REPORT OF THE

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE

ON

THE REPORTS OF THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT

ON

THE ACCOUNTS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF

THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

FOR THE YEAR ENDED

31 MARCH 2019

AND THE RESULTS OF

VALUE FOR MONEY AUDITS (Report No. 73)



February 2020

P.A.C. Report No. 73





CONTENTS


Paragraph

Page

Part 1Introduction

The Establishment of the Committee

1

1

Membership of the Committee

2

1

Part 2Procedure

The Committee's Procedure

1

2 - 3

Confidentiality undertaking by members of the Committee

2 - 3

3

The Committee's Report

4 - 5

3

The Government's Response

6

4

Part 3Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Report No. 70 of the Director of Audit on the Results of Value for Money Audits
[P.A.C. Report No. 70]

Laying of the Report

1

5

The Government Minute

2 - 6

5 - 10

Part 4Supplemental Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Report No. 70 of the Director of Audit on the Results of Value for Money Audits
[P.A.C. Report No. 70A]

Laying of the Report

1

11

The Government Minute

2 - 8

11 - 18

Part 5Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Reports of the Director of Audit on the Accounts of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the year ended 31 March 2018 and the Results of Value for Money Audits (Report No. 71)
[P.A.C. Report No. 71]

Laying of the Report

1

19

The Government Minute

2 - 69

19 - 56

Part 6Supplemental Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Report No. 71 of the Director of Audit on the Results of Value for Money Audits
[P.A.C. Report No. 71A]

Laying of the Report

1

57

The Government Minute

2 - 6

57 - 60

Part 7Committee Proceedings

Consideration of the Director of Audit's Report

1

61

Meetings

2

61

Arrangement of the Report

3 - 4

61

Acknowledgements

5

61

Part 8Observations of the Public Accounts Committee on the Report of the Director of Audit on the Accounts of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the year ended 31 March 2019

1

62

Part 9Chapter

1.Planning, provision and management of public toilets by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

A.Introduction

1 - 9

63 - 65

B.Planning and provision of public toilets

10 - 41

66 - 77

C.Management of public toilet works projects

42 - 73

77 - 89

D.Management of public toilets

74 - 117

89 - 104

E.Conclusions and recommendations

118 - 120

104 - 116

2.Provision of consultancy, research and development and training services by the Hong Kong Productivity Council

A.Introduction

1 - 17

117 - 123

B.Provision of consultancy and manufacturing support services

18 - 62

124 - 140

C.Research and development projects

63 - 83

140 - 146

D.Provision of training programmes

84 - 105

146 - 154

E.Conclusions and recommendations

106 - 108

154 - 167

3.Governance and administrative issues of the Hong Kong Productivity Council

1 - 6

168 - 171

4.Control of wild and stray animal nuisances

1 - 5

172 - 175

5.Special education

1 - 7

176 - 179

6.Judiciary Administration's work in implementing projects under Information Technology Strategy Plan

1 - 6

180 - 183

7.Statistical services provided by the Census and Statistics Department

1 - 5

184 - 186

8.Procurement of goods and services by the Immigration Department

1 - 5

187 - 189

9.Child Development Fund

1 - 7

190 - 193

SIGNATURES OF THE CHAIRMAN, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE

 
194

CHAPTERS IN THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT'S REPORT NO. 73 DEALT WITH IN THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE'S REPORT

 
195

Appendix relating to Part 1: "Introduction"

Appendix 1Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

 
196 - 197

Appendix relating to Part 2: "Procedure"

Appendix 2Paper presented to the Provisional Legislative Council by the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee at the meeting on 11 February 1998 on Scope of Government Audit in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region - 'Value for Money Audits'

 
198 - 200

Appendices relating to Part 5: "Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Reports of the Director of Audit on the Accounts of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the year ended 31 March 2018 and the Results of Value for Money Audits (Report No. 71)
[P.A.C. Report No. 71]"

Appendix 3Letter dated 23 January 2020 from Director of Lands

 
201 - 202

Appendix 4Letter dated 15 January 2020 from Secretary for Home Affairs

 
203 - 204

Appendix relating to Part 6: "Supplemental Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Report No. 71 of the Director of Audit on the Results of Value for Money Audits
[P.A.C. Report No. 71A]"

Appendix 5Letter dated 15 January 2020 from Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

 
205 - 207

Appendix relating to Part 7: "Committee Proceedings"

Appendix 6Witnesses who appeared before the Committee

 
208 - 209

Appendices relating to Chapter 1 of Part 9: "Planning, provision and management of public toilets by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department"

