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any queries on projects of a particular area or any specific programmes, please approach the respective Select Committees for follow-up action.
MR. CHAN CHOI-HI (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I want to know if the cut of $1.8 billion from rates revenue for use by this Council as disclosed in the recent budget proposal was a consideration when the Department prepared this so-called comprehensive reply. I don't think it was a factor of your consideration at that time. Given this new factor, I wonder how the select committees would react, for example what would the five-year plan or interim financial estimate be like. I don't think you have included this factor in your answer, but then, we are now facing it.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):—In fact, the financial situation of the Provisional Urban Council is not a new development of the year, nor is it a recent development. When the five-year allocation from rates revenue was confirmed, we knew already that our share would be reduced and certain adjustments had already been made. The Chairman of the Libraries Select Committee is present today. He can remember clearly that when we discussed the five-year plans, we singled out items that were necessary and those not involving allocation but targeted at service improvement as priority items. Other items were dealt with in the same way, i.e., by according them the order of priority for implementation when the financial position permits. That is to say, we did not begin to consider the financial factor only recently. We took that into consideration in the initial period of the triennium.
MS. ADA WONG YING-KAY (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I note that the five-year plans for culture, recreation, museums and libraries are already completed. I also remember clearly that there was a first draft for the five-year plan of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee, but that only the first chapter was read, no more. For the Public Health Select Committee, I don't think a working group had ever been set up to see if there was need to prepare a five-year plan. We don't know if the Board of Governors of the Hong Kong Stadium should devise a five-year plan too. There has not been any progress on the above three fronts. Perhaps the Chairman can reveal whether five-year plans will be prepared on these fronts.
Chairman (in Cantonese):—The above comments are generalized and they involve the Chairmen of several Select Committees. I cannot give answers on their behalf. We note the comments raised and I shall refer them to the relevant Chairmen to see if there is need to devise five-year plans. Actually, the Provisional Urban Council did not in the past just act on five-year plans. Each year, we produced our Statement of Aims for debate at the Annual Conventional Debate. Some long-term aims were included too. In other words, we planned what to do. Now that there are comments, I shall refer them to the
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Page 562 of 606
age 562 of 606
J02 01 606
482
PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
any queries on projects of a particular area or any specific programmes, please approach the respective Select Committees for follow-up action.
MR. CHAN CHOI-HI (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I want to know if the cut of $1.8 billion from rates revenue for use by this Council as disclosed in the recent budget proposal was a consideration when the Department prepared this so-called comprehensive reply. I don't think it was a factor of your consideration at that time. Given this new factor, I wonder how the select committees would react, for example what would the five-year plan or interim financial estimate be like. I don't think you have included this factor in your answer, but then, we are now facing it.
CHAIRMAN (in Cantonese):-In fact, the financial situation of the Provisional Urban Council is not a new development of the year, nor is it a recent development. When the five-year allocation from rates revenue was confirmed, we knew already that our share would be reduced and certain adjustments had already been made. The Chairman of the Libraries Select Committee is present today. He can remember clearly that when we discussed the five-year plans, we singled out items that were necessary and those not involving allocation but targeted at service improvement as priority items. Other items were dealt with in the same way, i.e, by according them the order of priority for implementation when the financial position permits. That is to say, we did not begin to consider the financial factor only recently. We took that into consideration in the initial period of the triennium.
MS. ADA WONG YING-KAY (in Cantonese);—Mr. Chairman, I note that the five-year plans for culture, recreation, museums and libraries are already completed. I also remember clearly that there was a first draft for the five-year plan of the Markets and Street Traders Select Committee, but that only the first chapter was read, no more. For the Public Health Select Committee, I don't think a working group had ever been set up to see if there was need to prepare a five-year plan. We don't know if the Board of Governors of the Hong Kong Stadium should devise a five-year plan too. There has not been any progress on the above three fronts. Perhaps the Chairman can reveal whether five-year plans will be prepared on these fronts.
Chairman (in Cantonese):—The above comments are generalized and they involve the Chairmen of several Select Committees. I cannot give answers on their behalf. We note the comments raised and I shall refer them to the relevant Chairmen to see if there is need to devise five-year plans. Actually, the Provisional Urban Council did not in the past just act on five-year plans. Each year, we produced our Statement of Aims for debate at the Annual Conventional Debate. Some long term aims were included too. In other words, we planned what to do. Now that there are comments, I shall refer them to the
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