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)



February 2019

P.A.C. Report No. 71





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. 68 of the Director of Audit on the Results of Value for Money
[P.A.C. Report No. 68]

Laying of the Report

1

5

The Government Minute

2 - 13

5 - 14

Part 4Supplemental Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Report No. 68 of the Director of Audit on the Results of Value for Money Audits
[P.A.C. Report No. 68A]

Laying of the Report

1

15

The Government Minute

2 - 9

15 - 19

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 2017 and the Results of Value for Money Audits (Report No. 69)
[P.A.C. Report No. 69]

Laying of the Report

1

20

The Government Minute

2 - 62

20 - 56

Part 6Supplemental Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Report No. 69 of the Director of Audit on the Results of Value for Money Audits
[P.A.C. Report No. 69A]

Laying of the Report

1

57

The Government Minute

2 - 5

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 2018

1

62

Part 9Chapter

1.Centre for Food Safety: Management of food safety

A.Introduction

1 - 9

63 - 65

B.Assessment of food safety risks

10 - 33

65 - 74

C.Food Surveillance Programme

34 - 55

74 - 82

D.Management of food incidents and complaints

56 - 76

82 - 90

E.Communicating with the public on food safety risks

77 - 88

90 - 95

F.Conclusions and recommendations

89 - 91

95 - 106

2.Centre for Food Safety: Import control of foods

1

107

3.Procurement of operational equipment by the Hong Kong Police Force

1 - 5

108 - 111

4.Management of signboards by the Buildings Department

1 - 5

112 - 115

5.Radio Television Hong Kong: Provision of programmes

1 - 5

116 - 121

6.Barrier-free facilities at government premises

1 - 5

122 - 125

7.Education Bureau's efforts in harnessing information technology to facilitate learning and teaching

1 - 6

126 - 129

8.Trade and Industry Department's work in supporting small and medium enterprises

1 - 5

130 - 132

9.Training and development work of the Civil Service Training and Development Institute

1 - 5

133 - 136

10.Hong Kong Velodrome and Hong Kong Velodrome Park

1 - 6

137 - 140

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

 
141

CHAPTERS IN THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT'S REPORT NO. 71 DEALT WITH IN THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE'S REPORT

 
142

Appendix relating to Part 1: "Introduction"

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

 
143 - 144

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'

 
145 - 147

Appendix relating to Part 3: "Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Report No. 68 of the Director of Audit on the Results of Value for Money Audits
[P.A.C. Report No. 68]"

Appendix 3Letter dated 21 January 2019 from Director of Lands

 
148 - 150

Appendix relating to Part 4: "Supplemental Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Report No. 68 of the Director of Audit on the Results of Value for Money Audits
[P.A.C. Report No. 68A]"

Appendix 4Letter dated 17 January 2019 from Director of Home Affairs

 
151 - 152

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 2017 and the Results of Value for Money Audits (Report No. 69)
[P.A.C. Report No. 69]"

Appendix 5Location of the five commercial buildings and the five footbridges in the Central District

 
153

Appendix 6Letter dated 29 January 2019 from Director of Environmental Protection

 
154 - 158

Appendix 7Letter dated 18 January 2019 from Secretary for Labour and Welfare

 
159 - 161

Appendix 8Letter dated 16 January 2019 from Director-General of Civil Aviation

 
162 - 164

Appendix 9Letter dated 11 February 2019 from Secretary for Education

 
165 - 170

Appendix 10Consolidated reply dated 29 January 2019 from Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene and Director of Buildings

 
171 - 172

Appendix relating to Part 7: "Committee Proceedings"

Appendix 11Witnesses who appeared before the Committee

 
173

Appendices relating to Chapter 1 of Part 9: "Centre for Food Safety: Management of food safety"

Appendix 12Speech made by the Director of Audit at the public hearing on 10 December 2018

 
174 - 177

Appendix 13Opening statement made by the Secretary for Food and Health at the public hearing on 10 December 2018

