TNAG-1361-FCO40-1807-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 70

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The efforts which the Financial Secretary made in restraining the growth of the establishment and size of various government departments are reflected clearly in the Draft Estimates. Some departments even have a negative growth. This is an encouraging sign. However, in restraining the growth of various departments, it is obvious that the Government has given preferential treatment to the request of disciplinary departments, especially the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. While other departments have only insignificant growth or are allowed to increase staff only for the provision of new services (such as new hospitals), the size of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force has grown year after year. Besides, there were upgrading of posts, for example, from the rank of Chief Inspector to that of Superintendent, and from Superintendent to Senior Superintendent etc. From the 1984-85 Report of the Establishment Sub-committee of the Finance Committee, one can see that part of the justifications for staff increase in the Royal Hong Kong Police Force is merely the increase in workload which is more or less similar to the justifications put up by other departments. However it appeared that the Police Force has been given preferential treatment and approval. In recent years, automation has been introduced in the Police Force with advanced equipment to handle the work, but the demand on staff resources has not dropped but rather has increased. This is worth a careful study and review.

According to existing arrangements, heads of

departments, as controlling officers, are authorized to create or delete non-directorate posts in their respective departments upon the recommendation of Departmental Establishment Committees provided that the total personal emoluments of the department concerned after the creation/deletion do not exceed a certain amount which is the total sum of the notional annual

mid-point salary of all non-directorate posts in the department. In the Royal Hong Kong Police Force, the total NAMS value of non-directorate posts is $1,839 million as shown in the Draft Estimates, but this can still be increased to $1,891 million. In other words, the Commissioner of Police