ENG-2014 — Page 42

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Constitution and Administration

also the focal point for consultation with major staff associations and manages a number of grades, including Administrative Officers, Executive Officers and clerical and secretarial staff. Management of the civil service is governed mainly by three instruments: the Public Service (Administration) Order, the Public Service (Disciplinary) Regulation and the Civil Service Regulations, all made with the authority of the Chief Executive.

The Chief Executive is advised on civil service appointments, promotions and discipline by the Public Service Commission, an independent statutory body set up under the Public Service Commission Ordinance. The government is also advised on civil service pay and conditions of service by three independent bodies: the Standing Committee on Directorate Salaries and Conditions of Service (directorate officers excluding judges and judicial officers and the disciplined services, but including the heads of the disciplined services); the Standing Committee on Disciplined Services Salaries and Conditions of Service (the disciplined services except the heads of the disciplined services); and the Standing Commission on Civil Service Salaries and Conditions of Service (SCCS) (all other civil servants).

The policy for civil service pay is to offer sufficient remuneration to attract, retain, and motivate staff of 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. Pay comparisons are achieved through periodic surveys: a Pay Level Survey is conducted every six years; a Starting Salaries Survey every three years; and a Pay Trend Survey every year. In 2014, the SCCS completed the 2013 Pay Level Survey and submitted its recommendations to the Chief Executive.

In accordance with the Basic Law, public servants serving in all HKSAR Government departments should be permanent residents of the HKSAR, save for those who fall within the exceptions provided in Articles 99 and 101 of the Basic Law. This requirement applies to new recruits who joined the civil service on or after 1 July 1997.

Appointment to the civil service is based on open and fair competition. The government ensures that persons with disabilities and ethnic minorities, like other applicants, will continue to have equal access to job opportunities in the government. Promotion in the civil service is performance-based.

The government monitors closely staff turnover in the civil service for manpower planning purposes to keep manpower at a level commensurate with service demand. Overall wastage in the civil service was about 4.2 per cent in 2013-2014. The government has a well-established staff planning mechanism to review the succession planning for senior staff, identify and groom officers with potential for advancement to senior management and develop a pool of talent for senior positions.

In accordance with the principle of prudent management of public resources, the government keeps a watchful eye over the size of the civil service. New posts are only created when the need is justified and other means of providing services are not feasible. At the same time, due

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