Administration Wing of the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office

In the past year, we have been working on 20 pledges, of which:

Secretary for Trade and Industry and the Secretary for the Treasury announced another 13 undertakings in the context of the 1996 Policy Address and Policy Commitments. The Business and Services Promotion Unit was formed in May 1997 to continue the efforts.
Of these:

The following sets out the detailed report for each main programme area.

Granting Legal Aid

Year Pledge Present Position
Action Completed
1996 1. To expedite payments to aided persons and other parties by reviewing and streamlining the payment procedures for legal aid cases in 1997-98. The Accounts Office of the Legal Aid Department (LAD) has set a target time for processing payments.

The Quality Improvement Team (QIT) in the Application and Processing Division has made recommendations to expedite payments. The Treasury has also conducted a review on the payment process arising from the Helping Business Initiative. Their recommendations are being implemented.

1996 2. To consider ways in 1997-98 to enhance the efficiency and fairness of the system for briefing out assignments to private legal practitioners, in consultation with the Legal Aid Services Council (LASC). Revised guidelines on assignment were endorsed by the LASC and introduced on 1 April 1997.
1996 3. To review the financial eligibility limits applied to legal aid applicants every two years to take into account inflation of legal costs. The next review will take place in late 1996. The review was completed in August 1996. The revised eligibility limits were put into effect on 1 May 1997.
Action in Progress: On Schedule
1996 4. To introduce LAD's second Performance Pledge in 1997-98, which will include target times for completing the processing of legal aid applications. Performance Pledge on processing time will be launched before end of 1997.
1996 5. To review the criteria used to assess the financial eligibility of legal aid applicants every five years. The next review will take place in 1997. The Working Group formed to conduct the review has worked out recommendations to improve the assessment criteria for public consultation before end of 1997.
1995 6. To ask the independent LASC to examine the feasibility and desirability of the option of separating the LAD from the Government. The LASC is examining the feasibility and desirability of the establishment of an independent legal aid authority. Consultants will be commissioned to assist.
On-going Commitments
1996 7. To prepare for the increasing use of Chinese in courts by training law clerks and legal aid counsel in 1997-98. The LAD has participated in the Steering Committee on the Use of Chinese in Courts chaired by the Chief Justice and maintained close liaison with the Judiciary and the Department of Justice.

All the standard letters, memos and court documents relating to matrimonial proceedings have been translated into Chinese. All the standard forms used by the Criminal Section have a Chinese version.

Up to 30.9.97, about 180 law clerks and legal aid counsel would have attended the Chinese writing courses organised by the Civil Service Training and Development Institute. Tailor-made Chinese writing courses for the Criminal Section and Family Litigation Section will be held in October and November 97.

The Department has sponsored eight legal aid counsel to attend seminars on advocacy in Chinese in Courts organised by the Law Society.

Training on use of Chinese software has been arranged for 34 law clerks and legal aid counsel.

1995 8. To work in conjunction with LASC to continue to improve the quality and accessibility of legal aid services to the public while achieving maximum cost-effectiveness. The LAD will continue to work closely with LASC. Areas of service examined / will be examined include the assignment system, application procedures, appeal mechanism, publicity strategy, processing of applications, monitoring of assigned-out cases and payment procedures.


The Administrative Redress System

Year Pledge Present Position
Action Completed
1996 1. To bring into operation the Commissioner for Administrative Complaints (COMAC) (Amendment) Bill:
  • to give COMAC greater flexibility in presenting his reports;

  • to expand his jurisdiction to cover the Police Force and the Independent Commission Against Corruption for complaints about breaches of the Code on Access to Information;

  • to change his title to "The Ombudsman".
The COMAC (Amendment) Bill was brought into operation in December 1996.


Working with the Legislative Council

Year Pledge Present Position
Action Completed
1996 1. To bring all Legislative Council (LegCo) facilities under one roof. The four floors of the Citibank Tower that we purchased for use by the legislature have been in use since January 1997.
1995 2. To discuss with LegCo how best to maintain effective communication between the Administration and the Council. We continue to consult the legislature on Government's policies and programmes. We shall continue to discuss with the legisture on ways to further enhance the communication between the executive and legislature and to process business through the legislature more efficiently.


Managing And Keeping Public Records

Year Pledge Present Position
Action Completed
1996 1. To upgrade the storage and maintenance of our archives to international standards when we complete a new, purpose-built Public Records Building in Kwun Tong in mid-1997. The Hong Kong Public Records Building in Kwun Tong had been completed and was officially opened on 19 June 1997.
1996 2. To provide the public with quicker and more user-friendly access to archives by installing an automated search-aid system in the Public Records Office at its new premises in Kwun Tong. Installation of the new automated search-aid system in the Public Records Building in Kwun Tong was completed and made available for public use in September 1997.
1996 3. To set up a Government Microfilming Service Centre in Tuen Mun in 1997. The Government Microfilming Service Centre was set up in April 1997 and, upon completion of a 10-week trial run, commenced operation in July 1997.


