REVISED AGENDA FOR FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
TO BE HELD ON FRIDAY, 23 MAY 2008, AT 3:00 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(2008-09)16RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE MADE ON 7 MAY 2008

(This item seeks approval of the recommendations of the Public Works Subcommittee made at its meeting held on 7 May 2008.)

2.FCR(2008-09)13* CAPITAL WORKS RESERVE FUND
HEAD 710 - COMPUTERISATION
Hong Kong Police Force
New Subhead "Redevelopment of the Personnel Information Communal System"

(This item invites Members to approve a new commitment of $57,600,000 for redeveloping the Personnel Information Communal System of the Hong Kong Police Force.)

(In attendance : The Deputy Secretary for Security/the Principal Assistant Secretary for Security (E)/the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Personnel)/the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Information Systems Wing)/the Chief Systems Manager (Information Technology Branch) of Hong Kong Police Force)

(Discussed by Security Panel on 10 April 2008)

3.FCR(2008-09)14* HEAD 45 - FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Subhead 603 Plant, vehicles and equipment

(This item invites Members to approve a new commitment of $16,500,000 for procuring a replacement Crash Fire Tender.)

(In attendance : The Principal Assistant Secretary for Security (B)/the Assistant Secretary for Security/the Chief Fire Officer (Headquarters) of Fire Services Department/the Senior Divisional Officer (Planning Group/Headquarters Command) of Fire Services Department/the Divisional Officer (Air/Headquarters Command) of Fire Services Department)

(Circulated to Security Panel on 8 January 2008)

4.FCR(2008-09)17HEAD 156 - GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT : EDUCATION BUREAU
Subhead 700 General non-recurrent
New Item "Quality Enhancement Grant Scheme"

HEAD 173 - STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AGENCY
Subhead 228 Student financial assistance

LOAN FUND
HEAD 252 - LOANS TO SCHOOLS/TEACHERS
Subhead 106 Start-up loan for post-secondary education providers
HEAD 254 - LOANS TO STUDENTS
Subhead 102 Non-means-tested loan scheme
Subhead 103 Means-tested loan for post-secondary students

(This item invites Members to approve -

(a)improvement of the Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-secondary Students with effect from 2008/09 academic year by -

(i) providing means-tested loans to students under the Scheme to cover their living expenses, and

(ii)extending the Scheme to cover sub-degree graduates studying full-time locally-accredited self-financing degree or top-up degree programmes in Hong Kong;

(b)supplementary provision of $55 million under Head 173 Student Financial Assistance Agency Subhead 228 Student financial assistance for meeting the additional grant assistance in 2008-09 arising from the proposal in paragraph (a)(ii) above;

(c)modification of the Start-up Loan Scheme with effect from the 2008/09 academic year by -

(i)expanding the scope of the Scheme so as to offer loans to course providers of full-time locally-accredited self-financing post-secondary programmes for enhancing teaching and other ancillary facilities; and

(ii)extending the loan repayment period under the Scheme from no more than ten years to no more than 20 years for existing borrowing institutions with proven financial difficulties, subject to the payment of interest at the no-gain-no-loss rate after the interest-free period in the first ten years; and

(d)creation of a new commitment of $100 million under Head 156 Government Secretariat : Education Bureau Subhead 700 General non-recurrent for providing one-off grants to support quality enhancement initiatives of self-financing post-secondary institutions.)

(In attendance : The Permanent Secretary for Education/the Deputy Secretary for Education/the Principal Assistant Secretary for Education (Further Education)/the Controller of Student Financial Assistance Agency)

(Discussed by Education Panel on 14 April 2008)

5.FCR(2008-09)18 HEAD 147 - GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT : FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY BUREAU (THE TREASURY BRANCH)
New Subhead "General non-recurrent"
New Item "Electricity charges subsidy for eligible residential accounts"

(This item invites Members to approve a new commitment of $4,400 million for providing electricity charge subsidy for eligible residential households over a period of three years.)

(In attendance : The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury/the Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury)/the Principal Assistant Secretary for the Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury))

(Discussed by Financial Affairs Panel on 5 May 2008)

6.FCR(2008-09)6# Discussion paper on the starting time of Finance Committee meetings and related meeting arrangements

(This item sets out the outcome of consultation on the suggestion of rescheduling the starting time of Finance Committee meetings in the event that the preceding House Committee meetings have to go beyond 3:00 pm.)

* Agenda items carried over from the meeting held on 16 May 2008.
# Agenda item carried over from the meeting held on 25 April 2008.

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