MESSAGE

         We aim to maintain a first class Civil Service which is honest, professional and efficient. We shall continue to provide the highest standards of service while responding to changing demands in the community.

         We have set out in this booklet our policy programmes for 1998. It provides a clear statement of our objectives and targets.

         We welcome any comments or suggestions you may have on these programmes.

(Lam Woon-kwong)
Secretary for the Civil Service

INTRODUCTION

         The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is committed to ensuring that it is open and fully accountable to the people of Hong Kong. Policies, aims and programmes must be clear to all so that the Government can be accountable for their delivery. With greater clarity of purpose and accessibility, the public can better assess our performance and help us improve our quality of service.

         The Policy Programmes, which underpin the Policy Address delivered by the Chief Executive in October 1997, explain the objectives and ongoing work of each Policy Bureau and its supporting departments, as well as Department of Justice, Office of the Judiciary Administrator, Independent Comission Against Corruption and the Administration Wing of the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, and their proposed new commitments for the coming year. They are set out in three sections:

• Objectives state the overall objectives of the Government according to each programme area, in particular, responsibilities in relation to implementing the Basic Law are spelt out.

• Major Programme Areas list the aims and the important features of each programme area. An overview of the current situation and key performance indicators are given. This section also sets out the Government's new commitments for the coming year.

• Into the 21st Century describes the vision of the Government for a better Hong Kong as we enter the 21st Century and the plans we are making to meet our long-term needs.

Objectives

         The Bureau's objective is to maintain a first class Civil Service which is honest, professional, efficient and dedicated to serving the community of Hong Kong. We seek to achieve this by :

• recruiting and retaining persons of integrity and of a high calibre and providing appropriate training to enable them to meet the changing needs of the community; and

• adopting and promoting good human resource management practices to improve efficiency and quality of service.

Implementing the Basic Law

         The requirements of the relevant articles of the Basic Law, as listed at Annex, have been reflected in the Bureau's objectives. In particular, action has already been taken to ensure the administration of the Civil Service is consistent with the Articles in Section 6 in Chapter IV and specifically, the continuity of the systems of appointment, promotion and discipline in the Civil Service in accordance with Article 103 have been ensured through the Public Service (Administration) Order 1997 and the Regulations made under that order.

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Major Programme Areas

         The Civil Service Bureau is responsible for three major programme areas:

1. Management of the Civil Service;

2. Civil Service Training and Development ; and

3. Use of Official Languages.

A. Management of the Civil Service

Aim

         The aim of the Bureau is to modernise the policy and practice applicable to the Civil Service in the area of appointment, conditions of service, conduct, and human resource management (HRM). The government values regular communication and consultation with staff which aims at maintaining harmonious relations between staff and management.

Overview

         We have streamlined recruitment procedures, encouraged home ownership, stepped up the monitoring of staff wastage and updated some of the conditions of service to keep them in line with modern practices. We meet regularly with senior management of each department to promote a customer-oriented service culture and to develop HRM initiatives. We continue to meet regularly with the four central consultative councils to ensure effective communication and are committed to consult staff on any major changes in their conditions of service.

Key Indicators

         In 1996-97,

• We have further refined the mechanism for assessing qualifications attained outside Hong Kong in consultation with the Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation to give greater access by non-Hong Kong degrees holders to the civil service.

• 3 405 more officers have achieved home ownership with the assistance of the Home Financing Scheme, the Home Purchase Scheme and the Housing Loan Scheme.

• We have improved the mechanism for monitoring staff wastage and for reviewing staff succession planning by increasing the frequency of reviews from yearly to half-yearly.

• We have discussed with all departments the promotion of HRM initiatives and have given assistance to 13 departments in taking forward their proposals.

• We have provided customer service training to 520 officers on front line duties.

• We have provided training on human resource management to 3 000 junior managers.

• We have published a summary guide on the Civil Service Regulations and put it on the Government's Local Area Network system.

• 12 grades have adopted a new performance appraisal system based on the concept of core competency.

• We have met over 700 directorate and senior professional officers at informal lunches and gatherings to enhance direct communication with middle management of departments.

• We have conducted 30 meetings with Staff Sides of Central Consultative Councils to consult them on matters of staff concern.

