Committee shall be the Controlling Officer of the vote from which the relevant subvention has been paid, but the Committee shall not preclude the calling of a representative of the subvented body concerned where it is considered that such a representative can assist the Committee in its deliberations;
(c) the Director of Audit, the Deputy Financial Secretary and the Director of Accounting Services shall be in attendance when Controlling Officers or other persons are providing information or explanations to the Committee;
(d) the Committee shall take evidence from any parties outside the civil service and the subvented sector before making reference to them in a report;
(e) the Committee shall not normally make recommendations on a case on the basis solely of the Director of Audit's presentation;
(f) the Committee shall not allow written submissions from Controlling Officers other than as an adjunct to their personal appearance before the Committee; and
(g) the Committee shall hold informal consultations with the Director of Audit from time to time, so that the Committee can suggest fruitful areas for value for money study by the Director of Audit.
2.2 The Government's Response. The Government's response to the Committee's report is contained in the Government Minute, which comments as appropriate on their conclusions and recommendations, indicates what action the Government proposes to take to rectify any irregularities which have been brought to notice by them or by the Director of Audit and, if necessary, explains why it is not intended to take action. It is the Government's stated intention that the Government Minute should be laid on the table of the Legislative Council within three months of the laying of the report of the Committee to which it relates.
3 REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 1984
3.1 The Laying of the Report. In compliance with the Audit Ordinance and Standing Orders of the Legislative Council, the Committee's report for the year ended 31 March 1984 was tabled in the Council on 23 January 1985 within three months of the laying of the Director of Audit's report by the President on 7 November 1984. The Government Minute was laid on the table on 13 March 1985.
3.2 The Government Minute. The Committee were provided with a progress report at the end of September 1985 on matters outstanding in the Government Minute. The Committee wish to continue to be kept informed of progress on the following subjects set out in paragraphs 3.3 to 3.26 below.
3.3 Government computer installations: the conclusions of the study of the administration of data preparation centres. (Paragraph 3.2(a) of P.A.C. Report No. 7). The Committee note that the study of the administration of data preparation centres has been concluded and that all the recommendations arising from the study have been accepted. and implemented except the recommendation that the departmental establishments of data preparation staff should be transferred back to the Government Data Processing Agency to allow greater flexibility and improved control over staff deployment. This recommendation was rejected by the Government Data Processing Agency following unanimous. objections by the Government departments concerned. Accordingly the Administration has taken the view that fuller utilization of resources can be achieved without this, through an improved monitoring system. A review on the effectiveness of the monitoring system has recently been completed by the Government Data Processing Agency, and the Finance Branch of the Government Secretariat is presently considering the content of the review report. The Committee understand that the preliminary findings of the Finance Branch suggest that further pruning of data preparation staff may be feasible and wish to be informed whether this is achieved.
3.4 Architectural Office: the thorough review by the Director of Accounting Services of the financial and accounting procedures with a view to re-establishing them on a sound basis. (Paragraph 3.2(b) of P.A.C. Report No. 7). The Committee note that satisfactory progress continues to be made towards implementing the L.A.F.I.S. system by the target date of 1 April 1986.
3.5 Underutilization of roadworks equipment and delay in revising hire charges: the conclusions of the Finance Branch of the Government Secretariat on its review of assets in the Highways Office and on its service-wide review of the utilization of assets, their cost-effectiveness and the policy on the replacement of obsolete assets. (Paragraph 3.2(c) of P.A.C. Report No. 7). The Committee note that the Highways Office of the Engineering Development Department successfully introduced a management information system in March 1984 to monitor regularly the utilization and cost effectiveness of roadworks equipment. The Committee also note that a similiar management information system was introduced in the Agriculture and Fisheries Department in 1985. The Committee were informed in a progress report in October 1985 that the Administration was considering the creation in Government Departments of computerized asset registers for plant, equipment and instruments based on the existing manual management system in the Highways Office and the Agriculture and Fisheries Department. The Committee also learned that a pilot study had been initiated by the Medical and Health Department with a view to implementing a computerized asset register system which could also be used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of replacement of plant and equipment. When fully operational the system would include information on maintenance and utilization. The Committee wish to be informed of the Administration's time table for implementation of the computerized asset register system and provided with a list of the departments in which it is to be implemented.
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