ENG-1980 — Page 326

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

243

the objective of working out service-wide strategies for improving staff management. The division also has the responsibility of identifying and reviewing any civil service policies and practices which may lead to staff problems, and suggesting remedies.

The Standing Commission on Civil Service Salaries and Conditions of Service con- solidated and developed its first year's work in three main areas. It continued its regular programme of meetings with staff associations; made recommendations to the government, following a detailed review of grades not covered in its report on pay levels in October, 1979; and recommended changes in the existing arrangements for consultations with staff. Following submission of its various recommendations in September, 1980, the commission began an examination of the government's overall pay policy as one of its major priorities. In addition, the commission gave separate advice on restructuring the upper ends of civil service pay scales to restore the differentials between senior civil servants and the staff they supervised, and these recommendations were accepted in July 1980.

Prior to March 31, 1980, the establishment of each post in the civil service required the approval of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council, assisted by the advice of its Establishment Sub-committee. Since that date, a system has been introduced, on a trial basis, under which posts below the directorate level in a department may be submitted to a Departmental Establishment Committee for consideration and then to the Controlling Officer of the department for creation, redeployment or deletion. Despite this delegation, however, the controlling officer of a department is subject to a ceiling on the size of his departmental establishment, as authorised by the Finance Branch every year. The establish- ment of posts at the Directorate level, however, continues to require the approval of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council.

Recruitment and promotions in the civil service in the middle and senior ranks are subject to the advice of the Public Service Commission. This was set up in 1950 and is independent of the government. The commission also advises the government on discipline cases. There is a full-time chairman of the commission and leading citizens are appointed as members on a part-time voluntary basis.

Overall responsibility for recruitment, promotion, conditions of service, staff relations, pay, training, discipline and structure of the civil service lies with the Civil Service Branch of the Government Secretariat.

Government Secretariat

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 Financial Secretary is responsible for financial and economic policy, and for the overall supervision of departments primarily involved in this field.

The Government Secretariat is organised into eight policy and two resource branches, a branch dealing with the machinery of government and a branch dealing with New Ter- ritories 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: Environ- ment, Economic Services, Home Affairs, Information, Housing, Security, Social Services,

Civil Service and Finance and Monetary Affairs. The two resource branches

deal with the government's personnel and finances.

―

A political adviser, seconded from the Foreign Office, advises on the external political aspects of government policies.