HONG KONG 2004 - Constitution and Administration

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 deputise for the Chief Executive during his temporary absence.

There are 11 bureaux, each headed by a Director of Bureau, which collectively form the Government Secretariat. There are 61 departments and agencies whose heads are responsible to the Directors of Bureaux for the direction of their departments and the efficient implementation of approved policies. 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.

The Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary, the Secretary for Justice and the 11 Directors of Bureaux (also known as Secretaries of Bureaux) are politically appointed Principal Officials. They are directly responsible to the Chief Executive and accountable to him for matters falling within their respective portfolios. They are all appointed to the Executive Council.

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 which 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.

The Financial Secretary reports directly to the Chief Executive. Working closely with the relevant Directors of Bureaux, he oversees policy formulation and implementation in financial, monetary, economic, trade and employment matters. He also chairs several important committees, including the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee, and the Economic and Employment Council.

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 vision and policies for sustainable economic development, and he presents budgetary proposals and moves the Appropriation Bill, which gives legal effect to the annual expenditure proposals contained in the Budget.

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, including research on the Pearl River Delta, 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.

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 bureaux and departments 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; the design and implementation of an integrated call centre; and supporting the introduction of public-private partnership initiatives. All the work of the unit is focused on enhancing the quality of public service delivery at the same time as seeking greater efficiency in the use of limited public resources through the adoption of new technology and harnessing the innovation and resources of the private sector.

The Sustainable Development Unit, established under the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, promotes sustainable development in both the Government and the community, and provides secretariat support to the Council for Sustainable Development.

The council was appointed by the Chief Executive in March 2003 to promote sustainable development in Hong Kong. The council launched an engagement exercise in 2004, with a view to engaging the community in the formulation of a Sustainable Development Strategy for Hong Kong. An invitation and response document, Sustainable Development — Making Choices for Our Future, was issued in July 2004 for a four-month public consultation. The council plans to submit its recommendations on the way forward for sustainable policies for Hong Kong in 2005.

One of the unit's major tasks is to implement a sustainability assessment system within the Government to facilitate the integration of sustainability considerations in the decision-making process. All bureaux and departments are required to conduct sustainability assessments of their major initiatives and programmes, and explain the sustainability implications in their submissions to the Executive Council.