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(i)
the organisation of the Government Secretariat;
(j) the administrative functions of government departments.
Educational services
3.3
Education, like other public services, is administered within
the civil service according to a centrally co-ordinated system under the
Chief Secretary. The Chief Secretary is the Governor's principal adviser
on policy, the chief executive of the government, the head of the civil
service and the chief government spokesman. His office, the Government
Secretariat, co-ordinates and supervises the work of all government
departments. The Government Secretariat is organised at present into
eight policy branches, two resource branches, a branch dealing with the
machinery of government and a branch dealing with New Territories'
affairs. Each branch, except the Administration Branch, is headed by
a secretary. The policy branches are based on programme areas, as
indicated by their titles: Economic Services, Environment, Home Affairs,
Information, Housing, Security, Social Services, and Monetary Affairs.
The creation of a ninth policy branch Education was announced in
November 1980, but it will not become operational until late 1981. The
two resource branches (Civil Service and Finance) deal with the
government's personnel and finances.
3.4
The policy branches of the Government Secretariat are based on
programme areas (corresponding in all major respects with the programme
areas of the Development Plan described in chapter 4). Under this system,
the Secretary for Social Services is at present responsible for co-
ordinating and supervising medical and health, education, social welfare,
labour and rehabilitation programmes: responsibility for education,
however, will be transferred in due course to the Secretary for Education.
The areas covered by most of these programmes are largely confined to
specific government departments, though others (particularly rehabilitation)
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