TNAG-2035-FCO40-2899-Visits-from-countries-other-than-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 80

member and all 46 non-official members, scrutinizes all proposals for public expenditure. Its authority is specifically required for

any changes made to the annual appropriations approved by the Legislative Council. The Public Accounts Committee, which consists

of a Chairman and six members, all of whom are non-officials, examines and reports on the findings in the annual report of the Director of Audit, as well as on reports by the Director on

value-for-money studies undertaken by him. Both Committees meet in

public, although the Finance Committee occasionally cosiders

individual items in camera.

OMELCO

-

15. The non-official members of the Executive and Legislative Councils have for many years functioned as a separate entity with

their own staff and offices - the office of the members of the

Executive and Legislative Councils (OMELCO). They have set up 16 specialist panels to monitor the policy and progress of work in the various areas of governemtn activity, such as education, manpower, health, welfare, the civil service, transport, trade and industry and security. These panels meet regularly with senior civil

servants to discuss policy proposals. The non-official members of

the Legislative Council also form ad hoc groups to examine Bills

which have been introduced into the Council. Much of the detailed

discussion of Bills takes place in meetings between these groups and

the relevant policy branches of the Government. Amendments are

frequently negotiated and agreed during this process, and

subsequently introduced into the Council, either by an official or non-official member, during the committee stage.

The public service

16. Hong Kong has a large and efficient public service employing

some 180,000 staff. The public service consists of a Government Secretariat comprising 16 policy and resource branches, and 59

departments and agencies. These cover a wide variety of functions,

such as policing, education and social services, that in many countries are the responsibility of local or municipal authorities.

The public service is headed by three senior officials, each of whom

MELAAI (5)