TNAG-1610-FCO40-22132-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 150

CONFIDENTIAL

131461

MDHIAN 5289

THAT GENUINE GRIEVANCES ARE EFFECTIVELY REDRESSED.

161. FOLLOWING PUBLIC CONSULTATION DURING THE PAST YEAR THE GOVERNM – ENT HAVE ACCEPTED THE CASE FOR AN INDEPENDENT AUTHORITY TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS OF MALADMINISTRATION. DETAILED PROPOSALS ARE NOW BEING DRAWN UP FOR ESTABLISHING SUCH AN AUTHORITY. BRIEFLY ? IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE AUTHORITY SHOULD BE CALLED THE COMMISSIONER FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS: THAT HE SHOULD BE INDEPENDENT: AND THAT HE SHOULD HAVE POWERS TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING MALADMINISTRATION ON THE PART OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND STATUTORY POWERS TO CALL FOR GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS. THERE WILL BE SOME NECESSARY EXCLUSIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S JURISDICTION, FOR EXAMPLE IN THE FIELDS OF DEFENCE AND OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND OBLIGATIONS, AS WELL AS MATTERS OF A JUDICIAL NATURE.

162.

THE DETAILS OF THE COMMISSIONER'S TERMS OF APPOINTMENT, HIS JURISDICTION, ACCESS TO HIM BY COMPLAINANTS AND HIS INVESTIGATORY POWERS WILL BE PUBLISHED AS A WHITE BILL FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION BEFORE ITS INTRODUCTION INTO THIS COUNCIL. THIS WILL PERMIT PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE DETAILS WHICH WERE ONLY OUTLINED IN THE CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT ISSUED IN 1986.

·

PARAGRAPHS ON THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND THE HOSPITAL AUTHORITY ARE

AS FOLLWS

57. THE GOVERNMENT HAVE ALSO BEEN TAKIN A DETAILED LOOK AT THE ORGANISATION OF THE HOUSING PROGRAMME TO MEET NEW AND FUTURE NEEDS. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S TERMS OF REFERENCE ARE TO BE EXPANDED TO ENABLE IT TO MONITOR AND DIRECT AN OVERALL HOUSING PROGRAMME IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE AUTHORITY WILL ALSO BE REVISED TO GIVE IT MORE FLEXIBILITY AND A NEW CHAIRMAN WILL BE APPOINTED WHO WILL NOT BE AN OFFICIAL. THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION WILL BE PUT TO THIS COUNCIL IN TIME FOR THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS TO BE INTRODUCED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 1988-89

FINANCIAL YEAR.

90. THE PROBLEMS WE FACE IN OUR HOSPITALS WERE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE CONSULTANTS' REPORT ON TH DELIVERY OF MEDICAL SERVICES IN HOSPITALS. SO TOO WERE LONGER TERM CONCERNS ABOUT THE EFFECTIVE USE OF RESOURCES AND THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF LARGE HOSPITALS. HAVING CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE CONSULTANTS' REPORT AND PUBLIC REACTIONS TO IT, THE GOVERNMENT HAVE DECIDED IN PRINCIPLE TO SET UP A STATUTORY HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, WITH REGIONAL COMMITTEES, TO OVERSEE THE DELIVERY OF MEDICAL SERVICES IN ALL GOVERNMENT AND

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