XN000022-1991-12-20 — Page 7

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1991

"WE MUST NEVERTHELESS ENSURE THAT GOVERNMENT SPENDING DOES AGGRAVATE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, HE SAID.

MR

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NOT

ΤΟ CONTROL PUBLIC

SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS MACLEOD EXPENDITURE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY BEEN WIDELY MISREPORTED AS RESULTING IN "CUTS" IN SOCIAL SERVICES.

RESOURCES

TO "WE ARE AT

REDEPLOYING THE SAME TIME PRIORITY AREAS, AND THIS HAS LED TO THE REPORTS OF ALLEGED CUTS.

HIGHER

"IT IS WORTH REPEATING AGAIN THAT SPENDING ON SOCIAL SERVICES AND MANY OTHER AREAS WILL GO UP IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS," HE SAID.

FS ON PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE

THE PROPORTION OF PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE ON THE AIRPORT PROJECTS IS ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE TOTAL PUBLIC WORKS SPENDING OVER THE PERIOD OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE AIRPORT PROJECTS, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER ADDRESSING THE FRENCH BUSINESS ASSOCIATION LUNCHEON, HE SAID: "COMMENTS TO THE CONTRARY ARE BASED ON MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE FIGURES AND ON CONFUSION BETWEEN MONEY FOR NEW PROJECTS AND THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE ON PROJECTS.'

I

COMMENTING ON MISLEADING REFERENCE TO CUTS IN SOCIAL WELFARE SPENDING, MR MACLEOD SAID: "THE FACT IS THAT WE WILL BE SPENDING MORE ON VIRTUALLY ALL PROGRAMME AREAS OF GOVERNMENT SPENDING

SOCIAL SERVICES, EDUCATION, SOCIAL WELFARE, ENVIRONMENT, AREA.

"WE ARE REDEPLOYING FUNDS FROM LOWER PRIORITY AREAS. BUT ON TOP OF THAT WE ARE ALSO EXTRA MONEY TO THOSE AREAS.

"IF YOU ADD UP THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE, SAY IT IS GOING UP, THAT IS FOR SURE IN REAL TERMS.

++

PRETTY WELL EVERY

PRIORITY ΤΟ HIGHER OF COURSE ALLOCATING

ON SOCIAL WELFARE,

ON PROBLEMS OF COSTS CONCERNING THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (HKUST), MR MACLEOD SAID: "WHAT I AM OBJECTING TO OR CONCERNS ME IS THE ATTEMPT TO GENERALISE FROM THAT CASE WHICH IS A VERY PECULIAR CASE.

OF COURSE CLUB. NOW

"IT IS UNUSUAL IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS A PROJECT WHICH WAS PRIMARILY TO BE FUNDED AND MANAGED BY THE JOCKEY 99.9 PER CENT OF OUR PROJECTS BEAR NO RESEMBLANCE TO THAT PROJECT. 99.9 PER CENT OF OUR PROJECTS BEAR NO RESEMBLANCE TO THAT PROJECT,

"PARTICULARLY THERE IS NO AIRPORT PROJECTS."

PARALLEL

BETWEEN THE

HEUST AND

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