ENG-2002 — Page 45

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

Role of the Financial Secretary

The Financial Secretary reports directly to the Chief Executive. Working closely with the relevant Directors of Bureaux, his primary duty is to oversee policy formulation and implementation in financial, monetary, economic and employment matters. He also chairs several important committees, including the Exchange Fund Advisory Committee and the Banking Advisory Committee.

The Financial Secretary is responsible under the Public Finance Ordinance for laying before the Legislative Council each year the Government's estimates of revenue and expenditure. In his annual budget speech, he outlines the Government's budgetary proposals and moves the Appropriation Bill, which gives legal effect to the annual expenditure proposals contained in the Budget.

Role of the Central Policy Unit

The Central Policy Unit provides advice on policy issues to meet the special requirements of the Chief Executive, the Chief Secretary for Administration and the Financial Secretary and reports direct to them.

The unit consults widely with business and professional circles, political organisations and concern groups and the academic community. It undertakes in- depth examination of complex policy issues, analyses options, takes soundings of community feedback and recommends solutions for the Government's internal consideration. The unit is responsible for coordinating the annual Policy Address exercise. It also provides secretariat support for the Commission on Strategic Development, which is chaired by the Chief Executive.

Role of the Efficiency Unit

The Efficiency Unit reports directly to the Chief Secretary for Administration and is tasked with pursuing the Government's commitment to transforming the management and delivery of public services so that the community's needs are met in the most effective and efficient manner. The unit works in partnership with client bureaux and departments across the Government to identify opportunities for performance enhancement, design practical solutions, develop compelling business cases, and secure effective implementation.

The unit has played a major role in many important reform initiatives: the creation of trading funds; customer service improvements, including the development of the performance pledge programme; and the design and implementation of an integrated call centre. A major initiative in 2002 was to develop and present a Management Forum for 14 000 senior civil servants that was designed to create a common understanding of the 'Asia's world city' vision and of the need for the Civil Service to embrace change so as to achieve the goals of that vision.

Other major aspects of the unit's work include greater involvement of the private sector in delivering public services, for example through outsourcing and public private partnerships; and the undertaking of major re-engineering projects particularly where this is required to make real gains from the adoption of new technology. All the work of the unit is focused on enhancing the quality of public services at the same time as seeking greater efficiency in the use of limited public

resources.

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