XN000022-1997-04-24 — Page 6

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Mr Eric Li: Governor, my question touches on both human rights and the right of abode and the star person in the question is none other than the Commissioner of Police himself. I am of course, sir, referring to the right of the Commissioner to reside in a government quarter in breach of the double housing benefit rule. This is a subject matter of the Public Accounts Committee 27, where the Public Accounts Committee is unanimous in supporting the Director of Audit's finding that the double benefit rule, described by the Executive Council has been breached. We were also seeking for a ruling or a more authoritative statement from the Executive Council.

The committee is surprised to hear the reply of the Chief Secretary yesterday when she introduced the Government minute in response to the Public Accounts Committee Report concerned. The Chief Secretary is of course saying that she will do exactly nothing.

Now the question is, the Public Accounts Committee Report and all the argument is now in the public arena; can you still let the Chief Secretary get away with a no-action answer, and with Exco not even taking a position in the matter, and be accountable to the public openly and directly?

Governor: I don't think that the expression "get away with" is entirely appropriate when talking about the Chief Secretary. It is certainly not an expression I would dare to use in the company of the Chief Secretary and I am surprised at the honourable gentleman's audacity.

I don't have anything to add to what the Chief Secretary has said but I will, in view of the fact that the honourable gentleman has raised it again, I will of course write to him subsequently about it after having had a word with the Chief Secretary, but at present I don't have anything to add.

Can I just add one point as a footnote. It is entirely proper for the Public Accounts Committee of a legislature like this to concern itself with the minutiae of public spending. And the work that is done in this area is one of the things that keeps the Government of Hong Kong clean and, I hope, competent. So I in no way criticise what the Public Accounts Committee have concerned themselves with.

The only point I wanted to add was that I hope that this controversy won't in any way be thought by some to tarnish the reputation or image of the Commissioner of Police who is a very distinguished public servant, one of the finest heads of our Police Force that this community has had, and I think that the community has every reason to be proud of him and proud of his record.