XN000022-1993-02-25 — Page 10

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1993

APPROPRIATION BILL 1993

* * * * *

COMMENTING ON TODAY'S (THURSDAY) PRESS REPORTS ON THE APPROPRIATION BILL 1993, THE SECRETARY FOR THE TREASURY, MR K Y YEUNG, SAID: "A HEAD FOR HEAD COMPARISON OF THE APPROVED ESTIMATE FOR 1992/93 WITH THE DRAFT ESTIMATES FOR 1993/94 CAN BE MISLEADING.

"THIS IS BECAUSE THE DRAFT ESTIMATES FOR 1993/94 ARE GENERALLY BASED ON 1992 PRICES, WHEREAS THE APPROVED (OR ORIGINAL) ESTIMATES WERE GENERALLY BASED ON 1991 PRICES AND DO NOT REFLECT EITHER SALARY ADJUSTMENTS APPROVED DURING 1992 OR ANY SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN APPROVED AS A RESULT OF CHANGING DEMAND OR IMPROVEMENTS TO SERVICES.

11

HE EXPLAINED THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDING ORDER 40 OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE CLERK TO LEGCO CIRCULATED THE APPROPRIATION BILL 1993 TO ALL MEMBERS OF LEGCO YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY}.

THIS IS IN LINE WITH NORMAL PRACTICE FOR THE PRESENTATION OF BILLS TO LEGCO, HE NOTED.

MR YEUNG WILL GIVE A FULL BRIEFING TO LEGCO TOMORROW (FRIDAY). AT THE SAME TIME THE SUPPORTING VOLUMES GIVING DETAILS OF THE DRAFT ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR 1993/94 WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE.

THE BRIEFING WILL BE FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

ATTENTION NEWS EDITORS:

THE PRESS CONFERENCE TO BE GIVEN BY MR YEUNG WILL BE HELD AT THE GIS PRESS CONFERENCE ROOM, FIFTH FLOOR, BEACONSFIELD HOUSE, CENTRAL AT 4 PM TOMORROW (FRIDAY).

THE SUPPORTING VOLUMES GIVING THE DETAILS OF THE ESTIMATES OF EXPENDITURE FOR 1993/94 WILL BE AVAILABLE READING FROM 2 PM TOMORROW.

FOR

DRAFT ADVANCE

/10

Page 10Page 11