AGENDA FOR FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
TO BE HELD ON FRIDAY, 12 JANUARY 2018,
FROM 3:15 PM TO 7:25 PM
(break at 5:15 pm for 10 minutes)

Pecuniary interest :Please refer to Rules 83A and 84 of the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council for rules regarding pecuniary interest to be disclosed and voting in case of direct pecuniary interest.

Item No.Subject
1.FCR(2017-18)45*Legend symbol denoting Items carried over from the meeting held on 5 January 2018. HEAD 170 – SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT
Subhead 179 Comprehensive social security assistance scheme
Subhead 180 Social security allowance scheme

(This item invites Members to –

(a)approve a 1.4% increase in standard payment rates under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme and the rates of allowances under the Social Security Allowance Scheme with effect from 1 February 2018 ; and

(b)note the financial implications of an extra $637 million each year arising from item (a) above. )

(In attendance : Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare/Principal Assistant Secretary for Labour and Welfare (Welfare)/Deputy Director of Social Welfare (Administration)/Senior Statistician (Social Welfare), Social Welfare Department)

(The item was discussed by the Panel on Welfare on 13 November 2017)

2.FCR(2017-18)46*Legend symbol denoting Items carried over from the meeting held on 5 January 2018. RECOMMENDATION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE MADE ON 1 NOVEMBER 2017

(PWSC(2017-18)18 – District open space adjoining public housing development at Anderson Road)

(This item seeks approval of the recommendation of the Public Works Subcommittee made at its meeting held on 1 November 2017.)

(In attendance : Deputy Director of Housing (Development and Construction), Transport and Housing Bureau/Chief Civil Engineer (Public Works Programme), Transport and Housing Bureau/Project Director, Architectural Services Department/Assistant Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Leisure Services)/Chief Architect, Housing Department)

(The item was discussed by the Panel on Housing on 11 April 2017. Supplementary information paper CB(1)958/16-17(01) has been provided by the Administration to the Panel)

(Written question from Hon Jeremy TAM Man-ho on 18 May 2017 (PWSC171/16-17(02)) and information paper from the Administration on 29 May 2017 (PWSC181/16-17(01)))

(Written question from Hon Jeremy TAM Man-ho on 6 June 2017 (PWSC191/16-17(01)) and information paper from the Administration on 22 June 2017 (PWSC218/16-17(01)))

(This item was discussed by the Public Works Subcommittee on 1 November 2017 and information paper PWSC43/17-18(01) has been provided by the Administration to the Subcommittee)

3.FCR(2017-18)47*Legend symbol denoting Items carried over from the meeting held on 5 January 2018. RECOMMENDATION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT SUBCOMMITTEE MADE ON 8 NOVEMBER 2017

(EC(2017-18)8 – Creation of one permanent post of Chief Landscape Architect (D1) to head a new Landscape Division under the Architectural Branch in the Architectural Services Department)

(This item seeks approval of the recommendation of the Establishment Subcommittee made at its meeting held on 8 November 2017.)

(In attendance : Deputy Secretary for Development (Works)/Head of Greening, Landscape and Tree Management Section, Development Bureau/Head of Tree Management Office, Development Bureau/Director of Architectural Services/ Assistant Director of Architectural Services (Architectural))

(The item was discussed by the Panel on Development on 23 May 2017)

(This item was discussed by the Establishment Subcommittee on 8 November 2017 and information papers ESC37/17-18(01), (02) and (03) have been provided by the Administration to the Subcommittee)

(Written question from Hon HUI Chi-fung on 12 December 2017 (FC82/17-18(01)) and information paper from the Administration on 14 December 2017 (FC82/17-18(02)))

4.FCR(2017-18)48*Legend symbol denoting Items carried over from the meeting held on 5 January 2018. RECOMMENDATION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT SUBCOMMITTEE MADE ON 22 NOVEMBER 2017

(EC(2017-18)9 – Rationalisation of one Assistant Director of Marine (D2) permanent post to one Administrative Officer Staff Grade C (D2) in the Transport Branch of the Transport and Housing Bureau)

(This item seeks approval of the recommendation of the Establishment Subcommittee made at its meeting held on 22 November 2017.)

(In attendance : Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport)/Deputy Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport)/Deputy Director of Marine)

(The item was discussed by the Panel on Economic Development on 24 April 2017. Supplementary information paper CB(4)1093/16-17(01) has been provided by the Administration to the Panel)

(This item was discussed by the Establishment Subcommittee on 22 November 2017)

5.FCR(2017-18)25^Legend symbol denoting Item initially included in the agenda for the Finance Committee meeting on 19 July 2017 but were withdrawn on 17 July 2017.*Legend symbol denoting Items carried over from the meeting held on 5 January 2018. LOAN FUND
HEAD 252 – LOANS TO SCHOOLS/TEACHERS
Subhead 106 Start-up loan for post-secondary education providers

(This item invites Members to approve a start-up loan of $400 million to The Open University of Hong Kong, under the Start-up Loan Scheme for post-secondary education providers, from the Loan Fund.)

(In attendance : Under Secretary for Education/Principal Assistant Secretary for Education (Further Education)/Vice President (Academic), The Open University of Hong Kong/Director of Finance, The Open University of Hong Kong)

(This item was discussed by the Panel on Education on 10 April 2017. Supplementary information paper CB(4)885/16-17(01) has been provided by the Administration to the Panel)

6.FCR(2017-18)49*Legend symbol denoting Items carried over from the meeting held on 5 January 2018. HEAD 156 – GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT : EDUCATION BUREAU
Subhead 700 General non-recurrent
New Item "Injection into Qualifications Framework Fund"

(This item invites Members to approve a new commitment of $1.2 billion for injection into the Qualifications Framework Fund.)

(In attendance : Under Secretary for Education/Principal Assistant Secretary for Education (Further Education))

(This item was discussed by the Panel on Manpower on 17 October 2017)

7.FCR(2017-18)50*Legend symbol denoting Items carried over from the meeting held on 5 January 2018. HEAD 190 – UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMITTEE
Subhead 700 General non-recurrent
New Item "Injection into the Research Endowment Fund"

(This item invites Members to approve a new commitment of $3 billion for injection into the Research Endowment Fund for providing non-means-tested studentships for local students enrolled in University Grants Committee-funded research postgraduate programmes, with a view to incentivising more local students to apply for admission to research postgraduate programmes.)

(In attendance : Secretary for Education/Deputy Secretary for Education/Deputy Secretary-General, University Grants Committee Secretariat)

(This item was discussed by the Panel on Education on 3 November 2017. Supplementary information paper CB(4)300/17-18(01) has been provided by the Administration to the Panel)

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^ Item initially included in the agenda for the Finance Committee meeting on 19 July 2017 but were withdrawn on 17 July 2017.

* Items carried over from the meeting held on 5 January 2018.