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Constitution and Administration

to the Financial Secretary while the Department of Justice reports to the Secretary for Justice. The remaining 53 departments are responsible to their relevant bureau secretaries for the efficient implementation of approved policies.

In addition, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the Office of The Ombudsman and the Public Service Commission report directly to the Chief Executive.

The Chief Secretary for Administration, the Financial Secretary, the Secretary for Justice and the 13 Directors of Bureaus are politically appointed and defined as 'principal officials' in the Basic Law. They are appointed by the CPG on the Chief Executive's nomination for a five-year term, which will not exceed the term of the Chief Executive who nominates them. They are all members of the Executive Council - Hong Kong's equivalent of the Cabinet - and are accountable for matters falling within their respective portfolios. The Director of the Chief Executive's Office is also a politically appointed official, with the same terms of employment as those of a Director of Bureau.

Two other layers of politically appointed officials, the Under Secretaries and Political Assistants, support the principal officials in carrying out political work.

Chief Secretary for Administration

The Chief Secretary for Administration is the leading principal official of the HKSAR Government and a member of the Executive Council. He is the most senior official to assume the Chief Executive's duties temporarily if the Chief Executive is not able to discharge those duties for a short period.

The Chief Secretary for Administration supports the Chief Executive in administering Hong Kong and advises the Chief Executive on policy matters. He plays an important role in policy coordination, which is particularly important in areas that cut across policy bureaus. The Chief Secretary for Administration is also responsible for overseeing specific priority areas of the Chief Executive's policy agenda, forging a closer and more effective working relationship between the government and the Legislative Council, and drawing up the government's legislative programme. The Chief Secretary for Administration exercises certain statutory functions, including the handling of appeals and matters of certain public bodies.

Financial Secretary

The Financial Secretary's primary responsibility is to oversee policy formulation and implementation of financial, monetary, economic, trade and development as well as innovation and technology matters. He is a member of the Executive Council and exercises control over the Exchange Fund with the assistance of the Monetary Authority.

The Financial Secretary is also in charge of the Government Budget. He outlines in the annual Budget speech the government's vision and policies to sustain economic development, presents budgetary proposals and moves the Appropriation Bill, which gives legal effect to the annual expenditure proposals in the Budget.

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