ENG-1988 — Page 53

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CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

is the responsibility of the Attorney General. There are currently 59 departments and agencies in this structure.

To assist in the co-ordination of government policy, there have been established under the umbrella of the Chief Secretary's Committee seven policy groups which bring together branch secretaries in related programme areas. The five which are chaired by the Chief Secretary are the Community Affairs; Constitutional Affairs; Lands, Works, Transport, Housing and Environmental Protection; Public Services; and Social Services Policy Group. The Legal Affairs Policy Group is chaired by the Attorney General, and the Finance Group is chaired by the Financial Secretary.

Office of the Commissioner for Administrative Complaints

In August 1986, the government published a consultative document entitled 'Redress of Grievances', inviting public comments on the adequacy of the existing systems for the redress of grievances and on options for improving those systems. Following public consultation, the government accepted that an independent authority should be established to deal with complaints alleging maladministration. The Commissioner for Administrative Complaints Ordinance was enacted on July 20, 1988.

The ordinance provides for the establishment of a Commissioner for Administrative Complaints. It is intended to provide, for the ordinary citizen, some means whereby an independent person outside the public service can investigate, and report on, grievances arising from administrative decisions, acts, recommendations or omissions. The establish- ment of the commissioner is designed to supplement and strengthen the existing channels for the redress of grievances, but not to replace them.

The commissioner's office will come into operation in early 1989. Though funded by the government, the office will not be a government department.

The commissioner will be able to investigate complaints alleging maladministration against all government departments, except the Police Force and the Independent Commis- sion Against Corruption, which already have independent authorities overseeing com- plaints against them.

Foreign Relations

The Role of the British Government and the Political Adviser

Because of Hong Kong's status as a dependent territory, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is constitutionally responsible to the British Parliament for the actions of the Hong Kong Government and he has authority to give directions to the Governor of Hong Kong. In practice, however, such formal directions have not been issued in living memory, and Hong Kong conducts its affairs with a high degree of autonomy in all domestic matters.

The relationship between London and Hong Kong is also essentially one of co-operation. For example, one important task regularly undertaken by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is to ensure that Hong Kong's interests and views (which are not always identical with those of the United Kingdom) are properly considered within the British govern- ment machinery, particularly when new policies are being formulated by other Whitehall departments.

Hong Kong's foreign relations are constitutionally the direct responsibility of the British Government. Thus the British Government is internationally responsible for ensuring that the Hong Kong Government fulfils its obligations under the many international conven-