Estimates-1961 — Page 176

PART II - EXPLANATORY NOTES ON EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES

Estimate 1960/61

Revised estimate 1959/60

Approved estimate 1959/60

Actual expenditure 1958/59

GENERAL

$938,277,610

720,966,000

693,043,210

589,958,367

175

Actual expenditure 1957/58

532,679,217

The revised estimate of expenditure for 1959/60 is $27.9 millions more than the approved estimate. In arriving at this figure account has been taken of the revision of salaries with effect from 1st July, 1959, necessitating additional unforeseen expenditure of $17.5 millions. Of this sum $11.5 millions being back pay from 1st July to 31st December, 1959, has been charged to the Arrears of Salary subhead in the Miscellaneous Services head. The following summarizes the important amounts over and under the estimates on the various heads of expenditure.

Head

Civil Aviation

Amount in $M

Under

Over

0.6

Commerce and Industry

0.5

Registration of Persons

0.6

Miscellaneous Defence Measures

1.0

Fire Brigade

0.5

Information Services

0.7

Medical and Health

0.5

Miscellaneous Services

12.8

Pensions

1.1

Police Force

0.5

Post Office

0.9

Public Works Department

0.5

Public Works Recurrent

10.7

Public Works Non-Recurrent

3.4

Quartering

1.5

Stores

4.1

Medical Subventions

1.0

The introduction of a mechanized punch card accounting system in the Stores Department has necessitated some changes in the layout of the Estimates; they are the adoption of a single numerical sequence for all Revenue and Expenditure Heads, but a gap has been left between the Revenue and the Expenditure Heads so as to minimize future changes; the conversion of all previous alphabetical subdivisions of Expenditure Heads into separate Heads; and the use of numerical sub-divisions only of subheads.

The Salaries revision referred to above is also reflected in the 1960/61 Estimates, and accounts, in large part, for the increases which appear in all Personal Emoluments subheads. Another general increase shown is in the item for Incidental Expenses. This arises from the decision to charge to depart- mental expenditure all office sundries previously provided out of a block vote in the Stores Department estimates: this is offset by the deletion of the Office Sundries item from Head 72 Subhead 15.

A review of Official Entertainment has been carried out as recommended in the Salaries Commission Report, 1959, and new subheads have been included in the Estimates of the following depart- ments: Civil Aviation, Commerce and Industry, Co-operative Development, Education, Medical and Health, Police Force, Post Office, Prisons, Public Works, Radio Hong Kong, Royal Observatory and Secretariat for Chinese Affairs. The provisions in these new subheads total $45,500, and are partially offset by the reduction of $25,000 in the Official Entertainment subhead under Miscellaneous Services.