Preparing for the Transition

Year Pledge Present Position
Action Completed
1996 1. To implement the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group (JLG) agreement with the Chinese side on the transfer of archives. The agreement was implemented.
1996 2. To assist the local and international press and electronic media to cover activities marking the handover of sovereignty in mid-1997. The Press and Broadcast Centre for the Handover Ceremony and related events was established and remained in operation from 15 June to 8 July 1997. Accreditation and pooling arrangements for the international and local media to cover the events were put in place.
1995 3. To phase out or replace by 1獱uly?997 all signs and symbols of government which are inconsistent with the provisions of the Basic Law. All signs and symbols of government which were inconsistent with the provisions of the Basic Law were replaced by 1 July 1997.
1995 4. TTo discuss with the Chinese side of the JLG the arrangements for setting up the Court of Final Appeal (CFA). TThe CFA was successfully set up on 1 July 1997.
1995 5. To discuss with the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and the Team Designate for the Special Administrative Region Government how to ensure the orderly transfer of any unfinished business to the CFA on 1獱uly?997. There have been no unfinished business that need to be transferred from the Privy Council to the CFA.
1994 6. To finalise and implement arrangements for the Handover Ceremony and related events in accordance with the Agreed Minute of the Sino-British JLG on the Handover Ceremony for Hong Kong. The Handover Ceremony took place around midnight on 30 June 1997. Senior delegations from China and Britain visited Hong Kong to preside at the ceremony. Over 3,600 guests were invited, including ministers from 45 countries and senior representatives of 37 international organisations.


Helping Business

Year Pledge Present Position
Action Completed
1996 1. To continue with our Helping Business Programme in 1997-98 to improve services to the business sector. The Business Advisory Group (BAG) was formed on 1痃ecember 1996, and three sub-groups established in February 1997 to take forward work in the specific areas of deregulation, cost of compliance assessment and transfer of services to the business sector. The new Business and Services Promotion Unit was formed in May 1997 to provide executive support.

1996 2. To complete by 1997-98 a pilot study on setting up a one-stop business licence information centre. The one-stop Business Licence Information Centre in Industry Department was opened in September 1997.

1996 3. To complete by 1997-98 a pilot study on streamlining procedures for land exchange, lease modification and other land applications. The pilot study was completed in August 1996. We have implemented most recommendations.

1996 4. To complete by 1997-98 a pilot study on upgrading the quality of Hong Kong's background fact service. The pilot study was completed in November 1996. The quality of "Hong Kong Background Information" has been enhanced.

1996 5. To complete by 1997-98 a pilot study on introducing more user-friendly methods of paying government fees and charges. The pilot study was completed in October 1996. We have implemented most recommendations.

Action in Progress: On Schedule
1996 6. To cut red tape and eliminate over-regulation wherever possible. The BAG Sub-group to oversee reduction of red tape was formed in February 1997. Studies completed in the six months up to 30.9.97 include:
  1. hotel / guesthouse licensing;

  2. review of entertainment licensing covering Amusement Game Centres, Public Dance Halls, Dancing Schools and Mah-jong/Tin Kau establishments;

  3. application for consent to sales of units in uncompleted buildings;

  4. cross boundary permits for private cars; and

  5. a review of public forms.

1996 7. To reduce the cost of compliance for the business sector and the cost of enforcement for the Government. We have completed two pilot projects on cost compliance assessment. Action is in hand to appoint a management consultancy firm to develop a framework for cost of compliance assessment and to conduct the third pilot project.

1996 8. To transfer services to the private sector where appropriate market conditions prevail. The following projects are underway:
  1. authorising private developers and Authorised Persons to provide drainage connection and water supply connection and construct run-ins; and

  2. setting up of high quality homes for the elderly.

1996 9. To liaise with the Small and Medium Enterprises Committee set up by the Secretary for Trade and Industry to explore ways of making government procedures more business-friendly. We have established regular contact with the Small and Medium Enterprises Committee.
1996 10. To complete by 1997-98 a pilot study on placing as many public forms as practicable on the Internet. We completed Phase I of the project by uploading 286 public forms. Action is in hand to put more public forms onto the Internet.


Services Promotion

Year Pledge Present Position
Action Completed
1996 1. To publish a final report of the Task Force on Services Promotion. The Final Report of the Government Task Force on Services Promotion was published in March 1997.
1996 2. To establish a permanent unit in the Government Secretariat to co-ordinate and monitor various services-related policy initiatives. The Business and Services Promotion Unit was established in May 1997 in the Financial Secretary's Office to undertake the Services Promotion Programme and Helping Business Programme.
Action in Progress: On Schedule
1996 3. To promote the development of Hong Kong's service industries. The Services Promotion Strategy Group comprising prominent business figures, academics and senior officials was formed in April 1997 to advise the Financial Secretary on matters relating to the development of Hong Kong as a service economy and as the pre-eminent services centre in Asia. It has endorsed a Publicity Programme and Action Agenda for Services Promotion for 1997-98.


Progress Report