LCQ10: Commissioning of consultants

*****************************

Following is a question by the Hon Cyd Ho and a written reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Frederick Ma at the Legislative Council meeting today (April 30):

Question:

With regard to the commissioning of consultants by various policy bureaux to conduct studies on the formulation and assessment of policies, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the consultancy reports completed in the past two financial years, the respective numbers of reports which have and have not been published (please list out the relevant details in the table below);

Responsible policy bureau	Consultancy firm	Details of the study	Consultancy fee	Has the report been published?	If so, the publication channel	If not, the reasons for that

(b) of the number of consultancy reports expected to be completed in the 2003-04 financial year and, among them, the respective numbers of reports which will and will not be published (please list out the relevant details in the table below); and

Responsible policy bureau	Consultancy firm	Details of the study	Consultancy fee	Any plan to publish the report?	If so, the publication channel	If not, the reasons for that

(c) whether there are criteria for deciding whether or not to publish the reports on the consultancy studies on the formulation and assessment of policies commissioned by the Government; if there are, of the details of such criteria; if not, the measures it has for ensuring that the public is aware of the findings of such consultancy studies and for ascertaining whether such studies have value for money?

Reply:

Madam President,

I list below the information provided by policy bureaux concerned on consultants commissioned by them to conduct studies on the formulation and assessment of policies ?/p>

(a) reports completed in the past two financial years (pdf format)

(b) consultancy reports expected to be completed in 2003-04 financial year (pdf format)

(c) In deciding whether or not the reports should be published, whether and how the public should be informed, we consider each case on its own merits taking into account the interest of the public at large, the nature and contents, the cost of production and distribution, the extent of publicity required and the mode of delivery of the reports. Each bureau/Office supporting a Principal Official will assess the usefulness of the reports and the value of the consultancies having regard to the original requirements and the standard of the deliveries. The Director of Audit will carry out value for money audits in respect of government activities including the commissioning of consultants.

End/Wednesday, April 30, 2003

NNNN