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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 2 February 1994 2153 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 2 February 1994 The Council met at half-past Two o'clock PRESENT THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE JOHN JOSEPH SWAINE, C.B.E., LL.D., Q.C., J.P. THE CHIEF SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE MRS ANSON CHAN, C.B.E., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE SIR NATHANIEL WILLIAM HAMISH MACLEOD, K.B.E., J.P. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE HONOURABLE JEREMY FELL MATHEWS, C.M.G., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALLEN LEE PENG-FEI, C.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SELINA CHOW LIANG SHUK-YEE, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE HUI YIN-FAT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LEE CHU-MING, Q.C., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, O.B.E., LL.D., J.P. THE HONOURABLE NGAI SHIU-KIT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PANG CHUN-HOI, M.B.E. THE HONOURABLE SZETO WAH THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WONG WANG-FAT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EDWARD HO SING-TIN, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN GILBERT BARROW, O.B.E., J.P. 2154 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 2 February 1994 THE HONOURABLE MRS PEGGY LAM, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU WAH-SUM, O.B.E., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LEONG CHE-HUNG, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES DAVID McGREGOR, O.B.E., I.S.O., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS ELSIE TU, C.B.E. THE HONOURABLE PETER WONG HONG-YUEN, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE VINCENT CHENG HOI-CHUEN, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MOSES CHENG MO-CHI THE HONOURABLE MARVIN CHEUNG KIN-TUNG, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG THE HONOURABLE CHIM PUI-CHUNG REV THE HONOURABLE FUNG CHI-WOOD THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE THE HONOURABLE TIMOTHY HA WING-HO, M.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL HO MUN-KA DR THE HONOURABLE HUANG CHEN-YA THE HONOURABLE SIMON IP SIK-ON, O.B.E., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LAM KUI-CHUN DR THE HONOURABLE CONRAD LAM KUI-SHING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU CHIN-SHEK THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING THE HONOURABLE LEE WING-TAT THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 2 February 1994 2155 THE HONOURABLE MAN SAI-CHEONG THE HONOURABLE STEVEN POON KWOK-LIM THE HONOURABLE HENRY TANG YING-YEN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TIK CHI-YUEN THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN DR THE HONOURABLE SAMUEL WONG PING-WAI, M.B.E., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG DR THE HONOURABLE YEUNG SUM THE HONOURABLE HOWARD YOUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ZACHARY WONG WAI-YIN DR THE HONOURABLE TANG SIU-TONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ROGER LUK KOON-HOO THE HONOURABLE ANNA WU HUNG-YUK THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALFRED TSO SHIU-WAI ABSENT THE HONOURABLE RONALD JOSEPH ARCULLI, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ERIC LI KA-CHEUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHRISTINE LOH KUNG-WAI IN ATTENDANCE MR MICHAEL SUEN MING-YEUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS MR ALISTAIR PETER ASPREY, C.B.E., A.E., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY 2156 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 2 February 1994 MRS ELIZABETH WONG CHIEN CHI-LIEN, I.S.O., J.P. SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL SZE CHO-CHEUNG, I.S.O., J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE MR HAIDER HATIM TYEBJEE BARMA, I.S.O., J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT MR PAUL LEUNG SAI-WAH, J.P. SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE MR LAM WOON-KWONG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER THE CLERK TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MR CLETUS LAU KWOK-HONG THE DEPUTY CLERK TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MR PATRICK CHAN NIM-TAK HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 2 February 1994 2157 Papers The following papers were laid on the table pursuant to Standing Order 14(2): Subject Subsidiary Legislation L.N. No. Boats and Wharves (Supply of Water) (Amendment) Regulation 1994 ...................................................................................... 80/94 Prevention of the Spread of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Regulation 1994 ............................................................... 81/94 Quarantine (Measures on Departure) (Amendment) Regulation 1994 ...................................................................................... 82/94 Dangerous Goods (General) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 1994 ...................................................................................... 84/94 Fire Service (Installation Contractors) (Amendment) Regulation 1994 ...................................................................................... 85/94 Coroners (Fees) (Amendment) Rules 1994 ..................................................... 