TNAG-1415-FCO40-1896-Public-finance-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 130

45.

In response to my enquiry, the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services has informed me that he agrees that the workshop services in question should have been charged at the workshop overhead absorption rate, that control procedures in respect of costing and recovery are being amended to eliminate the fault and that all special requests where recovery has not yet been made, including work in progress, will be charged at the workshop overhead absorption rate. The Director has also informed me that appropriate action has been taken to ensure that demand notes are issued promptly in future. have suggested to the Director that action should also be taken to recover past undercollections.

I

EXPENDITURE

46.

Government computer installations. Inadequacy of disaster recovery planning. In their Seventh Report issued in December 1984 the Public Accounts Committee expressed their concern over the lack of a systematic approach to adequate disaster recovery planning for the Government's computer installations. The Public Accounts Committee were particularly concerned at the lack of effective action, despite acceptance in 1979 by the Government of a recommendation by the consultant appointed to review the operation of the Government Data Processing Agency, on the need for disaster recovery planning. The Public Accounts Committee went on to recommend that with the increasing use of computers by the Government an overall Government policy on disaster recovery planning should be established without delay.

47.

A summary of the action which has so far been taken is contained in paragraphs 48 to 54 below.

48.

In December 1984 the Director of Accounting Services forwarded a draft report on the Treasury computer disaster recovery plan to the Data Processing Manager. The draft report was a management summary of what would be a detailed plan, designed to enable decisions on implementation options to be taken. The draft report covered identification of the risks, preventive measures, security measures, identification of essential workload measures to ensure that the essential workload can be completed and the. resource implications.