4.
Members have asked me to produce "a copy of the ICAC Investigation Report forwarded to the Administration for consideration as to whether any administrative and disciplinary action was necessary." I should explain that what was sent to me by the Commissioner was a letter with certain enclosures. I have taken the advice of the Commissioner and I am prepared to disclose the letter to the Committee and do my best to answer any questions thereon, in camera. Members will appreciate however that there are limits to the extent to which the inner-workings of the ICAC can be revealed without compromising its future operations and I propose therefore that further discussion on the issue be conducted in camera.
End
Chief Secretary's press statement
The following is the transcript of the Chief Secretary, Mrs Anson Chan's press statement today (Wednesday) after attending a Legislative Council Select Committee meeting on Mr Laurence Leung's departure:
Chief Secretary: I am very glad to have this opportunity to appear before the select committee in order to clarify the reasons as to why we proceeded against Mr Leung and asked for his retirement from the civil service. I stressed the reasons we have already laid out very, very clearly. They have everything to do with his conduct, with his integrity and it was because he had breached fairly blatantly these regulations and rules that we no longer had confidence in his ability to continue to lead a very important disciplinary force.
I particularly feel it important to maintain the very high standard of integrity and probity that we expect of senior officers in the civil service, particularly officers who are in charge of disciplinary forces. It is crucially important to maintain the reputation of the civil service, particularly given the community's concern about maintenance of a high standard of behaviour and conduct in the civil service after 1997.
We feel within the administration that based on the actions and omissions of Mr Leung, there was full justification in requiring him to leave the service. I made it quite plain that other than the reasons that have already been clearly stated, there are no political motives. I stress, no political motives. I also clarified that we have no reason to believe and no evidence to suggest that any of the systems operated within the Immigration Department have in any way been compromised. I very much hope of course that the inquiry can be brought to a close speedily.