LegCo Public Accounts Committee tables Report No. 76
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The Legislative Council (LegCo) Public Accounts Committee (PAC) tables Report No. 76 at the Council meeting today (July 14).
The Report contains PAC's observations on seven chapters of the Director of Audit's Report No. 76 (the Audit Report) which cover a variety of subjects on the administration of government programmes and the provision of public services by a total of 12 government bureaux and departments. PAC has raised in-depth written questions with the bureaux and departments concerned. After thorough study of the written responses, PAC has decided that detailed investigation by way of public hearings was not required.
However, in the course of examining the Audit Report, it has come to PAC's notice that there were many cases where practices of bureaux and departments had deviated from established procedures, guidelines or regulations. Many recommendations in the Audit Report had called for measures to be taken by bureaux and departments to follow up on non-compliant and outstanding cases. PAC urges the Administration to ensure that all bureaux and departments as well as government-funded organisations learn from the Audit Report, and implement necessary measures to correct the shortcomings and to prevent future non-compliance.
In the past five years, PAC has held 57 public hearings on 24 subjects, which ranged from the monitoring of public works projects and maintenance of public rental housing flats to the provision of public toilets and management of funding for sports development. Although these subjects spread over a wide spectrum, certain common problems such as lack of inter-departmental coordination and collaboration, inadequate supervision from the bureaux over the departments, issues relating to record keeping, contract administration and monitoring of public works projects were repeatedly identified.
Over the years, PAC has made many conclusions and recommendations in a constructive and forward-looking manner to help relevant bureaux and departments overcome these problems and achieve value for money in the delivery of public services. PAC stresses that all bureaux, departments and government-funded organisations should learn from PAC's reports as well as the Director of Audit's reports. It is also hoped that the lessons learned will enable them to improve their governance.
The PAC Report No. 76 is available on the LegCo Website at: www.legco.gov.hk/general/english/pac/reports/rpt_1620.htm
Ends/Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Issued at HKT 11:50
Issued at HKT 11:50
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