TNAG-0916-FCO40-1127-Policy-on-salaries-and-pensions-for-civil-servants-in-Hong-K-1979 — Page 10

G.S. 84

XCR (79)236

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The alternative method would have been to invite comments, and to consider the Report and the comments on it in detail before deciding which proposals should be accepted or rejected. This method was not adopted because it would have intensified the attempts by staff associations to persuade or intimidate the Administration into changing the Report's recommendations, and because any such changes (apart from corrections of actual errors or omissions) would call into question the authority of the Commission. In effect, to examine the proposals in detail would mean duplicating the work of the Commission.

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In general, the Report's recommendations, if accepted and implemented, will introduce major improvements in the delicate and complex field of civil service pay. Certain aspects are particularly noteworthy:

(a) The grouping of grades by qualifications and structure,

and the listing of the factors which justify departure from the basic benchmark entry point, produce a rational system for setting pay which is considerably more explicit than in the past as to how the pay scales recommended have been calculated. This should reduce the scope for argument, although it will not of course remove it entirely.

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

The changes in individual grade pay scales have gone a considerable way to remove anomalous scales which have been the basis of pay claims by grades less favourably treated. However, some particularly anomalous scales are necessarily left for more detailed examination. Anomalous structures which have been the focus of envy are recommended to be rationalised.

Broadbanding of pay scales has been considerably extended, with pay scales standardised at lower levels than before, so again reducing the scope for pay claims based on internal comparisons.

The simpler conversion rules proposed also result in increases to the bottom of a pay scale having no effect on the majority of officers on the scale. While this will not be very popular in the short term, it should in future mean that changes to the bottom of scales are much less controversial because they will cease to be of much interest to officers already serving on that scale.

The number of ranks and grades has been reduced by recommending the merging of various departmental ranks and the increased use of general grades, as proposed in Report No 1. Altogether, 43 ranks are to be merged with other departmental ranks and 22 ranks are to be absorbed in general grades.

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