CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
The Role of the Political Adviser
The Political Adviser is a senior member of the British Diplomatic Service, seconded to the Hong Kong Government principally to advise on relations with China and matters pertaining specifically to Britain's responsibilities in Hong Kong, the requirement for which will cease in 1997. The office is part of the Hong Kong Government.
The Political Adviser's office, in conjunction with the Constitutional Affairs Branch, is closely involved in the work of implementing the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong. The Political Adviser is, ex officio, a member of the UK side of the Joint Liaison Group.
The Political Adviser's office is also a communication channel between the Hong Kong Government and foreign and Commonwealth missions in the territory. However, in most day-to-day matters these missions deal directly with the relevant departments of the Hong Kong Government.
The Public Service
The Public Service employs about six per cent of Hong Kong's workforce. It provides staff for all government departments and other units of the administration. At October 1, 1996, the total strength of the Public Service was 184 000. More than 99 per cent are local officers.
Overall responsibility for the management of the Public Service lies with the Civil Service Branch of the Government Secretariat. The branch deals policies and case work on such matters as appointments, pay and conditions of service, staff management, manpower planning, training and discipline. It is also the focal point for consultation with the principal staff associations. In addition, its General Grades Office manages the 30 000 executive, clerical and secretarial staff.
The principle of open and fair competition is the cornerstone of the government's appointment policy which aims to recruit the 'best person for the job'. The appointment process is open, transparent and non-discriminatory. For checks and balances, recruitment and promotion to the middle and senior ranks of the Civil Service are subject to the advice of the Public Service Commission, an independent statutory body comprising a full-time chairman and prominent citizens serving as members.
The government is advised on matters relating to pay and conditions of service by four independent bodies — the Standing Committees on: Directorate Salaries and Conditions of Service (senior officers); Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service (judicial officers); and Disciplined Services Salaries and Conditions of Service (the disciplined services); plus the Standing Commission on Civil Service Salaries and Conditions of Service (all other civil servants).
There are four main types of terms of appointment in the Civil Service: local permanent and pensionable (P&P) terms, local agreement terms, overseas P&P terms and overseas agreement terms. Local candidates are normally appointed on local P&P terms and receive local conditions of service.
Localisation of the Civil Service is a long-established policy of the government, dating from 1950 when the Public Service Commission came into being. Since then, recruitment of overseas candidates has been considered only when there are no fully
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