ENG-1995 — Page 45

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

Role of the Central Policy Unit

The Central Policy Unit provides a confidential source of advice to meet the special requirements of the Governor, the Chief Secretary and the Financial Secretary and reports directly to them. It seeks to combine the organisational strengths and expertise of the Civil Service with the best features of private sector practice.

The unit consults widely with business and professional circles, political organisa- tions and pressure groups and the academic community. It undertakes in-depth examinations of complex policy issues, analyses options and recommends practical solutions.

Much of its work is related to the annual Policy Address and Budget exercises. Other issues, which often cut across or fall between the boundaries of several policy branches or government departments, are assigned on a case-by-case basis. In 1995, the unit produced some 350 reports and papers on a wide range of economic, social, administrative, political and other issues.

Role of the Efficiency Unit

The Efficiency Unit was established in May 1992 and reports to the Chief Secretary. Its objective is to pursue the government's commitment to improve services to the community and to enhance openness and accountability by formulating, securing support for, and overseeing, the implementation of public sector reform.

The Structure of the Administration

The Hong Kong Government is organised into branches and departments. The branches, each headed by a policy secretary, collectively form the Government Secretariat. There are 13 policy branches, and two resource branches concerned with finance and the Public Service.

There are 71 departments and agencies whose heads are, with some exceptions, responsible to the branch secretaries for the direction of their departments and the efficient implementation of approved policy. The exceptions are the Audit Department, the independence of which is safeguarded by the Director reporting directly to the Legislative Council; the Independent Commission Against Corrup- tion and the Office of the Commissioner for-Administrative Complaints, whose independence is safeguarded by having the Commissioners report directly to the Governor; the Judiciary, which is the responsibility of the Chief Justice; and the Legal Department, which is the responsibility of the Attorney General.

Office of the Commissioner for Administrative Complaints

The Commissioner for Administrative Complaints (COMAC) is an independent authority, established in 1989 under the Commissioner for Administrative Com- plaints Ordinance. The purpose of the office is to provide citizens with a means through which an independent person outside the Public Service can investigate and report on grievances arising from administrative decisions, acts, recommendations or omissions. COMAC has jurisdiction over practically all government departments, except the Royal Hong Kong Police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption, which have their own bodies to deal with complaints from the public.

Legislative amendments were enacted in June 1994 to widen COMAC's powers and jurisdiction. The major changes included allowing members of the public to

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