TNAG-1843-FCO40-2618-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 103

The public service

15. The public service currently employs some 180,000 staff. It

consists of a Government Secretariat comprising 16 policy and

resource branches, and 59 departments and agencies. These cover a

wide variety of functions, such as policing, education and social

services, that in many countries are the responsibility of local or municipal authorities. The public service is headed by three senior officials, each of whom has the right of direct access to the

Governor. The Chief Secretary is head of the public service,

advises the Governor on matters of policy, and is principally responsible for its implementation. The Financial Secretary is

responsible for the Government's financial and economic policies,

including the presentation of the annual estimates of revenue and

expenditure to the Legislative Council. The Attorney-General is the

Government's legal adviser and is responsible for the drafting of

all legislation. He has independent responsibility for the conduct

of all prosecutions.

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