ENG-1997 — Page 61

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

The Director of Audit's reports on the accounts of other public bodies are submitted to the relevant authority in accordance with the legislation governing the operation of these bodies.

The Civil Service

The Civil Service employs about 6 per cent of Hong Kong's workforce. It provides staff for all government departments and other units of the administration. At October 1, 1997, the total strength of the Civil Service was 184 600, with staff distributed among some 430 grades and 1 256 ranks.

Overall responsibility for the management of the Civil Service lies with the Civil Service Bureau of the Government Secretariat. The bureau deals with policies and case work on such matters as appointments, pay and conditions of service, staff management, manpower planning, training and discipline. It is also the focal point for consultation with the principal staff associations and its General Grades Office manages the 30 000 executive, clerical and secretarial staff.

The principle of open and fair competition is the cornerstone of the government's appointment policy which aims to recruit the 'best person for the job'. The appointment process is open, transparent and non-discriminatory. For checks and balances, recruitment and promotion to the middle and senior ranks of the Civil Service are subject to the advice of the Public Service Commission, an independent statutory body comprising a full-time chairman and prominent citizens serving as members.

In accordance with the Basic Law, all new appointees to the Civil Service on or after July 1, 1997, must be permanent residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, save for those who fall within the exceptions pursuant to Articles 99 and 101 of the Basic Law.

It is also a Basic Law requirement that the specified Principal Official posts must be filled by Chinese citizens who are permanent residents of the HKSAR with no right of abode in any foreign country.

The government is advised on matters relating to pay and conditions of service by four independent bodies, the Standing Committees on: Directorate Salaries and Conditions of Service (senior officers); Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service (judicial officers); and Disciplined Services Salaries and Conditions of Service (the disciplined services); plus the Standing Commission on Civil Service Salaries and Conditions of Service (all other civil servants).

It is government policy to provide a long-term career for civil servants and thus civil servants are employed on permanent and pensionable (P&P) terms whenever possible. P&P officers may normally aspire to serve up to the normal retirement age with pension benefits prescribed by statute.

Agreement terms (appointment for a fixed term with end of contract gratuity) are used to employ staff only when there are circumstances that justify doing so, as when P&P terms fail to attract and retain sufficient qualified and suitable candidates, or when the appointment is required only for a specific period. As a result, officers on agreement terms comprise less than 2 per cent of the Civil Service. Renewal of agreement depends, inter alia, on service need, satisfactory conduct and performance, and physical fitness.

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