 
178 - 179

Appendix 14Opening statement made by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene at the public hearing on 10 December 2018

 
180 - 182

Appendix 15Letter dated 6 December 2018 from Secretary for Food and Health

 
183 - 191

Appendix 16Letter dated 21 December 2018 from Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

 
192 - 193

Appendix 17Letter dated 2 January 2019 from Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

 
194 - 231

Appendix 18Letter dated 21 December 2018 from Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

 
232 - 243

Appendix 19Letter dated 4 January 2019 from Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

 
244 - 260

Appendices relating to Chapter 3 of Part 9: "Procurement of operational equipment by the Hong Kong Police Force"

Appendix 20Consolidated reply dated 2 January 2019 from Secretary for Security and Commissioner of Police

 
261 - 273

Appendix 21Letter dated 28 December 2018 from Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

 
274 - 277

Appendix 22Letter dated 2 January 2019 from Director of Government Logistics

 
278 - 287

Appendix 23Letter dated 31 December 2018 from Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services

 
288 - 290

Appendices relating to Chapter 4 of Part 9: "Management of signboards by the Buildings Department"

Appendix 24Letter dated 7 January 2019 from Director of Buildings

 
291 - 314

Appendix 25Letter dated 1 February 2019 from Director of Buildings

 
315 - 319

Appendices relating to Chapter 5 of Part 9: "Radio Television Hong Kong: Provision of programmes"

Appendix 26Letter dated 4 January 2019 from Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development

 
320 - 323

Appendix 27Letter dated 28 January 2019 from Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development

 
324 - 325

Appendix 28Letter dated 8 January 2019 from Secretary for Education

 
326 - 334

Appendix 29Letter dated 30 January 2019 from Secretary for Education

 
335 - 337

Appendix 30Letter dated 28 December 2018 from Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

 
338 - 339

Appendix 31Letter dated 28 January 2019 from Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

 
340 - 341

Appendix 32Letter dated 4 January 2019 from Director of Broadcasting

 
342 - 509

Appendix 33Letter dated 8 January 2019 from Director of Broadcasting

 
510 - 514

Appendix 34Letter dated 28 January 2019 from Director of Broadcasting

 
515 - 524

Appendices relating to Chapter 6 of Part 9: "Barrier-free facilities at government premises"

Appendix 35Letter dated 8 January 2019 from Secretary for Labour and Welfare

 
525 - 538

Appendix 36Letter dated 7 January 2019 from Director of Buildings

 
539 - 542

Appendix 37Letter dated 4 January 2019 from Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene

 
543 - 548

Appendix 38Letter dated 27 December 2018 from Director of Leisure and Cultural Services

 
549 - 554

Appendix 39Letter dated 3 January 2019 from Director of Architectural Services

 
555 - 556

Appendix 40Letter dated 4 January 2019 from Commissioner for Transport

 
557 - 558

Appendix relating to Chapter 7 of Part 9: "Education Bureau's efforts in harnessing information technology to facilitate learning and teaching"

Appendix 41Letter dated 10 January 2019 from Secretary for Education

 
559 - 578

Appendices relating to Chapter 8 of Part 9: "Trade and Industry Department's work in supporting small and medium enterprises"

Appendix 42Letter dated 28 December 2018 from Director-General of Trade and Industry

 
579 - 596

Appendix 43Letter dated 28 January 2019 from Director-General of Trade and Industry

 
597 - 599

Appendix relating to Chapter 9 of Part 9: "Training and development work of the Civil Service Training and Development Institute"

Appendix 44Letter dated 9 January 2019 from Secretary for the Civil Service

 
600 - 612

Appendices relating to Chapter 10 of Part 9: "Hong Kong Velodrome and Hong Kong Velodrome Park"

Appendix 45Letter dated 4 January 2019 from Director of Architectural Services

 
613 - 618

Appendix 46Letter dated 28 December 2018 from Director of Leisure and Cultural Services

 
619 - 626

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

 
627 - 630