TNAG-0916-FCO40-1127-Policy-on-salaries-and-pensions-for-civil-servants-in-Hong-K-1979 — Page 121

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53.

The Consultative Document raised three issues connected with incremental progression which we consider could be dealt with separately.

(a)

(b)

(c)

Efficiency Bars

(i) Efficiency bars are points in an incremental scale beyond which an officer cannot progress unless certified as efficient by his Head of Department. We are satisfied from the information we have received that they are ineffective unless an examination is involved. We therefore recommend that, except where passage over the bar requires success in an examination, efficiency bars be abolished.

(ii) Our recommendation is subject to other satisfactory arrangements being made to stop the incremental progression of the inefficient officer. We recommend, therefore, that no action be taken on our recommendation to abolish efficiency bars until such time as Civil Service Regulations have been amended to provide that an officer's increment may be withheld on the grounds of inefficiency as well as for misconduct or lack of diligence.

(iii) Where the passage of an efficiency bar involves success in an examination, it is for consideration whether the bar might be better described as a promotion bar within a combined two rank establishment, but we make no recommendation on this issue at this stage.

Bracketed Points

Bracketed points are a system whereby an officer receives an extra increment, or exceptionally two extra increments, on confirmation to the permanent and pensionable establishment. We see no justification for the practice of awarding extra increments on confirmation and recommend that it be discontinued. The argument that they are in keeping with the

practice in the private sector is not in our opinion valid. Civil service entry points already take account of the increase granted in the private sector after a short trial period of usually six months.

Omitted Points

We are still not entirely clear why a small number of civil service salary scales include provision for a civil servant to jump points in the scale. Primarily it would appear that they are to provide an improved scale for certain professions or occupations where

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