XN000022-1982-11-11 — Page 4

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1982

+BUT, AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE, I AM NOT IN FAVOUR OF CREATING A NEW SECRETARY TO DEAL WITH POLICY MATTERS FOR A SINGLE PROGRAMME AREA WHICH IS ALSO HANDLED BY A HEAD OF DEPARTMENT OF EQUAL SENIORITY, AS THIS TENDS TO LEAD TO A DUPLICATION OF EFFORT AND CONFUSION OVER RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES, HE SAID.

+NOR WOULD I CONSIDER IT ESSENTIAL FOR A PROFESSIONALLY QUALIFIED OFFICER TO FILL SUCH A POST, EVEN IF IT WAS CREATED ALTHOUGH, CONSISTENT WITH THE POLICY OF OPENING UP ALL DIRECTORATE LEVEL POSTS TO MEMBERS OF DEPARTMENTAL CADRES AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE, THERE WOULD BE NO REASON WHY IT SHOULD NOT BE. +

SIR PHILIP SAID HE ACCEPTED THAT THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES DID DESERVE MORE ATTENTION AT THE HIGHEST POLICY LEVEL- AND THIS WOULD BE DONE BY REMOVING RESPONSIBILITY FOR REHABILITATION AND LABOUR MATTERS FROM THE PRESENT SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND RETITLING HIS POST.

AT THE SAME TIME, HE SAID, RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND HYGIENE, SUBJECTS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE HEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY, WOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE NEW SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE FROM THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS.

SIR PHILIP SAID THIS WOULD ALSO ENABLE THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS TO DEVOTE MORE ATTENTION TO SOME OF HIS OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE RELATING TO INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE MONITORING OF PUBLIC OPINION.

+HE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO IDENTIFYING PEOPLE OF THE RIGHT CALIBRE AND EXPERIENCE TO MAN OUR EVER DEVELOPING NETWORK OF ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, HE ADDED.

ON THE RE-TITLING OF SECRETARY FOR CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION TO SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, SIR PHILIP SAID THIS WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE RECENT STANDARDISATION OF THE TITLES OF DISTRICT STAFF THROUGH THE URBAN AREAS AND THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE SCHEDULE OF RESPONSIBILITIES WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED.

+HIS CONSTANT PRE-OCCUPATION WILL, OF COURSE, BE THE NURTURING OF THE DISTRICT BOARD SYSTEM AND HE, TOGETHER WITH THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, WILL BE CONCERNED WITH RESOLVING ANY IMMEDIATE INTERFACE PROBLEMS WHICH MAY ARISE BETWEEN DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE VARIOUS SUBJECT-ORIENTED ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, OR BETWEEN THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS.

+ IN THE LONGER TERM, HE WILL EVENTUALLY BE CONCERNED WITH ANY MODIFICATION TO THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION SCHEME WHICH MAY BE INDICATED BY EXPERIENCE AND LONGER TERMS INTERFACE PROBLEMS.+

ON THE CREATION OF THE POST OF HONG KONG TRADE COMMISSIONER IN THE UNITED STATES, SIR PHILIP SAID THERE WAS NOW AN OBVIOUS CASE FOR HAVING A MULTI-PURPOSE PRESENCE IN THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE AS WELL AS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

ACCORDINGLY, HE SAID, IT HAD BEEN DECIDED TO EXPAND AND UPGRADE THE LEVEL OF OUR REPRESENTATION IN THE UNITED STATES BY OPENING A NEW OFFICE IN NEW YORK. THE OFFICER IN CHARGE WOULD BE KNOWN AS THE HONG KONG TRADE COMMISSIONER IN THE UNITED STATES.

/+HIS RESPONSIBILITIES