ENG-1981 — Page 326

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

243

The Public Accounts Committee was established by resolution of the Legislative Council in May, 1978. The committee consists of a chairman and six members, all of whom are Unofficial Members of the council. Its task is to consider reports of the Director of Audit on the government's annual accounts, on other accounts required to be laid before the Legislative Council, and on any matter incidental to the performance of the director's duties. The main aim of the committee is to establish the circumstances surrounding the matters reported on by the Director of Audit and to consider if any remedial action is

necessary.

UMELCO

As leading members of the community, Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils (UMELCO) have significant roles in the administration of Hong Kong. They advise in the formulation of government policies, participate in the enactment of legislation, consider complaints by members of the public against government depart- ments and monitor the effectiveness of public administration. As representatives from a cross-section of the community, they hold more than 300 seats outside the two councils on various committees and boards concerned with community affairs.

Members are supported by the UMELCO Office which provides administrative services, research facilities and the capacity to handle complaints. Each year hundreds of individual grievances or appeals against government practices and policies are considered and, where necessary, brought to the attention of appropriate departments. In carrying out this function the Unofficial Members have access to government records and to senior officials and, in appropriate cases, they challenge established practices and policies. When necessary they bring any sufficiently important issue to the attention of either of the two councils. The UMELCO Police Group, which consists of seven unofficials and the Attorney General, monitors the handling of complaints by the Complaints Against the Police Office. Similarly the ICAC Complaints Committee, comprising six unofficials and the Attorney General, monitors the handling of complaints against the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

In addition to their work on the Executive and Legislative Councils, unofficial members spend much time on informal groups examining draft legislation and proposals for new policies. When necessary, these groups have comprehensive discussions with interested members of the public and government officials which not infrequently result in amend- ments to proposed policies and legislation.

District Administration

The aim of the district administration scheme, approved by government in January 1981, is to give the people of Hong Kong more say in those government services and policies that affect the districts in which they live and to make it easier for the needs of each district to be identified and provided for. There are three main features to the scheme: The establishment of a management committee in each of the 18 districts in the urban areas and New Territories where senior government officials concerned with district matters can meet and make sure that they are working together in the interest of the district; the establishment of district boards where government officials on the committees, with unofficials and elected representatives of local residents, can consider district issues and proposals for changes and improvements; and the creation of an expanded opportunity for public participation in administration by holding elections on a constituency basis to add a directly elected element to the district boards.