XN000022-1990-05-09 — Page 32

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 1990

SIR PIERS SAID THE MATTER WAS DISCUSSED IN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE GOVERNMENT HAD CONSULTED THE SENIOR MEMBER ON HOW THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL MIGHT BE STREAMLINED WHILE AFFORDING MEMBERS GENERALLY AN OPPORTUNITY ΤΟ

IN DISCUSSIONS IN A MORE POSITIVE AND

REWARDING WAY.

PARTICIPATE

WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAIL AS TO WHAT HAD BEEN PROPOSED, SIR PIERS SAID A PRINCIPAL FEATURE WAS THAT ONE WEEK AFTER THE BUDGET SPEECH, FINANCE COMMITTEE WOULD MEET EACH POLICY SECRETARY IN TURN FOR A PRESENTATION ON POLICIES IN HIS OR HER PROGRAMME AREA AND ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES.

ON THE

"SECRETARIES WOULD ALSO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, AS REQUIRED, ON THE WRITTEN REPLIES THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY GIVEN TO QUESTIONS RAISED BY MEMBERS, HE SAID.

זי

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE TIMETABLE FOR COMPLETING THE PASSAGE OF THE APPROPRIATION BILL WOULD BE COMPRESSED, WITH THE VARIOUS STAGES-FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THE SECOND, THIRD AND FOURTH BUDGET SITTINGS TAKING PLACE AT WEEKLY INTERVALS.

"IN THAT WAY, THE 1991 BUDGET TIMETABLE MIGHT BEGIN ON FEBRUARY 25 WITH THE RELEASE OF BUDGET DOCUMENTS; BUDGET DAY WOULD BR ON MARCH 6 AND THE WHOLE PROCESS COMPLETED IN THE FIRST HALF OF APRIL.

"SUCH A COMPACT PROGRAMME WOULD, I AM SURE, GO FAR TO MEET MEMBERS' CONCERNS AND LEAD TO A CRISPER DISCUSSION ON THE BUDGET ITSELF.

HE NOTED THAT THERE WAS ALSO SOME MISUNDERSTANDING THIS YEAR ABOUT HIS DECISION TO ISSUE THE DRAFT ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE AHEAD OF BUDGET DAY WHILE DEFERRING THE RELEASE OF THE REVENUE ESTIMATES AND CONSOLIDATED SUMMARY UNTIL ONE WEEK AFTER HE SPOKE.

HE SAID THIS WAS DONE DELIBERATELY IN ORDER TO DISCOURAGE PRE- BUDGET SPECULATION.

ΤΟ

"WHAT I PROPOSE FOR NEXT YEAR IS THAT EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES SHOULD BE ISSUED IN ADVANCE AGAIN, SO THAT MEMBERS MAY HAVE TIME PREPARE QUESTIONS.

TO

I

"THE REVENUE ESTIMATES AND A CONSOLIDATED SUMMARY, ADJUSTED TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE REVENUE MEASURES, WOULD BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY FINISH MY BUDGET SPEECH. THUS, ON THE DAY OF THE BUDGET SPEECH, MEMBERS WILL HAVE THE LOT, SIR PIERS SAID.

"

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