New Commitments

         In 1998,

1. We will start to implement a new common set of terms of appointment and conditions of service for the Civil Service to remove the existing differences between local and overseas terms of appointment, in line with present day circumstances.

2. We will review the system of qualification benchmarks, to ensure that existing entry benchmarks are still comparable to those of the private sector.

3. We will revise the structure and format of the Common Recruitment Examination to enable better assessment of candidates, more effective use of resources, and to streamline the recruitment process.

4. We will step up efforts to employ the disabled in the Civil Service by conducting seminars and carrying out promotional visits to departments.

5. We will review the mechanisms for the revision of the rate of allowance for the various housing benefits, and the need to retain some of the minor housing-related benefits.

6. We will implement an updated policy on the provision of school and leave passages.

7. We will review the policy on the suspension of pension for retired civil servants taking up post-retirement jobs in public organisations.

8. We will review the integrity checking system to improve its transparency.

9. We will review the system on the declaration of interest and investments to improve existing guidelines.

10. We will set up a review board to advise the Chief Executive on certain representations addressed to him relating to appointment, dismissal and discipline of civil servants as he thinks fit.

11. We will work with the Independent Commision Against Corruption (ICAC) to promote anti-corruption practices in the Civil Service.

12. We will develop a multi-skilled general support service to enable more effective deployment of staffing resources.

13. We will produce guide books on specific human resource management themes, including staff appraisal and discipline.

14. We will produce a computerised form of the Civil Service Regulations and provide for the on-line access to the Regulations through the Government's Local Area Network system.

15. We will improve the performance measurement system within the Government to make it more target and result-oriented.

B. Civil Service Training and Development

Aim

         Our aim is to formulate training policies and to equip civil servants with the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to maintain an efficient government which is responsive to the changing needs of the community.

Overview

         The Civil Service Training and Development Institute has been conducting management development courses and seminars for civil servants as an on-going commitment. Training emphasis has been placed on organising and co-ordinating training in China studies, Putonghua, and Chinese writing. Self-learning packages on various subjects have also been produced. The Institute also provides advice to departments on their specific training needs.

Key Indicators

         In 1996-97,

• Training output increased by 27% in terms of number of trainees and 15% in terms of trainee days.

• 1 800 management staff were trained in leadership skills and management of change.

• Five China studies courses at Tsinghua University have been organised.

• Two seminars on interacting with mainland officials for Directorate and Administrative Officers have been conducted.

• 15 job-related Chinese writing courses for departmental officers have been developed.

• Ten reference booklets on sample models on Chinese writing for departmental groups have been produced.

• Putonghua training has been provided for some 7 000 trainees.

• Three self-learning packages on Chinese writing skills and three on China studies have been developed.

• Computer training has been provided for over 5 000 trainees.

New Commitments

         In 1998,

1. We will organise a new high level leadership enhancement programme for senior officers to expand leadership and strategic management capacity.

2. We will develop more customised training programmes on Chinese writing and Putonghua.

3. We will intensify Chinese training for non-Chinese speaking officers to enable them to use Chinese as a working language.

4. We will supplement and reinforce classroom training with computer based training methodology and more use of the Internet.

5. We will organise more China studies courses.

C. Use of Official Languages

Aim

         Our aim is to develop a civil service which is able to communicate effectively in both Chinese and English, and, generally conversant in Cantonese, Putonghua and English.

Overview

         The Official Languages Agency formulates and implements strategies to promote wider use of Chinese in the Civil Service. It assists departments and grades through support and advisory services. The Agency continues to implement the three-year project to equip and train secretarial, clerical and executive grades staff in Chinese word processing.

Key Indicators

         In 1996-97,

• Pilot schemes were implemented in nine departments with extensive interface with the public to promote wider use of Chinese.

• Nine guidebooks on official Chinese writing were published.

• Guidelines on the use of Chinese in the Civil Service were issued and assistance was provided to help departments formulate plans to promote the use of Chinese.

• 1 650 sets of Chinese word processing equipment were provided throughout the Government and 4 100 general grades staff were trained.

• Three large scale seminars were organised for departments to enable them to exchange ideas and experience on promoting the use of Chinese.

• Two telephone hotlines and one fax enquiry line were introduced to deal with enquiries on general usage of Chinese such as choice of words, grammar and format.

