ENG-1985 — Page 38

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

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consider requests which entail changes to the provisions agreed by the Legislative Council in the estimates each year, or to note financial implications of new policies. The special meetings have been held in public since 1984 and all regular meetings have been in public since March 1985 unless the chairman has otherwise ordered in accordance with the decision of the committee. The Finance Committee has two sub-committees, the Establish- ment Sub-Committee and the Public Works Sub-Committee.

The Establishment Sub-Committee consists of 12 unofficial members of the Legislative Council, one of whom is the chairman, the Secretary for the Civil Service and the Deputy Financial Secretary. It examines in detail staffing proposals for directorate posts and for the creation of new ranks or changes in salary scales, and makes recommendations on them to the Finance Committee. It also examines reports on the establishments of departments.

The Public Works Sub-Committee consists of the Financial Secretary (chairman), the Secretary for Lands and Works and 18 unofficial members of the Legislative Council. It reviews the progress and priority of capital works in the Public Works Programme, and make recommendations to the Finance Committee on proposals for changes to the programme.

Public Accounts Committee

The Public Accounts Committee, established by resolution of the Legislative Council on May 10, 1978, is a standing committee of the Legislative Council consisting of a chairman and six members, all of whom are unofficial members of the council. Its main function is to examine and report on the findings in the Director of Audit's report on the audit of the government's annual statements of account prepared by the Director of Accounting Services, and on any matter relating to the performance of his duties and the exercise of his powers under the Audit Ordinance. The prime concerns of the committee are to see that public expenditure has not been incurred for purposes other than those for which the money was granted, that full value has been obtained for the sums expended, and that the administration has not been faulty or negligent in its conduct of financial affairs.

The Director of Audit's Report is tabled in the Legislative Council in November. The committee then meets in public and the controlling officers of different heads of expenditure give evidence on the different aspects of public expenditure covered in the Director of Audit's report. The committee's report is 'laid' on the table of the Legislative Council in January. The government's response to the report of the committee is contained in the government minute which describes the measures taken to give effect to the committee's recommendations or the reasons why acceptance of those recommendations is not considered appropriate. This minute is also laid on the table of the Legislative Council, within three months of the laying of the Public Accounts Committee's report each year.

UMELCO

The role of Unofficial Members of the Executive and Legislative Councils (UMELCO) has always been significant in the administration of Hong Kong, but will become increasingly so as members, in addition to being advisers, become more involved in policy making. At the same time, their role will also undergo changes as Hong Kong moves towards a more representative form of government, with elected members taking their seats in the Legislative Council for the first time.

With the commencement of the new legislative session in October 1985, the enlarged Legislative Council has moved to new premises in the former Supreme Court building, renovated and renamed the Legislative Council Building. In addition to housing the