CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION
Government officials and members of the public are represented on these bodies. About 5 000 members of the public have been appointed to serve on around 370 bodies, and some serve on more than one. These people are appointed in view of their specialist knowledge or expertise, their record or interest in contributing to community service, and the specific needs of the concerned bodies.
The Government regularly keeps in view the composition and operation of the advisory and statutory bodies to ensure that they meet the needs of the community. A reasonable turnover of membership is generally maintained to ensure the inflow of new ideas. At the same time, these bodies adopt a number of transparency measures, including issuing press releases, holding press briefings and opening up meetings, so as to promote the public's understanding of their work. Membership lists of all these bodies are also uploaded onto the Internet to facilitate public inspection of the relevant information.
The Administration
Role of the Chief Secretary for Administration
The Chief Secretary for Administration is responsible to the Chief Executive for the formulation of government policies and their implementation. As the head of the Public Service, the Chief Secretary for Administration is one of the Chief Executive's principal advisers, along with the Financial Secretary and the Secretary for Justice. The Chief Secretary for Administration exercises direction primarily as head of the Government Secretariat, the central organisation comprising the secretaries of the policy bureaux and resource bureaux and their staff. The Chief Secretary for Administration also deputises for the Chief Executive when he is not able to discharge his duties for a short period, and is the Senior Official Member of the Executive Council.
Role of the Financial Secretary
The Financial Secretary, who reports directly to the Chief Executive, is responsible for the Government's fiscal, monetary and economic policies. He oversees the operations of the Finance, Financial Services, Trade and Industry, Economic Services, and Works Bureaux of the Government Secretariat, and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. He also chairs several committees, including the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee, the Economic 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 a confidential source of advice to meet the special requirements of the Chief Executive, the Chief Secretary for Administration and the Financial Secretary and reports direct to them.
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