86/94 Small Claims Tribunal (Fees) (Amendment) Rules 1994............................................................................................... 87/94 Kowloon-Canton Railway (Restricted Area) Notice 1994 ............................................................................................. 88/94 Animals and Plants (Protection of Endangered Species) Ordinance (Replacement of Schedules) Order 1994 .............................................................................................. 90/94 Sessional Papers 1993-94 No. 52 — Hong Kong Polytechnic Annual Report 1992-1993 with Balance Sheet at June 30 1993 and Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ended on that Date No. 53 — City Polytechnic of Hong Kong Annual Report 1992-1993 with Financial Report 1992-1993 No. 54 — Hong Kong Baptist College Annual Report 1992-1993 with Financial Report 1992-1993 2158 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 2 February 1994 No. 55 — Lingnan College President's Report 1992-1993 with Lingnan College Financial Report for the Year Ended 30 June 1993 No. 56 — Urban Council Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the Financial Year 1994-95 No. 57 — Revisions of the 1993-94 Estimates approved by the Urban Council during the Third Quarter of the 1993-94 Financial Year No. 58 — Regional Council Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the Year Ending 31 March 1995 No. 59 — Regional Council Revised Estimates of Expenditure 1993-94 No. 60 — Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Report of the Director of Audit on the Accounts of the Hong Kong Government for the Year Ended 31 March 1993 and the Results of Value for Money Audits January 1994 PAC Report No. 21 Address Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Report of the Director of Audit on the Accounts of the Hong Kong Government for the Year Ended 31 March 1993 and the Results of Value for Money Audits January 1994 PAC Report No. 21 MR PETER WONG: Mr President, on behalf of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), I have the honour to table the Committee's Report No. 21 today. The PAC Report No. 21 covers the conclusions reached by the Committee in considering the Director of Audit's Report No. 21 on the accounts of the Hong Kong Government for the year ended 31 March 1993, and the results of value for money audits completed between March and September 1993. The Director of Audit in his report raised a total of 10 issues. In considering the Director of Audit's Report, we noted that the Government had already taken expeditious remedial actions on the points brought up in the audit review concerning the issue — Court Costs relating to Fixed Penalty Proceedings, hence we did not consider it necessary to investigate further into HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 2 February 1994 2159 that particular case. It is therefore the investigation of the other matters raised in the Director of Audit's Report which constitutes the bulk of the Report tabled today. Our Committee held a public hearing to hear evidence from the witnesses who are responsible for the various issues raised in the Director of Audit's Report on 22 November 1993. Since then our Committee had also held four closed meetings to discuss the evidence taken at the public hearing and to consider the further information provided by the witnesses after the public hearing. I am pleased to report that our Committee has now completed the deliberations on seven issues raised in the Director of Audit's Report. Our conclusions and recommendations on these issues are contained in our Report tabled today. Regarding the remaining two issues concerning provident fund and superannuation schemes operated by subvented organizations and sale of a commercial site in Garden Road, raised in the Director of Audit's Report, our Committee has considered it necessary to hold a second public hearing to receive further evidence on these subjects before finalizing our conclusions and recommendations. This public hearing is being arranged and I shall, in due course, report back to this Council on the Committee's considerations on the subject. Mr President, allow me to emphasize that our function as a Committee is not vindictive or punitive. Our job is to examine with the Administration issues raised in the Director of Audit's Report, to draw lessons from what has been done and to arrive at recommendations for the more efficient use of public funds in future. Finally, I wish to reiterate that the Committee and the Audit Department will continue to closely monitor the performance of the Government with a view to achieving further improvements in cost effectiveness and efficiency of our public service. I trust that the recommendations in our Report will be accepted by the Administration. Oral answers to questions Security and fire prevention systems of banks 1. MR TAM YIU-CHUNG asked (in Cantonese): Regarding the recent arson incident in the Shekkipmei Branch of the Hong Kong Bank, which resulted in a number of deaths and injuries, will the Government inform this Council whether a review will be conducted expeditiously on the security and fire prevention systems of banks in Hong Kong with a view to making recommendations for improvements to provide bank staff and the public with better protection? 2160 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 2 February 1994 SECRETARY FOR SECURITY: Mr President, a review is now under way.