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CS on request from PAC for access to ExCo papers
The Chief Secretary, Mrs Anson Chan, has today (Thursday) replied to the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Legislative Councillor Mr Eric Li, on PAC's latest request for the disclosure of Executive Council (ExCo) papers related to the review of the housing benefits provided by the Hospital Authority to its staff by the Director of Audit in his Report No 25.
In her reply, the Chief Secretary said the Administration had, after careful consideration and consultation with ExCo, reaffirmed its previous conclusion that it was in the public interest for ExCo papers to remain confidential and that they should therefore not be released to PAC.
She stressed that it was essential to maintain this long-standing and important principle in order to ensure the proper functioning of ExCo, which was clearly in the public interest.
The Chief Secretary also expressed full appreciation of the hard work of the members of PAC and reassured the chairman that the Administration was committed to assist PAC in its inquiry as far as it possibly could.
She reiterated that full details of the relevant parts of the ExCo memoranda and discussions relating to the decisions taken on the remuneration package for Hospital Authority staff had already been provided to PAC, and that she did not therefore believe that the disclosure of the ExCo papers requested would give PAC any additional assistance in its inquiry.
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HK to continue to prosper and grow beyond 1997
The formula for Hong Kong to succeed will not be changed by 1997 and Hong Kong will continue to prosper and grow as the partnership between Hong Kong and China intensifies.
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