XN000022-1987-03-18 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1987

SHE ADDED THAT THE TAX STRUCTURE SHOULD REMAIN SIMPLE AND THAT NO GROUP SHOULD BE SINGLED OUT TO PAY A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF TAX.

SHE SAID THAT IF THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY HAD CONSIDERED SEPARATE TAXATION FOR MARRIED WOMEN, HIS BUDGET WOULD HAVE BEEN A PERFECT ONE.

IT WOULD BE UNAVOIDABLE AND UNFORGIVABLE IF SEPARATE TAXATION FOR MARRIED WOMEN SHOULD BE EXCLUDED IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, SINCE THE PROPOSAL FOR SEPARATE TAXATION HAD NOW BEEN UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED BY ALL THE NON-GOVERNMENT MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

TURNING TO THE ANALYSIS OF THE BUDGET ESTIMATE FOR EXPENDITURE, DR IP SAID THAT DEFICIENCIES WHICH WERE HIGHLIGHTED DURING THE EXAMINATION OF THE BUDGET ESTIMATE HAD ALWAYS BEEN WITH THE POLICIES THAN WITH THEIR ADMINISTRATION.

SHE SAID THAT AS CHANGES IN POLICIES WOULD INFLUENCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXPENDITURE, THE GOVERNMENT MUST BE MORE SENSITIVE TO THE CHANGING NEEDS OF SOCIETY.

+WHEN PAST NEEDS HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY SATISFIED COMPARED TO NEW EMERGING ONES, WE MUST BE BOLD TO RETRACT WITH NO FEAR OF SECTORAL CHALLENGE, SHE SAID.

SHE ADDED THAT THE WITHDRAWAL OF WEEKEND TRANSPORT SUBSIDY FOR STUDENTS WAS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE. +PERPETUATING AN EXPENDITURE FOR HISTORICAL REASONS, OR REFUSAL TO MAKE REVIEW BECAUSE OF THE SMALL FINANCIAL IMPLICATION, WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE, SHE SAID.

SHE SAID THAT FOR EACH ITEM OF EXPENDITURE THE CONTROLLING OFFICERS, BEFORE CALCULATING HOW MUCH MORE WAS NEEDED TO MEET RISING COST AND IMPROVE QUALITY, SHOULD ASK THEMSELVES FIRSTLY WHETHER THE NEED FOR SUCH EXPENDITURE STILL EXISTED AND SECONDLY WHETHER RECENT INTRODUCTION OF NEW SERVICES HAD CAUSED DUPLICATION.

THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE WAS ONE IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT ACCEPTED DUPLICATION, SHE SAID.

AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN AREAS OF DEFICIENCY WERE IDENTIFIED, THE GOVERNMENT MUST BE PREPARED TO CREATE EXPENDITURE TO MEET THESE NEEDS WITHOUT FEAR OF STARTING A PRECEDENT, SHE SAID.

SHE ADDED THAT DENTAL NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY WAS AN AREA WHERE THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ATTEMPT TO MEET, LOWERING THE AGE LIMIT TO 65 YEARS WAS A FEASIBLE COMMITMENT.

SHE NOTED THAT MINIMISING EXPENDITURE EXCESSIVELY OR INADEQUATE PROVISIONS IN ONE SECTION OF A DEPARTMENT MIGHT HAVE UNTOWARD EFFECTS OF REDUCING OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT OR OF ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.

/INADEQUATE