TNAG-1415-FCO40-1896-Public-finance-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 258

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STATEMENT BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY IN LEGCO ON 20TH NOVEMBER

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Sir, tabled in this Council today is the report

of the Director of Audit on the accounts of the Government

for the year ended 31st March, 1985. Also tabled is a Government Paper in response to comments on certain policy issues in the Report. I would like briefly to explain the . reasons for Government proceeding in this way.

2.

The appropriate forum for consider ing policy issues, including any that may be raised in the Director of Audit's Annual Report, is this Council where they can be properly and fully debated. Moreover, from a practical point of view, Controlling Officers who are required to appear before the Public Accounts Committee, are rarely the Officers responsible for policy, and are not therefore usually in a position to respond authoritatively on matters of policy.

3.

Sir, the Report is a thorough and highly professional piece of work. The point I make is out of principle regarding the procedures to be used for discussion of policy issues raised by the Report; but let me, at the same time, assure Members of this Council the Government will answer all the points raised in it.

1

HKR 100/4

·CEIVED IN REGISTRY

- 2 DEC 1985

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