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London Office
CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
The London Office, at 6 Grafton Street, W1, is a projection in Britain of the Hong Kong Government. The Commissioner provides a point of direct contact in London between Hong Kong and departments of the British Government, Members of Parliament, and organisations with an interest in Hong Kong.
The London Office keeps under review British commercial, economic and industrial developments and official thinking on world-wide trade policies, and advises the Hong Kong Government about the likely repercussions of these developments on Hong Kong. It is concerned with the welfare of Hong Kong residents in Britain, maintains contact with them, and helps with problems arising from their living in Britain or relating to their families and interests in Hong Kong. It operates well-developed publicity services aimed at projecting Hong Kong's image to the British public and the Chinese community in Britain. It also has special sections to look after the interests of Hong Kong students, including nurses and government trainees in Britain.
The Appointments Division of the London Office is responsible for all government recruitment in Britain. The division also recruits people of Hong Kong origin in the United Kingdom to the civil service, and liaises closely with various official bodies in Britain concerned with recruiting expatriate staff.
The London Office is responsible for a training course in Oxford designed for young Chinese administrative officers on probation. They study management, international rela- tions and government for one academic year.
Subsidiary offices are maintained in Manchester and Edinburgh to enable the London Office to develop its welfare and liaison services among the Hong Kong Chinese communities in the north of England and Scotland.
Government Departments
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The administrative functions of the government are discharged by 49 departments, most of which are organised on a functional basis and have responsibilities covering all of Hong Kong. This form of organisation, rather than one based on authorities with responsibilities for limited geographical areas, is considered to be the most appropriate for this small, compact territory. However, there is a necessary and growing regional element in the way in which many departments are organised, and this is particularly important in the exten- sion of services to the new towns of the New Territories.
Home Affairs Department
One of the main functions of the Home Affairs Department is to monitor public opinion on current affairs, assess public response to proposed government policies and activities, and to promote better understanding, particularly where government activities are causing dissatisfaction. This function is generally achieved by personal contact with all sectors of the community. Other means of ascertaining public reaction are through the monitoring of talk-back radio programmes, complaints made at City District Offices, correspondence in the daily newspapers, public consultations on major policy issues, and the conducting of public opinion surveys.
In discharging its various functions, the department maintains close contact with un- official bodies such as the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Po Leung Kuk, kaifong associa- tions, district and clansmen's associations, mutual aid committees, multi-storey building owners' corporations, and religious and charitable organisations.