AGENDA FOR FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING

TO BE HELD ON FRIDAY, 19 MAY 2006, AT 2:30 P.M.

Declaration of interest : Please refer to Rule 84(3) of the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council for rules regarding pecuniary interest to be disclosed.

Item No.Subject
1.FCR(2006-07)6RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT SUBCOMMITTEE MADE ON 3 MAY 2006

(This item seeks approval of the recommendations of the Establishment Subcommittee made at its meeting held on 3 May 2006.)

2.FCR(2006-07)7RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE MADE ON 26 APRIL 2006

(This item seeks approval of the recommendations of the Public Works Subcommittee made at its meeting held on 26 April 2006.)

3.FCR(2006-07)8HEAD 45 - FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Subhead 603 Plant, vehicles and equipment

(This item invites Members to approve a new commitment of $13 million for procuring a replacement fireboat.)

(In attendance : The Deputy Secretary for Security/the Principal Assistant Secretary for Security/the Chief Fire Officer (Headquarters) of Fire Services Department/the General Manager (Government Dockyard) of Marine Department/the Senior Surveyor of Ships of Marine Department)

(Circulated to Security Panel on 4 April 2006)

4.FCR(2006-07)9HEAD 173 - STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AGENCY
Subhead 228 Student financial assistance

LOAN FUND
HEAD 254 - LOANS TO STUDENTS
Subhead 102 Non-means-tested loan scheme

(This item invites Members to approve -

(a)improvement of the means-tested grant under the Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-secondary Students with effect from the 2006/07 academic year by -

(i)applying the same sliding scale of the Local Student Finance Scheme for determining the grant level for each applicant as a percentage of the maximum grant level; and

(ii)increasing the amount of grant to cover academic expenses (in addition to the grant for tuition fees);

(b)consequential to (a)(ii) above, increase in the maximum loan ceiling under the Non-means Tested Loan Scheme for Post-secondary Students to cover academic expenses (in addition to tuition fees and living expenses) with effect from the 2006/07 academic year; and

(c)supplementary provision of $291 million under Head 173 Student Financial Assistance Agency Subhead 228 Student financial assistance in 2006-07.

(In attendance : The Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower/the Controller, Student Financial Assistance Agency)

(Discussed by Education Panel on 27 March 2006)

5.FCR(2006-07)10HEAD 46 - GENERAL EXPENSES OF THE CIVIL SERVICE
Subhead 013 Personal Allowances
Subhead 022 Passages
Subhead 023 Quartering
Subhead 032 Accommodation Allowance Scheme
Subhead 038 Private Tenancy Allowance
Subhead 040 Non-accountable Cash Allowance Scheme

(This item invites Members to approve -

(a)the adjustment of the ceiling rates of Overseas Education Allowance (OEA) to the level as at 30 June 1997 for new claimants who start to claim the allowance from the 2006-07 or the 2007 school year onwards;

(b)the adjustment of the ceiling rates of Local Education Allowance (LEA) to the level as at 30 June 1997 for new claimants who start to claim the allowance from the 2006/07 school year onwards;

(c)the adjustment of the ceiling rates of School Passage Allowance (SPA) to the rates as at 1 July 1998 with effect from the next claiming cycle of SPA for all claimants;

(d)the expansion of the scope of SPA to cover the allowance for travelling expenses in the place of study with effect from the next claiming cycle of SPA for all eligible officers;

(e)the abolition of the rate adjustment mechanism for OEA, LEA, SPA, and the travelling expenses in the country of origin or place of study with immediate effect;

(f)the capping of the allowance rates for Sea Passage starting from the 2007 sailing;

(g)the revision of the rate adjustment mechanism of the Accommodation Allowance (AA) and the Private Tenancy Allowance (PTA) according to the annual territory-wide rental movements in respect of the corresponding classes of domestic properties compiled by the Rating and Valuation Department with effect from 2007-08;

(h)the locking of the scale of rates payable to AA and PTA recipients throughout the term of a tenancy to the scale prevailing at the commencement of the tenancy term with effect from a prospective date in 2006-07;

(i)the revision of the rates of Non-accountable Cash Allowance (NCA) for new claimants (including claimants on re-appointment with a break in service) to 5% below the corresponding rates of Home Financing Allowance (HFA)/Home Purchase Allowance (HPA) and the adjustment of future NCA rates in line with the annual percentage adjustment to the HFA/HPA rates with effect from a prospective date in 2006-07;

(j)the expansion of the scope of the NCA Scheme to allow officers eligible for AA to opt to switch to the NCA Scheme and to apply the rules on prevention of double housing benefits fully to these NCA recipients with effect from a prospective date in 2006-07;

(k)the conversion of the Removal Allowance into a fully non-accountable allowance with effect from a prospective date in 2006-07; and

(l)the cessation of the provision of Air-conditioning Allowance and Hotel Subsistence Allowance, as a fringe benefit, to all eligible civil servants with effect from a prospective date in 2006-07.

(In attendance : The Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service/the Deputy Secretary for the Civil Service)

(Discussed by Public Service Panel on 20 April 2006)

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