WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1983
5
TRANSFER OF STATUTORY POWERS
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A MOTION DEALING WITH THE NECESSARY TRANSFER OF STATUTORY POWERS ARISING FROM THE RE-ORGANISATION OF CERTAIN POLICY BRANCHES IN THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, WAS MOVED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
IN DOING SO, SIR PHILIP EXPLAINED THAT THE OPPORTUNITY WAS TAKEN ALSO TO CLEAR UP SOME OTHER OUTSTANDING ORGANISATIONAL CHANGES.
+FIRST. THERE ARE SEVERAL ORDINANCES UNDER WHICH BOTH THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS AND THE EXISTING SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION WHO IS TO BE RETITLED THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, EXERCISE STATUTORY AUTHORITY IN RESPECT OF MATTERS AFFECTING THE URBAN AREAS AND THE NEW TERRITORIES RESPECTIVELY,
+NOW THAT BOTH SECRETARIES HAVE TERRITORY-WIDE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR SUBJECTS UNDER THE IR PURVIEW, THE MOTION SEEKS TO TRANSFER THE STATUTORY AUTHORITIES TO THE SECRETARIES CONCERNED.
+SECONDLY, CONSEQUENT TO THE TRANSFER OF RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS FROM THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS TO THE NEW SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, SOME RELATED STATUTORY POWERS NEED TO BE TRANSFERRED, SIR PHILIP SAID.
THE MOTION ALSO SOUGHT TO TRANSFER FROM THE SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF HOME AFFAIRS TO THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, CERTAIN STATUTORY FUNCTIONS UNDER THE INCORPORATION ORDINANCE OF THE PO LEUNG KUK, THE TUNG WAH GROUP OF HOSPITALS AND THE POK OI HOSPITAL AND THE YAN CHAI HOSPITAL, SIR PHILIP EXPLAINED.
HE SAID THE MOTION AROSE FROM CERTAIN DECISIONS HE HAD ANNOUNCED IN THE COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 11 LAST YEAR +TO ACHIEVE MORE APPROPRIATE GROUPS OF POLICY PROGRAMMES AND A BETTER BALANCE OF RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN POLICY BRANCHES OF THE GOVERNMENT
SECRETARIAT.+
SIR PHILIP SAID THE POSTINGS OF VARIOUS SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICERS ANNOUNCED IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN MISINTERPRETED, IF NOT ACTUALLY MISUNDERSTOOD, IN SOME CIRCLES.
+AS I SAID AT THE TIME, THERE IS AN OPTIMUM PERIOD OF SERVICE IN ANY SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE POST. IF THE BEST USE IS TO BE MADE OF AVAILABLE TALENT, SIR PHILIP SAID.
THERE WERE