The Chief Executive is the head of the Government of the HKSAR. The Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary or the Secretary for Justice are to deputise for the Chief Executive during his temporary absence.

    There are currently 11 bureaux, each headed by a Director of Bureau, which collectively form the Government Secretariat. There are 68 departments and agencies whose heads are responsible to the Directors of Bureaux for the direction of their departments and the efficient implementation of approved polices. The exceptions are the Audit Commission, the independence of which is safeguarded by having the Director's report submitted directly to the Legislative Council; and the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Office of The Ombudsman, whose independence is safeguarded by having the Commissioner's and The Ombudsman's reports submitted directly to the Chief Executive.

    Following the implementation of the Accountability System for Principal Officials on July 1, 2002, the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary, the Secretary for Justice and the 11 Directors of Bureaux are no longer civil servants. They are directly responsible to the Chief Executive and are accountable to him for matters falling within the portfolios as assigned to them. They are appointed to the Executive Council. Together with five non-official members of the Executive Council, they assist the Chief Executive in policy-making.

Role of the Chief Secretary for Administration

The Chief Secretary for Administration is the leading Principal Official of the HKSAR Government. He is a member of the Executive Council and the most senior among the three Secretaries of Departments available to deputise for the Chief Executive.

    The Chief Secretary for Administration assists the Chief Executive in supervising the policy bureaux as directed by him and plays a key role in ensuring harmonisation in policy formulation and implementation. This is particularly important in areas that cut across policy bureaux.

    The Chief Secretary for Administration also covers specific priority areas of the Chief Executive's policy agenda, and is responsible for forging a closer and more effective working relationship with the Legislative Council and for drawing up the Government's legislative programme. The Chief Secretary for Administration exercises statutory functions vested in him by law, such as those concerning certain public bodies and the handling of appeals.

Role of the Financial Secretary

The Financial Secretary reports directly to the Chief Executive. Working closely with the relevant Directors of Bureaux, his primary duty is to oversee policy formulation and implementation in financial, monetary, economic and employment matters. He also chairs several important committees, including the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee and the Banking Advisory Committee.

    The Financial Secretary is responsible under the Public Finance Ordinance for laying before the Legislative Council each year the Government's estimates of revenue and expenditure. In his annual budget speech, he outlines the Government's budgetary proposals and moves the Appropriation Bill, which gives legal effect to the annual expenditure proposals contained in the Budget.

Role of the Central Policy Unit

The Central Policy Unit provides advice on policy issues to meet the special requirements of the Chief Executive, the Chief Secretary for Administration and the Financial Secretary and reports direct to them.

    The unit consults widely with business and professional circles, political organisations and concern groups and the academic community. It undertakes in-depth examination of complex policy issues, analyses options, takes soundings of community feedback and recommends solutions for the Government's internal consideration. The unit is responsible for coordinating the annual Policy Address exercise. It also provides secretariat support for the Commission on Strategic Development, which is chaired by the Chief Executive.

Role of the Efficiency Unit

The Efficiency Unit reports directly to the Chief Secretary for Administration and is tasked with pursuing the Government's commitment to transforming the management and delivery of public services so that the community's needs are met in the most effective and efficient manner. The unit works in partnership with client bureaux and departments across the Government to identify opportunities for performance enhancement, design practical solutions, develop compelling business cases, and secure effective implementation.

    The unit has played a major role in many important reform initiatives: the creation of trading funds; customer service improvements, including the development of the performance pledge programme; and the design and implementation of an integrated call centre. A major initiative in 2002 was to develop and present a Management Forum for 14 000 senior civil servants that was designed to create a common understanding of the 'Asia's world city' vision and of the need for the Civil Service to embrace change so as to achieve the goals of that vision.

    Other major aspects of the unit's work include greater involvement of the private sector in delivering public services, for example through outsourcing and public private partnerships; and the undertaking of major re-engineering projects particularly where this is required to make real gains from the adoption of new technology. All the work of the unit is focused on enhancing the quality of public services at the same time as seeking greater efficiency in the use of limited public resources.

Sustainable Development Unit

The Sustainable Development Unit, established under the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, helps oversee the integration of sustainability principles within the Government and promotes sustainable development in the community.

    One of the unit's major tasks is to implement a sustainability assessment system. From April 2002, all bureaux and departments are required to conduct sustainability assessments of their major initiatives and programmes, and explain their sustainability implications when making submissions to the Executive Council. During the year, the unit issued publications and reports, organised roving exhibitions and took part in a range of forums and seminars aimed at explaining and exploring issues relating to sustainable development. In June, the unit hosted an international symposium on the theme of Sustainability and the City, bringing together stakeholders and experts from overseas, the Mainland, Macau and Hong Kong to exchange views on ways to build a sustainable future.