XN000022-1987-07-15 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 1987

MORE IN-DEPTH SCRUTINY OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS ALLOWED

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MOTION ENABLING THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE AND THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT TO EXTEND THE RANGE AND DEPTH OF THEIR INVESTIGATIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ANNUAL ACCOUNT WAS PASSED IN THE LÉGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THIS WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY PROVIDING A SEPARATE MACHINERY FOR THE COMMITTEE - TO EXAMINE THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT'S REPORT THROUGH AMENDMENTS TO THE STANDING ORDERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

"BY THIS METHOD,

THE HEAVY WORKLOAD OF THE PAC, NOW CONCENTRATED IN ONE THREE MONTH PERIOD, WILL BE SPREAD OVER TWO PERIODS EACH OF THREE MONTHS, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MR DAVID FORD, SAID IN MOVING THE MOTION.

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MR FORD SAID AT PRESENT STANDING ORDERS AUTHORISED THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT'S ANNUAL REPORT ON HIS EXAMINATION OF THE ANNUAL ACCOUNTS OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. THE PAC'S PUBLIC EXAMINATION OF THIS REPORT STARTED WITH ITS TABLING IN NOVEMBER EACH YEAR AND ENDED THREE MONTHS LATER WHEN THE PAC REPORTED ITS FINDINGS, HE ADDED,

UNDER THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DIRECTOR, PAC AND ADMINISTRATION TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 19 LAST YEAR THE DIRECTOR MIGHT, IN ADDITION, CONDUCT VALUE FOR MONEY AUDITS AND REPORT HIS FINDINGS TO THE COUNCIL. MR FORD SAID CLAUSE 19(A) EMPOWERED THE COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THESE REPORTS AND TO REPORT ITS FINDINGS TO THE COUNCIL, WHILE CLAUSE 19 (C) PROVIDED A SEPARATE MACHINERY FOR THESE REPORTS TO BE EXAMINED.

"WITH THE PROVISION OF THIS SEPARATE MACHINERY THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT WILL TABLE TWO REPORTS A YEAR AND THE PAC WILL RESPOND WITH ITS OWN REPORT ON EACH OF THESE, "MR FORD SAID. THE FIRST OF THESE WOULD BE DEALT WITH UNDER THE EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN NOVEMBER AND FEBRUARY EACH YEAR WHILE THE SECOND WILL BE TABLED IN APRIL EACH YEAR AND REPORTED ON BY THE END OF THE SESSION,

"THIS SHOULD ENABLE BOTH THE PAC AND THE DIRECTOR ΤΟ EXTEND THE RANGE AND DEPTH OF THEIR INVESTIGATIONS AND IMPLEMENTS A RECOMMENDATION THE PAC ITSELF MADE IN ITS 8TH REPORT IN FEBRUARY, 1986," MR FORD SAID.

ANOTHER AMENDMENT CONTAINED IN THE MOTION PROVIDED FOR THE REPLACEMENT IN STANDING ORDERS OF REFERENCES TO "UNOFFICIALS".

THIS FOLLOWED THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE LATE GOVERNOR ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR DECISION TO DISPENSE WITH THE TERM "UNOFFICIALS"

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