EC(97-98)18
For discussion
on 2 September 1997

ITEM FOR ESTABLISHMENT SUBCOMMITTEE OF
FINANCE COMMITTEE

VARIOUS HEADS OF EXPENDITURE

HEAD 21 - CHIEF EXECUTIVE ' S OFFICE
Non-civil service appointment
HEAD 74 - INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Subhead 001 Salaries

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee, in the context of setting up the new Chief Executive's Office, the following -

1. the non-civil service appointment of a Senior Special Assistant to the Chief Executive at the equivalent rank of D2, with effect from 1 September 1997 until the end of tenure of service of the incumbent Chief Executive, under Head 21 Chief Executive's Office; and

2. the creation of a permanent post of Assistant Director of Information Services (D2) with effect from 12 September 1997 under Head 74 Information Services Department.

PROBLEM

We need additional staffing support in the Chief Executive (CE) ' s Office.

PROPOSAL

2.We propose -

1. the non-civil service appointment of a Senior Special Assistant (equivalent to D2 rank), with effect from 1 September 1997 until the end of the tenure of office of the incumbent CE, under Head 21 CE ' s Office; and

2. the creation of the following permanent directorate post with effect from 12 September 1997 under Head 74 Information Services Department (ISD) -

   1 Assistant Director of Information Services
   (D2) ($110,000 - $116,800)

JUSTIFICATION

3.We have to staff the new CE's Office adequately to ensure that the CE carries out his functions effectively as the first elected head of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

4.Upon the establishment of the HKSAR on 1 July 1997, the CE ' s Office has taken over the former Governor ' s establishment. The organisation chart of the existing CE's Office is at Enclosure 1. With new and enhanced activities, the CE ' s Office requires additional staffing support at the directorate level, in general administration and information and public relations.

Head 21 CE ' s Office
Non-civil service appointments in the CE ' s Office

5.Since the establishment of the CE ' s Office on 16 December 1996, two personal advisers, designated as Special Assistant and Senior Research Officer, as well as one Personal Assistant and one Personal Chauffeur, have been assisting the CE through hire of service from the Office of Tung Chee Hwa. We see the need to continue this service after 1 July 1997.

6.The CE has been selected through election and is accountable to the Central People ' s Government (CPG). He needs to maintain regular liaison with his constituencies and the CPG. The CE needs to have a person with intimate knowledge of his contact network to assist him personally. Being his personal aide, the Senior Special Assistant (previously the Special Assistant) will assist the CE in maintaining liaison with community organisations and in providing inputs to facilitate assessment and judgment on relevant issues by the CE. The Senior Special Assistant acts also as CE ' s personal adviser in handling Mainland related issues and liaising with the CPG and Mainland organisations. Such responsibilities are vital parts of the CE ' s overall schedule. In view of the level of contacts and the expertise knowledge required in executing these functions, we consider the ranking of the Senior Special Assistant at the equivalent of D2 level appropriate. The job description of the Senior Special Assistant is at Enclosure 2.

7.We will make the appointment of the Senior Special Assistant on local agreement terms and his term will end with that of the incumbent CE. He will not be part of the civil service and will not be eligible for promotions within the civil service. In addition to salary, he will receive fringe benefits, allowances and gratuity similar to the civil servants of equivalent ranks on local agreement terms. We propose to meet the remuneration of the Senior Special Assistant under a new Subhead 108 Remuneration for special appointments under Head 21 CE ' s Office. We will seek approval for the creation of this new subhead in a separate Finance Committee (FC) agenda item to be considered by FC on 19 September 1997.

8.The proposed appointment on non-civil service terms of the Senior Special Assistant would complement the work of the Private Secretary and his team. The Private Secretary (ranked at Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 (D4) level) is in charge of the flow of Government business to the CE. He pays particular attention to the more complex and important policy matters requiring the CE ' s attention and takes part in overseeing those subjects. He attends meetings with the CE and ensures that follow-up action is taken as appropriate. He also accompanies the CE on overseas visits and at local engagements and functions. The job description of the Private Secretary is at Enclosure 3.

