ENG-2003 — Page 44

CONSTITUTION AND ADMINISTRATION

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Advisory and Statutory Bodies

The network of advisory and statutory bodies is a distinctive feature of the system of government. It seeks to obtain, through consultation with interested groups and individuals in the community, the best possible advice on which to base decisions or to perform statutory functions.

Advisory bodies give advice to the Government through a Principal Official or a Head of Department. A few advisory bodies tender their advice directly to the Chief Executive. Their areas of activities are wide-ranging. Some of the advisory bodies, such as the Telecommunications Standards Advisory Committee, deal with the interests of a particular industry. Others advise on a particular area of government policy, such as the Transport Advisory Committee. Some advisory bodies, such as the District Fight Crime Committees and Area Committees, deal essentially with district affairs. Statutory bodies perform their functions according to the relevant legislation. Some of them, such as the Hospital Authority, perform executive functions.

Government officials and members of the public are represented in these bodies. Over 5 000 members of the public are serving on about 500 bodies. These people are appointed in view of their specialist knowledge or expertise, their record or interest in contributing to community service, and the specific needs of the concerned bodies. Many of them are also nominees or representatives from organisations in different

sectors.

The Government oversees the operation of the advisory and statutory bodies to ensure that they meet the needs of the community. A reasonable turnover of membership is generally maintained to keep up the inflow of new ideas. The Government will continue to enhance participation of various sectors in the work of advisory and statutory bodies as well as promote the public's understanding of their work through a number of transparency measures.

Structure of the Administration

The Chief Executive is the head of the Government of the HKSAR. The Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary or the Secretary for Justice are to deputise for the Chief Executive during his temporary absence.

There are currently 11 bureaux, each headed by a Director of Bureau, which collectively form the Government Secretariat. There are 64 departments and agencies whose heads are responsible to the Directors of Bureaux for the direction of their departments and the efficient implementation of approved policies. The exceptions are the Audit Commission, the independence of which is safeguarded by having the Director's report submitted directly to the Legislative Council; and the Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Office of The Ombudsman, whose independence is safeguarded by having the Commissioner's and The Ombudsman's reports submitted directly to the Chief Executive.

Following the implementation of the Accountability System for Principal Officials on July 1, 2002, the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary, the Secretary for Justice and the 11 Directors of Bureaux are no longer civil servants. They are directly responsible to the Chief Executive and accountable to him for matters falling within their respective portfolios as assigned to them by the Chief Executive. They are appointed to the Executive Council. Together with five non- official members of the Executive Council, they assist the Chief Executive in policy- making.