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Constitution and Administration
development as well as innovation and technology matters. The Financial Secretary exercises control over the Exchange Fund with the assistance of the Monetary Authority and is a member of the Executive Council.
The Financial Secretary is also in charge of the Government Budget and is responsible under the Public Finance Ordinance for laying before the Legislative Council each year the government's estimates of revenue and expenditure. The Financial Secretary outlines in the annual Budget speech the government's vision and policies for sustainable economic development, presents budgetary proposals and moves the Appropriation Bill, which gives legal effect to the annual expenditure proposals in the Budget.
Central Policy Unit
The Central Policy Unit provides advice on policy issues to the Chief Executive, the Chief Secretary for Administration and the Financial Secretary and submits reports directly to them.
The unit consults widely with the business, professional, academic and political communities and concerned groups. It undertakes in-depth examinations of complex policy issues, analyses options, conducts soundings of community views and recommends solutions for the government's internal consideration. It also carries out policy research covering the social, political and economic spheres, and coordinates the annual Policy Address exercise.
In addition, the unit provides secretariat support to the Commission on Strategic Development, which advises the Chief Executive on Hong Kong's long-term and overall development needs and goals with particular reference to the issues, direction and strategy related to the city's social, economic and political developments. The commission is chaired by the Chief Executive, with three ex-officio members, namely the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary and the Head of the Central Policy Unit; and 32 non-official members drawn from a broad cross-section of the community, including professionals, academics, politicians and people from the business and labour sectors.
Efficiency Unit
The Efficiency Unit reports to the Chief Secretary for Administration. It provides management consultancy to help government agencies improve the quality and value of public services, and helps develop new service models for more engaging and effective public services. The unit also provides support to the Commission on Poverty's Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund Task Force to promote innovation in addressing social needs.
The unit runs the government contact centre 1823 and the Gov.HK website's youth portal. These projects provide insight into public concerns and emerging trends that help the unit develop ideas for adapting and improving services to meet community needs.
Advisory and Statutory Bodies
About 5,400 members of the public serve on the roughly 470 advisory and statutory bodies which are a distinctive feature of the system of government. These bodies tap professional expertise in the community and allow a wide cross-section of the community and relevant
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