74 ISD
Press Office

9.At present, a Press Secretary (formerly known as the Information Co-ordinator ranked at Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 (D4) level, and currently filled by an officer at Administrative Officer Staff Grade B (D3) level) re-deployed from Head 142 Government Secretariat : Offices of the Chief Secretary for Administration and the Financial Secretary is assisting the CE on the information and public relations (PR) side. A Deputy Press Secretary (ranked at Assistant Director of Information Services (ADIS) (D2) level) and an Assistant Press Secretary (ranked at Principal Information Officer (PIO) (MPS 40-44) level), both on the establishment of Head 74 ISD, are providing support to the Press Secretary.

10. The ADIS post is a supernumerary post and will lapse on 12 September 1997. We propose to make it permanent under the establishment of ISD with effect from 12 September 1997 to continue to provide a Deputy Press Secretary to handle the PR side of the CE ' s work. The Deputy Press Secretary plays a key role in assisting the Press Secretary in the formulation of PR strategies for the CE. Media attention in the Government of the HKSAR as represented by the CE is very high and adequate support to the CE in meeting demands from the media is essential. The number of enquiries from the media, both local/Mainland and international media, remains high. Given the busy schedule of the CE and the fact that the Press Secretary will have to accompany the CE in many public functions and media interviews, the Deputy Press Secretary is necessary to man the CE ' s Press Office when the Press Secretary is away. The officer will also need to liaise with senior officials, often at the Deputy Secretary/Department Head level and above, in devising and co-ordinating PR programmes for the CE. The job description of the ADIS post is at Enclosure 4.

FINANCIAL AND STAFFING IMPLICATIONS

11.The special appointment of the Senior Special Assistant will require creation of a new recurrent subhead 108 Remuneration for special appointments and supplementary provision of $1,097,080 in 1997-98. We will deal with this in a separate submission to the FC on 19 September 1997. The full year cost of the special appointment is $1,846,830. Upon satisfactory completion of contract by the officer, there will be an additional cost for gratuity payment which is equivalent to 25% of the total salary of the officer during the period.

12.The additional notional annual salary cost at mid-point and full annual average staff cost of the proposed ADIS post are $1,273,200 and $2,169,800 respectively. We have not included provision in the 1997-98 Estimates to meet the cost of this proposal, which is estimated at $774,800 for the remainder of the financial year. Subject to Members ' approval, we shall provide the supplementary provision required under delegated authority.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

13.The CE ' s Office was established on 16 December 1996 and integrated into the Government upon the establishment of the HKSAR on 1 July 1997. With new and enhanced activities associated with the CE ' s role as the first elected head of the HKSAR, we consider it necessary to provide enhanced support to the CE.

14.The proposed Senior Special Assistant, if approved, will be underpinned by a Special Assistant (at equivalent of MPS 45-49) (previously the Senior Research Officer). The Special Assistant undertakes research work on Mainland related issues and assists the Senior Special Assistant in advising the CE in dealings with the CPG. He is responsible also for drafting CE ' s speeches in Chinese.

15.The Personal Assistant (at equivalent of MPS 30-33) and Personal Chauffeur (at equivalent of MPS 12) provide secretarial and chauffeur services to the CE and his wife, together with other personal secretary and chauffeur grade staff. Given the fact that the Personal Assistant and Personal Chauffeur have assisted the CE and his wife since the establishment of the CE ' s Office and that the incumbents are fully familiar with their work schedule and personal contacts, there is a strong case for non-civil service appointments to be made to enable continuity in services to the CE and his wife. Similar to the Senior Special Assistant, we will make the appointment of the Special Assistant, Personal Assistant and Personal Chauffeur on local agreement terms.

16.We have reviewed the duties of individual officers and are of the view that there is no duplication of work as a result of the special appointments. In the course of the review, we have also found the support services in the CE ' s Office in relation to the handling of appeals, the Press Office and general office administration grossly inadequate. We will therefore create 21 non-directorate posts in the CE ' s Office under delegated authority. Of the 21 posts, 18 will undertake the handling of letters and appeals to CE, general office administration functions, management of the Government House and the CE's Official Residence, and provision of drafting and translation services for the Office of the Private Secretary; and the other three will provide secretarial and clerical support to the Press Office. A list of the 21 non-directorate posts pending creation for the new and enhanced activities is at Enclosure 5. The additional notional annual mid-point salary cost and full annual average staff cost required for creation of the 21 non-directorate posts are $6,210,720 and $9,861,540 respectively.

