TNAG-0620-FCO40-768-Annual-accounts-of-Hong-Kong-Government-for-year-ending-1976-1977 — Page 62

Head 22-Agriculture and Fisheries Department

None of the subheads showed significant excesses. There were two significant savings, $442,545 or 26.6% under 'Countryside recreational development' mainly because of delay in the building of a Western Management Centre in Aberdeen and the provision of recreational facilities in both cases due to staffing difficulties and un- foreseen site problems; and $322,473 or 67.2% under 'Farm waste treatment' due to delay in the recruitment of an Agricultural Engineer and the late delivery of equipment from overseas.

Head 24-Census and Statistics Department

There were no major variations on any of the eight subheads included in the original estimates, however supple- mentary provision of $1,145,000 was voted for the purpose of carrying out a population by-census in 1976, against which actual expenditure of $273,173 was incurred.

Head 25-Civil Aviation Department

None of the subheads showed significant excesses. There were five significant savings; $276,359 or 35.9% under 'Flight inspection and calibration services' because there were fewer typhoons than normal during the year and requirements for these services were consequently reduced; $3,510,000 or 100% under 'Flight information display system' because of delays in the delivery of equipment ordered from overseas; $1,006,162 or 71.9% under 'Improvements to the approach lighting to runway 13 at Hong Kong Airport' because of delays in the completion of part of the work; $339,000 or 100% under 'Security equipment' because of delay in payment pending technical acceptance of the equipment by Cable and Wireless Limited; and $257,083 or 62.1% under 'Study on long-term development of aviation facilities in Hong Kong' due to over estimation of the amount of expenditure which would be required in connection with this study.

Head 26-Colonial Secretariat

There were no significant variations in the case of the thirteen subheads which appeared in the printed estimates. A further eight new subheads were opened during the year with total supplementary provision of $2,319,000 against which expenditure of $2,083,432 was actually recorded. Of the new subheads the one with the largest expenditure incurred was 'Visit of Her Majesty the Queen' with $1,294,322.

Head 28-Commerce and Industry Department

There were no significant excesses under this Head and only two significant savings. These were $316,886 or 31.7% under 'Administration' and $356,514 or 40.5% under 'Stores and equipment' because of successful economy measures and a limitation of recruitment of Revenue Inspectors and Assistant Revenue Officers result- ing in fewer claims for subsistence allowance and a reduction in expenditure on uniforms etc..

Head 31-Defence: Civil Aid Services

There were only two significant variations under this Head, an excess of $900,141 or 120.8% under 'Pay and allowances', because of additional expenditure involved in providing members for duty at the Vietnamese refugee camps at Dodwell Ridge, Sai Kung, Harcourt Road and Chatham Road and a saving of $282,033 or 48% under 'Camp site at Yuen Tun' mainly because the original provision was over-estimated.

Head 33-Defence: Miscellaneous Measures

There were no significant excesses under this Head but there was one significant saving, $13,959,623 or 23.9% under 'Programme of capital works and purchases for the armed services 1971/76' mainly because a number of projects were cancelled or deferred and tender prices were lower than anticipated.

Head 34-Defence: Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

A new subhead 'Replacement helicopter' was approved during the year with supplementary provision of $604,000. Actual expenditure under this subhead was $600,099.

Head 36-Education Department

The overall net excess of $5,922,209 was largely due to overspending of $5,177,644 on 'Personal emoluments'. There were however a number of other noteworthy variations from the original estimates; the recurrent sub- heads of 'Stores and equipment' and 'Temporary staff' showed excesses of $549,234 (12.3%) and $961,622

10

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