ENG-2008 — Page 60

20 Constitution and Administration

new and improved services. The growth forecast for the civil service in 2008-09 is about 1 per cent.

2. Reviewing Civil Service Pay and Benefits

The policy for civil service pay is to offer sufficient remuneration to attract, retain, and motivate staff of a suitable calibre to provide the public with an effective, efficient and high quality service. In order that civil service pay can be regarded as fair and reasonable by both civil servants who provide the service and the public who foot the bill, the Government adopts the principle that civil service pay should be broadly comparable with private sector pay.

Broad pay comparisons are achieved through periodic surveys. Under the current improved system, the Government conducts a pay level survey every six years; a starting salaries survey every three years; and a pay trend survey every year. The Government has invited the Standing Commission on Civil Service Salaries and Conditions of Service to conduct the next starting salaries survey, using April 1, 2009 as the reference date.

The improved system also includes an effective means for adjusting pay upwards. or downwards. The Government is working out the details on this with the staff sides.

At the end 2007, the Government invited several advisory bodies to carry out three reviews: on the grade structure for officers at the directorate level; on the disciplined services; and a few non-directorate civilian grades having recruitment and retention difficulties. The three reviews have been completed, and their findings and recommendations were submitted to

were submitted to the Chief Executive in November. The Government is studying the reviews with the relevant stakeholders and will seek a decision on their recommendations from the Chief Executive-in-Council afterwards.

In addition to salaries, civil servants are eligible for fringe benefits depending on their terms of appointment, rank, salary point, length of service, and other eligibility rules. The Government has been taking steps over the years to modify the granting of fringe benefits to civil servants in line with present day conditions. These included scrapping or exercising stricter control of allowances to new recruits.

3. Improving the Entry and Exit System

The New Entry System for civil service recruits gives the Government greater flexibility in making appointments, while the new retirement benefits system, called the Civil Service Provident Fund Scheme, provides retirement benefits for officers appointed on New Entry terms.

The Management-initiated Retirement Scheme is now in place to allow the Government, for the purpose of organisational improvement, to initiate the early retirement of directorate officers.

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