Dr Henrietta IP stressed the dual role Hong Kong had played in the global management of refugees. Not only had Hong Kong provided temporary shelter but had also accepted some 14,500 refugees for permanent resettlement. She also urged Britain to take in more refugees and spell out in concrete figures the Home Affairs Committee's proposal of relaxing the UK family reunion criteria. She did not consider it equitable or possible for Hong Kong to accept more refugees for resettlement or to do away with closed
camps.
While appreciating that life in closed camps was comparatively dull, Mrs Rita FAN said that the basic needs of the refugees were well catered for and the facilities there were even better than some squatter and temporary housing areas. She pointed out that the closed camps in themselves were not inhumane or demoralising. What was really demoralising for the refugees was that they had to wait year after year and had their applications rejected by resettlement countries. She said it was imperative that Britain should take the lead or at least follow the example of Australia and Canada in resettling refugees from Hong Kong.
In reply, the Secretary for Security was grateful for Members' confirmation of the Hong Kong Government's policies in respect of Vietnamese refugees. While the closed camp policy had been successful, it had inevitably attracted some criticism. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Commissioner of the United States Immigration and Naturalisation Service who had visited the camps had no criticism of the way in which they were being run, although they might deplore the need for them.
Referring to Mr Allen LEE's question, the Secretary for Security said that Hong Kong was prepared to continue to be a place of first asylum for Vietnamese refugees for as long as the international presumption remained that they were refugees and resettlement countries were prepared to take them. The long term implications were that if resettlement countries would not accept the refugees, then Hong Kong would have to reconsider her policies. As regards whether we had to accept the rejects into our community, it was hoped that resettlement countries would honour
their obligations and take all Vietnamese refugees arriving in Hong Kong. The best solution was a much higher rate of resettlement. The extent to which the entry door was kept open for arrivals had to depend on the extent to which resettlement countries kept their doors open for resettlement. On the advice of the Executive Council, the Government was vigorously pursuing all the realistic possibilities with the countries and international organisations concerned.
Questions
Unofficial Members put down for answer a total of 179 questions. In addition, 350 supplementary questions arising from the official replies were asked (see Appendix VII). The subject matter of the questions and the dates on which they were asked are reported at Appendix VIII.
Finance Committee
The composition and powers of the
Finance Committee are given in paragraph 60 of LegCo Standing Orders.
The Finance Committee consists of all the Unofficial Members of LegCo, plus the Chief Secretary, who is Chairman, the Financial Secretary and the Secretary for Lands and Works. All matters before the Committee are decided by a majority vote, but no ex-officio Member or Official Member has a vote; therefore, the business of the Finance Committee is totally in the hands of Unofficial Members.
The examination of the Budget and all proposals for additional public funds arising during the financial year after the Appropriation Bill has been passed are the main functions of the Finance Committee.
Two weeks before the Financial Secretary presented his Budget speech in LegCo on 27.2.85, copies of the Draft Estimates of Expenditure 1985-86 were made available to Members. To facilitate their examination, four study teams were formed by LegCo Members. The teams and conveners appointed were:
Study Team
Economic and Community Services
General Services
Law and Order
Social Services
Convener
Mr W CL Brown
Mr S L CHEN
Mr Peter C WONG
Dr Harry FANG
Each of the 72 Heads of Expenditure was critically examined and Members formally raised 590 queries. These were either answered in writing or clarified by Controlling Officers at four special Finance Committee meetings which were convened on 6, 8, 11 and 12.3.85. These meetings were held in public. A total of 45 Controlling Officers appeared before the Committee and were questioned closely by Members.
Upon resumption of the debate on the Appropriation Bill on 27-28.3.85, 26 Members expressed their views on the Budget. On 17.4.85, eight Official Members spoke in reply to the points raised by Unofficial Members.
During the year, the Finance Committee met on 21 occasions, normally immediately after the open sessions of the full LegCo. The Committee examined a total of 212 agenda items of expenditure. As a result of Members' scrutiny and query, one item was withdrawn by the Administration. Altogether, Members approved 211 items, including supplementary provision amounting to $2,506 million and commitments totalling $3,497 million.
Members also took the opportunity at Finance Committee meetings to raise other matters of public interest for discussion with the Administration and 53 ex-agenda matters were discussed in these circumstances.
The Finance Committee has two sub-committees: the Establishment Sub-Committee and the Public Works Sub-Committee. The former reviews the staffing needs of departments and the latter keeps a check on the Government building programme and decides the degree of priority to be given to individual projects.
Establishment Sub-Committee The Establishment Sub-Committee is one of the two sub-committees of the Finance Committee. It was formed in July, 1961, to examine requests for staff increases in the 1962-63 Estimates. The terms of reference of the Sub-Committee are:
(i) Annual Draft Estimates of Expenditure
To advise the Government whether its preliminary proposals for the provision of additional posts should be included under the personal emoluments subheads of the Draft Estimates of Expenditure.
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