TNAG-1606-FCO40-22121-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 82

Question No 10

Written reply by Chief Secretary

to a question by Dr Hon Conrad Lam

at the Legislative Council on 25 March 1987

Question: With regard to the adoption of the "Secretary" system following the recommendation of the 1973 McKinsey Report, will Government inform this Council whether it has conducted any review of the pros and cons of the system, with particular reference to the suitability and effectiveness of having a large number of the key policy making posts to be held by generalists as against departmental/professional officers?

Sir:

The "Secretary" system which was adopted in 1973, following recommendations in the McKinsey Report, has served the Administration well. The strength of the system lies in the division of responsibility among Secretaries according to programme areas, not departments, so that there is effective co-ordination of related

of related activities of several departments. The system is also flexible enough to enable changes in

programmes

be made quickly

to changing circumstances. Over the years, the structure and organisation of the Government Secretariat have been adjusted from time to time to take account of the changing needs of the community.

to

in

response