Appendix 7Speech made by Director of Audit at the public hearing on 14 December 2019

 
210 - 214

Appendix 8Opening statement made by Secretary for Food and Health at the public hearing on 14 December 2019

 
215 - 216

Appendix 9Opening statement made by Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene at the public hearing on 14 December 2019

 
217 - 220

Appendix 10Letter dated 3 January 2020 from Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

 
221 - 306

Appendix 11Letter dated 11 December 2019 from Commissioner for Tourism

 
307 - 312

Appendix 12Letter dated 13 January 2020 from Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

 
313 - 323

Appendix 13Letter dated 29 January 2020 from Director of Architectural Services

 
324 - 352

Appendix 14Letter dated 11 December 2019 from Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

 
353 - 437

Appendix 15Letter dated 7 January 2020 from Director of Water Supplies

 
438 - 443

Appendix 16Letter dated 24 January 2020 from Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

 
444 - 468

Appendix 17Letter dated 3 February 2020 from Director of Architectural Services

 
469 - 472

Appendix 18Letter dated 4 February 2020 from Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

 
473 - 483

Appendices relating to Chapter 2 of Part 9: "Provision of consultancy, research and development and training services by the Hong Kong Productivity Council"

Appendix 19Speech made by Director of Audit at the public hearing on 13 December 2019

 
484 - 486

Appendix 20Opening statement made by Secretary for Innovation and Technology at the public hearing on 13 December 2019

 
487 - 489

Appendix 21Opening statement made by Executive Director of Hong Kong Productivity Council at the public hearing on 13 December 2019

 
490 - 493

Appendix 22Letter dated 3 January 2020 from Executive Director of Hong Kong Productivity Council

 
494 - 579

Appendix 23Letter dated 3 January 2020 from Commissioner for Innovation and Technology

 
580 - 682

Appendix 24Letter dated 21 January 2020 from Commissioner for Innovation and Technology

 
683 - 686

Appendix 25Letter dated 11 December 2019 from Commissioner for Innovation and Technology

 
687 - 704

Appendix 26Letter dated 16 December 2019 from Executive Director of Hong Kong Productivity Council

 
705 - 720

Appendix 27Letter dated 2 January 2020 from Executive Director of Hong Kong Productivity Council

 
721 - 767

Appendix 28Letter dated 22 January 2020 from Executive Director of Hong Kong Productivity Council

 
768 - 787

Appendix 29Letter dated 11 December 2019 from Executive Director of Hong Kong Productivity Council

 
788 - 809

Appendices relating to Chapter 3 of Part 9: "Governance and administrative issues of the Hong Kong Productivity Council"

Appendix 30Letter dated 13 February 2020 from Executive Director of Hong Kong Productivity Council

 
810 - 840

Appendix 31Letter dated 2 January 2020 from Secretary for Innovation and Technology

 
841 - 845

Appendix 32Letter dated 2 January 2020 from Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

 
846 - 848

Appendix 33Letter dated 2 January 2020 from Commissioner for Innovation and Technology

 
849 - 858

Appendix 34Letter dated 2 January 2020 from Director of Audit

 
859 - 861

Appendix relating to Chapter 4 of Part 9: "Control of wild and stray animal nuisances"

Appendix 35Consolidated reply dated 3 January 2020 from Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation and Secretary for the Environment

 
862 - 882

Appendices relating to Chapter 5 of Part 9: "Special education"

Appendix 36Letter dated 17 January 2020 from Secretary for Education

 
883 - 916

Appendix 37Letter dated 7 January 2020 from Director of Social Welfare

 
917 - 925

Appendix relating to Chapter 6 of Part 9: "Judiciary Administration's work in implementing projects under Information Technology Strategy Plan"

Appendix 38Letter dated 7 January 2020 from Judiciary Administrator

 
926 - 941

Appendices relating to Chapter 7 of Part 9: "Statistical services provided by the Census and Statistics Department"

Appendix 39Letter dated 9 January 2020 from Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

 
942 - 943

Appendix 40Letter dated 8 January 2020 from Deputy Commissioner for Census and Statistics

 
944 - 952

Appendix relating to Chapter 8 of Part 9: "Procurement of goods and services by the Immigration Department"

Appendix 41Letter dated 2 January 2020 from Director of Immigration

 
953 - 960

Appendix relating to Chapter 9 of Part 9: "Child Development Fund"

Appendix 42Consolidated reply dated 14 January 2020 from Secretary for Labour and Welfare and Director of Social Welfare

 
961 - 973

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

 
974 - 977