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON PIERS JACOBS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

+ IT WAS FULLY OFFSET EITHER BY SAVINGS UNDER THE SAME OR OTHER HEADS OF EXPENDITURE OR BY DELETION OF FUNDS UNDER THE ADDITIONAL COMMITMENT VOTES, HE SAID.

TABLING A SUMMARY OF THE CHANGES TO THE APPROVED ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE IN THE SECOND QUARTER, MR JACOBS SAID THAT THESE INCLUDED SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION OF $132.4 MILLION FOR GRANTS TO UNIVERSITIES, POLYTECHNICS AND THE BAPTIST COLLEGE.

THIS WOULD ENABLE THE INSTITUTIONS TO AWARD SALARY INCREASES TO STAFF FOLLOWING THE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CIVIL SERVICE NON-D IRECTORATE PAY SCALES.

HE ADDED THAT APPROVED COMMITMENTS WERE INCREASED BY $151.8 MILLION DURING THE PERIOD, AND NEW COMMITMENTS OF $288.5 MILLION WERE ALSO APPROVED.

ITEMS IN THE SUMMARY HAD BEEN APPROVED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OR UNDER DELEGATED AUTHORITY.

INDUSTRIAL SAFETY TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY *****

THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, THE HON RON BRIDGE, GAVE AN ASSURANCE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT INDUSTRIAL SAFETY IS +A MATTER WHICH THE GOVERNMENT DOES TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY INDEED+.

WINDING UP THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON INDUSTRIAL SAFETY, MR BRIDGE SAID HE WAS VERY READY AT ANY TIME TO EXAMINE ANY IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS WHICH MEMBERS MIGHT HAVE FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE GOVERNMENT'S INDUSTRIAL SAFETY EFFORT.

MR BRIDGE POINTED OUT THAT THE PUBLISHED INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT STATISTICS MADE NO DISTINCTION AT PRESENT BETWEEN SERIOUS AND MINOR ACCIDENTS AND HE THOUGHT THERE WAS ROOM FOR AN IMPROVED PRESENTATION OF THOSE STATISTICS.

THERE WERE