XN000022-1981-11-25 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1981

TRANSFER OF POWERS APPROVED

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A MOTION WAS PASSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY PROVIDING FOR THE TRANSFER OF CERTAIN STATUTORY POWERS RESULTING FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO RE-ORGANISE ITS INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION.

OVING THE MOTION, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PHILIP HADION-CAVE SAID CERTAIN STATUTORY POWERS NEEDED TO BE TRANSFERRED TO AND FROM VARIOUS OFFICERS SO THAT THE NEW SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND THE NEW-STYLE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS COULD ASSUME THE IR NEW ROLES FROM DECEMBER 1.

SIR PHILIP SAID THE MOTION ENSURED THAT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE POST OF SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES BY THE NEW POST OF SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION DID NOT

INVALIDATE ANY INSTRUMENTS OR CONTRACTS RELATING TO LAND IN THE NT ISSUED OR ENTERED INTO BY THE SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES.

HE SAID THAT FOLLOWING THE DISMANTLING OF THE ENVIRONMENT BRANCH AND THE INTENDED. DE-FEDERALISATION OF THE PWD, IT WAS DECIDED TO BRING RESPONSIBILITY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION THROUGHOUT HONG KONG UNDER THE SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION.

+ IN EFFECT,+ HE SAID, THIS POST IS THE SUCCESSOR POST OF SECRETARY FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES AND WILL BE SUPPORTED BY TWO POSTS OF REGIONAL SECRETARY, ONE FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES AND ONE FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON.+

AT THE SAME TIME, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH SHOULD ABSORB THE INFORMATION BRANCH AND TAKE OVER RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL ASPECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AT PRESENT LOCATED IN THE ADMINISTRATION BRANCH, HE SAID.

*THE ROLE OF THE ADMINISTRATION BRANCH IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE SCHEME OF THINGS IN THE FUTURE IS NOW UNDER MY CONSIDERATION, SIR PHILIP SAID.

+WHILST THE DETAILED ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS RESHUFFLING OF FUNCTIONS HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A GOOD DEAL OF WORK ALREADY. IT WILL BE SOME TIME YET BEFORE THE ACTUAL LAYOUT OF THE NEW CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND THE NEW HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH ON THE GROUND, IN TERMS OF BOTH PERSONNEL AND OFFICES, BECOMES APPARENT, HE ADDED.

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