For discussion EC(96-97)1
on 10 April 1996

ITEM FOR ESTABLISHMENT SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 73 - INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT
Subhead 001 Salaries

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the deletion of the following permanent post in the Data and Services Division of the Industry Department -

1 Administrative Officer Staff Grade C
(D2) ($95,550 - $101,450)

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PROBLEM
PROPOSAL
JUSTIFICATION
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH COMMENTS
RECOMMENDATION OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON DIRECTORATE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
Non-directorate Posts in the Data and Services Division of the Industry Department

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PROBLEM

Other divisions in the Industry Department have taken over the responsibilities of the Data and Services Division. There is no need to retain the Administrative Officer Staff Grade C (AOSGC) (D2) post heading the Division.

PROPOSAL

2. The Director-General of Industry (DG of I) proposes to delete one permanent post of AOSGC (D2) in the Industry Department.

JUSTIFICATION

3. Since 25 February 1994 when Finance Committee approved the creation of an additional permanent post of AOSGC, the Industry Department has on its establishment six divisions, each headed by an Assistant Director-General of Industry who is either an AOSGC or a departmental D2 officer, as follows -

1. Data and Services Division;
2. Development Support Division;
3. Infrastructure Support Division;
4. Investment Promotion Division;
5. Quality Services Division; and
6. Technology Development Division.

4. Taking into account the dynamic changes in the development of the local manufacturing and manufacturing support industries in recent years, the Director-General of Industry (DG of I) considered that the Department should be reorganised so that resources could be released to cater for needs in priority areas, such as implementing the Industrial Support Fund Scheme and conducting Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) related science and technology activities. Accordingly, DG of I conducted an overall organisation review of the Department in March 1995.

5. The review concluded that the structure of the Department should be streamlined by merging the Data and Services Division with the other divisions. This change would bring about the following benefits -

1. providing a more sharply focused organisational structure;
2. ensuring a more equitable distribution of workload among divisions; and
3. achieving savings in staff resources for redeployment to priority areas.

6. DG of I implemented the establishment changes in June 1995. She has since transferred the former activities in the Data and Services Division to other divisions as follows -

1. the Development Support Division has taken over activities in respect of liaison with industrial and trade organisations, conducting of Annual Manufacturing Industries Surveys, updating of data on industrial operations, maintenance of the central register on Hong Kong industries, organising of factory visits and China visits and receiving of Chinese delegations etc.,
2. the Infrastructure Support Division has taken over the APEC activities relating to small and medium enterprises; and
3. the Qualities Services Division has absorbed those activities in respect of the co-ordination of Hong Kong Awards for Industry and the organisation of the competition in the Quality Category.

7. A revised organisation chart of the Industry Department is at Enclosure 1. As a result of the re-organisation, DG of I has either redeployed or deleted the non-directorate posts originally created in the former Data and Services Division. A list of the non-directorate posts affected is at Enclosure 2.

8. DG of I is satisfied with the result of the reorganisation and proposes to formalise it. She therefore proposes to delete one permanent post of AOSGC from the establishment of the Industry Department.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

9. Savings in the notional annual salary cost at MID-POINT and the full annual staff cost at MID-POINT of this proposal are -

CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH COMMENTS

10. The Secretary for the Civil Service supports the proposed deletion of an AOSGC post in the Industry Department so as to streamline its organisation structure.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON DIRECTORATE SALARIES AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

11. We will report the deletion of the post, if approved, to the Standing Committee on Directorate Salaries and Conditions of Service in accordance with the agreed procedure.

Trade and Industry Branch
March 1996

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Enclosure 2 to EC(96-97)1

Non-directorate Posts in the Data and Services Division of the Industry Department

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