TNAG-2449-FCO40-3565-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 191

CONFIDENTIAL

1456

MDLIAN 4226'

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE

16.

THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT'S VALUE FOR MONEY STUDY REPORT WAS TABLED IN LEGCO ON 29 APRIL. SO FAR THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE MEDIA INTEREST. A PUBLIC HEARING ON IT WILL BE HELD ON 29 MAY.

17. PAC MEMBERS RAISED ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THE COST OVERRUNS OF THE HONG KONG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (HKUST). ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON 1 JUNE WHICH WILL FOCUS ON THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE JOCKEY CLUB AND THE ADMINISTRATION OVER WHETHER A DOLLARS 300 MILLION INCREASE IN COST WAS DUE TO INFLATION. THE ATTENDANCE OF THE CHIEF SECRETARY, OTHER REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, THE JOCKEY CLUB AND HKUST WILL PROBABLY BE REQUIRED.

COMMITTEE STRUCTURE

18.

THE WORKING GROUP MET THREE TIMES IN APRIL TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE RELEVANT STANDING ORDERS TO IMPLEMENT THE ARCULLI MODEL AS AMENDED BY THE YEUNG SUM PROPOSAL (SEE PARAS 12-14 OF OUR TELNO 1008).

19. STILL MUCH ARGUMENT ON THE ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE AND POWERS OF THE NEW COMMITTEE SYSTEM. NO CONCLUSION REACHED YET, BUT THERE IS PRESSURE FROM SOME MEMBERS FOR PROGRESS TO BE MADE.

SELECT COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS

20.

THE SELECT COMMITTEE HELD THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS IN APRIL TO FURTHER SOLICIT PUBLIC VIEWS ON THE 1995 ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS. IN THE EXPECTATION THAT THE NUMBER OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SEATS WILL BE INCREASED FROM 21 TO 30 IN 1995, MANY GROUPS HAVE MADE REPRESENTATIONS REQUESTING THAT THE ADDITIONAL SEATS BE ALLOCATED TO THEM.

21.

THE ADMINISTRATION PRESENTED PAPERS TO THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE, ABSENTEE VOTING, UPDATING OF VOTER REGISTER, REGULATION OF CANVASSING ACTIVITIES ON POLLING DAY, MEASURES AGAINST FRIVOLOUS CANDIDATES, QUALIFICATION OF ELECTORS IN FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, CONSOLIDATION OF ELECTORAL LEGISLATION AND AUTHORISED REPRESENTATIVES OF CORPORATE ELECTORS IN FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.

4

PAGE

CONFIDENTIAL