• A new bilingual glossary of terms on Information and Technology was compiled, incorporating Hanyu Pinyin for the first time.

• 17 visits were made to grades and departments to promote wider use of Chinese.

New Commitments

         In 1998,

1. We will launch an experimental out-reach programme led by Chinese Language Officers to assist departments in their promotion of wider use of Chinese.

2. We will develop and maintain a common Chinese character set for personal computer systems for use in the Civil Service to help electronic interchange of Chinese document files.

3. We will translate the Civil Service Regulations into Chinese to enable civil servants at all ranks to have a good understanding of the Regulations.

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Into the 21st Century

         Our vision is to maintain an honest and efficient Civil Service to run this great city so that it will continue to prosper under the principle of "One Country, Two Systems" as enshrined in the Basic Law.

         Our mission is to:

• recruit men and women of intelligence and integrity through open selections;

• reward and retain talents through a fair and competitive remuneration package;

• maximise the Civil Service's productivity through career-long training and result-oriented management practices; and

• ensure the integrity of the Civil Service by enhancing the system's openness and vigilance.

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Chapter I : General Principles

Article 3

         The executive authorities and legislature of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be composed of permanent residents of Hong Kong in accordance with the relevant provisions of this Law.

Article 9

         In addition to the Chinese language, English may also be used as an official language by the executive authorities, legislature and judiciary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Article 15

         The Central People's Government shall appoint the Chief Executive and the principal officials of the executive authorities of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in accordance with the provisions of Chapter IV of this Law.

Chapter IV: Political Structure

Section 1: The Chief Executive

Article 47

         The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must be a person of integrity, dedicated to his or her duties.

         The Chief Executive, on assuming office, shall declare his or her assets to the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. This declaration shall be put on record.

Article 48

         The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall exercise the following powers and functions:

         ......

         ......

         ......

Section 2: The Executive Authorities

Article 61

         The principal officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be Chinese citizens who are permanent residents of the Region with no right of abode in any foreign country and have ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than 15 years.

Section 6: Public Servants

Article 99

         Public servants serving in all government departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must be permanent residents of the Region, except where otherwise provided for in Article 101 of this Law regarding public servants of foreign nationalities and except for those below a certain rank as prescribed by law.

         Public servants must be dedicated to their duties and be responsible to the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Article 100

         Public servants serving in all Hong Kong government departments, including the police department, before the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, may all remain in employment and retain their seniority with pay, allowances, benefits and conditions of service no less favourable than before.

Article 101

         The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may employ British and other foreign nationals previously serving in the public service in Hong Kong, or those holding permanent identity cards of the Region, to serve as public servants in government departments at all levels, but only Chinese citizens among permanent residents of the Region with no right of abode in any foreign country may fill the following posts: the Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries of Departments, Directors of Bureaux, Commissioner Against Corruption, Director of Audit, Commissioner of Police, Director of Immigration and Commissioner of Customs and Excise.

         The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may also employ British and other foreign nationals as advisers to government departments and, when required, may recruit qualified candidates from outside the Region to fill professional and technical posts in government departments. These foreign nationals shall be employed only in their individual capacities and shall be responsible to the government of the Region.

Article 102

         The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall pay to public servants who retire or who leave the service in compliance with regulations, including those who have retired or who have left the service in compliance with regulations before the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or to their dependants, all pensions, gratuities, allowances and benefits due to them on terms no less favourable than before, irrespective of their nationality or place of residence.

Article 103

         The appointment and promotion of public servants shall be on the basis of their qualifications, experience and ability. Hong Kong's previous system of recruitment, employment, assessment, discipline, training and management for the public service, including special bodies for their appointment, pay and conditions of service, shall be maintained, except for any provisions for privileged treatment of foreign nationals.

Article 104

         When assuming office, the Chief Executive, principal officials, members of the Executive Council and of the Legislative Council, judges of the courts at all levels and other members of the judiciary in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must, in accordance with law, swear to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.

Note

         In addition, all Bureaux/Departments, as well as Department of Justice, Office of the Judiciary Administrator, Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Administration Wing of the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office, have joint responsibility for the implementation of the following articles :

Articles 11 (first paragraph), 16, 56 (second paragraph), 62(1) and (2), 64, 142, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152 and 153.

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Policy Programme