CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
30
resource branch, also comes under the aegis of the Chief Secretary. The policy branches whose secretaries report directly to the Financial Secretary are: Economic Services, Monetary Affairs, Trade and Industry, and Works. The Finance Branch, a resource branch, is also responsible to the Financial Secretary. The head of the Finance Branch is the Secretary for the Treasury (previously known as the Deputy Financial Secretary).
With certain exceptions, the heads of government departments are responsible to the branch secretaries for the direction of their departments and the efficient implementation of approved government policy. The exceptions are such bodies as the Audit Department and the Independent Commission Against Corruption, whose independence is safeguarded by their director and commissioner, respectively, reporting directly to the Governor; the Judiciary, which is the responsibility of the Chief Justice, and the Legal Department, which is the responsibility of the Attorney General. There are currently 68 departments and agencies in this structure.
To assist in the co-ordination of government policy, there have been established, under the umbrella of the Chief Secretary's Committee, eight policy groups which bring together branch secretaries in related programme areas. The seven which are chaired by the Chief Secretary are: Community Affairs; Constitutional Affairs; Lands, Works, Transport, Housing and Environmental Protection; Public Service; Social Services; Legal and Security, and Public Relations. The Legal Affairs Policy group is chaired by the Attorney General.
Office of the Commissioner for Administrative Complaints
The Commissioner for Administrative Complaints is an independent authority established under the Commissioner for Administrative Complaints Ordinance to provide, for ordinary citizens, some means whereby an independent person outside the public service can investigate, and report on, grievances arising from administrative decisions, acts, recommendations or omissions. The commissioner has jurisdiction over all government departments except the Royal Hong Kong Police Force and the Independent Commission Against Corruption. However, he is an ex-officio member of both the Police Complaints Committee and the Independent Commission Against Corruption Complaints Committee, which oversee investigations into complaints made against members of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force and the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
The establishment of the commissioner is designed to supplement and strengthen existing channels for the redress of grievances, but not to replace them.
The commissioner's office came into operation in March 1989. As required by law, a complaint lodged with the commissioner has to be referred to him by a member of the Legislative Council other than an official member with the complainant's agreement to such a referral.
On December 1, 1991, the commissioner's jurisdiction was extended to cover the Hospital Authority which took over the management of all public hospitals from the Hospital Services Department from the same date.
Between January 1 and December 31, 1991, a total of 198 complaints were received by the office. Together with 52 cases carried over from the previous year, there were in all 250 cases for disposal. During the year, 196 cases were completed. Of these, 152 were investigated, and 24 (15.8 per cent) were found to be substantiated in whole and 44 (28.9 per cent) in part. In 84 cases (55.3 per cent), the complaints were found to be