17.A proposed organisation chart of the CE ' s Office to take account of all proposed new posts and appointments is at Enclosure 6.

CIVIL SERVICE BUREAU COMMENTS

18.In view of the new responsibilities taken up by the CE ' s Office arising from the establishment of the Government of the HKSAR, we agree that there is a need for the non-civil service appointment of a person with the necessary specialist knowledge. We also agree that the ranking and grading of the proposed ADIS post are appropriate having regard to its duties and responsibilities.

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

19.The Standing Committee on Directorate Salaries and Conditions of Service has advised that the grading proposed for the post of Assistant Director of Information Services would be appropriate if the post were to be created.

Chief Executive ' s Office
August 1997

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Enclosure 2 to EC(97-98)18

Proposed Job Description of Senior Special Assistant

Responsible to the Chief Executive in undertaking the following duties and responsibilities -

1. to act as personal adviser to the Chief Executive on Mainland related issues;

2. to liaise with the Central People ' s Government and to provide support on the organisation of the Chief Executive ' s visits to the Mainland;

3. to undertake research on matters relating to the Chief Executive ' s networking with business and community organisations and to prepare necessary briefs, messages and speeches;

4. to ensure that the Chief Executive is briefed on general community opinions on Government initiatives;

5. to ensure that opportunities are found for the Chief Executive to engage targetted sectors of the community, including leaders and opinion-formers on government policies; and

6. to attend to all matters, including studies and liaison work, as instructed by the Chief Executive.

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Enclosure 3 to EC(97-98)18

Job Description of Private Secretary
(Administrative Officer Staff
Grade B1 (D4))

Responsible to the Chief Executive in undertaking the following duties and responsibilities -

1. to assist the Chief Executive in all aspects of his official life that relate to Government business;

2. to handle papers submitted to the Chief Executive and comment on them as necessary;

3. to attend all meetings that the Chief Executive holds with senior government officials and conveying instructions and requests for information from the Chief Executive to those concerned;

4. to attend meetings that the Chief Executive holds with community representatives, individuals from the private sector and visitors from outside Hong Kong, and ensure that appropriate follow-up action is taken as a result of such meetings;

5. to accompany the Chief Executive to a variety of official functions and engagements locally as well as on overseas visits, coordinate the preparation of briefs and speeches, and record meetings as required;

6. to act as Head of Department and Controlling Officer, and account for the expenditure of Head 21 Chief Executive ' s Office; and

7. to perform all other duties as required by the Chief Executive.

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Enclosure 4 to EC(97-98)18

Proposed Job Description of
Deputy Press Secretary
(Assistant Director
of Information Services)

Responsible to and assisting the Press Secretary in undertaking the following duties and responsibilities -

1. to liaise with the local and international media on behalf of the Chief Executive and the Government, including responding to press questions and requests for information on the Government of the HKSAR during and after office hours, and drafting or authorising statements from Chief Executive ' s Office;

2. to develop and coordinate an overall PR strategy for the Chief Executive and coordinate publicity activities for the Government of the HKSAR, consulting and/or advising the Chief Executive for matters related to broad policy issues of the Government of the HKSAR;

3. to liaise with the Information Services Department and policy bureaux in the Government Secretariat with the object of identifying, and obtaining information on matters which are of interest to the local and international media; preparing and advising on the line to take and on appropriate publicity and PR arrangements; and

4. to supervise the PIO and support staff in the Press Office.

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Enclosure 5 to EC(97-98)18

Non-directorate Posts Proposed
to be Created
under Head 21 Chief
Executive 's Office

*The proposed creation of the 21 posts does not require increase in the NAMS ceiling of Head 21 as there are sufficient NAMS values released from the previous Political Adviser ' s Office, which was closed on 1 July 1997.