The Government Secretariat (; known as 布政司署 before

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...

) is collectively formed by the Offices of the Chief Secretary and the Financial Secretary and thirteen policy bureaux. The offices are officially known as "''Government Secretariat: Offices of the Chief Secretary for Administration and the Financial Secretary''", and the bureaux are officially known as "'' Bureau, Government Secretariat''" or "''Government Secretariat: Bureau''".

History

The structure of the Government Secretariat has undergone periodic changes.

The McKinsey Report

Governor

Sir Murray MacLehose Crawford Murray MacLehose, Baron MacLehose of Beoch, (; 16 October 1917 – 27 May 2000), was a British politician, diplomat and the 25th Governor of Hong Kong, from 1971 to 1982. He was the longest-serving governor of the colony, with four ...

commissioned

McKinsey & Company McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm founded in 1926 by University of Chicago professor James O. McKinsey, that offers professional services to corporations, governments, and other organizations. McKinsey is the oldest and ...

to conduct a study on the structure of the

Hong Kong Government The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, commonly known as the Hong Kong Government or HKSAR Government, refers to the Executive (government), executive authorities of Hong Kong Special administrative regions of China, ...

. Sir MacLehose subsequently restructured the Government Secretariat pursuant to recommendations in the McKinsey Report in 1973. Branches of the Government Secretariat under the Colonial Secretary: * Environment Branch (-1981) * Home Affairs Branch * Social Services Branch * Housing Branch * Security Branch * Civil Service Branch * New Territories Branch (1974-) * Administration Branch (1975-1978) Branches of the Government Secretariat under the Financial Secretary: * Financial Branch (-1976); replaced by the Monetary Affairs Branch (1976-) * Economic Services Branch

Reorganisation in the 1980s

New branches of the Government Secretariat were established in the 1980s. Branches of the Government Secretariat under the Chief Secretary: * Environment Branch (-1981) * Home Affairs Branch * Social Services Branch (-1983); replaced by the Health & Welfare Branch (1983-) * Housing Branch * Security Branch * Civil Service Branch * New Territories Branch (-1981); replaced by the City & N.T. Administration Branch (1981-1983) and renamed the District Administration Branch (1983-) * News Branch (1979-1981) * Education Branch (1980-1983); renamed the Education & Manpower Branch (1983-) * Transport Branch (1981-) * Lands & Works Branch (1981-) * General Duties Branch (1982-) * Municipal Services Branch (1985-) Branches of the Government Secretariat under the Financial Secretary: * Economic Services Branch * Monetary Affairs Branch (1976-) * Trade & industry Branch (1982-)

1989 reorganisation

In the 1 September 1989 reorganisation, the Recreation and Culture Branch (RCB) was created, taking on some duties from the Municipal Services Branch, such as for culture and recreation, sports, antiquities and country parks management, and others from the Administrative Services and Information Branch, including broadcasting, entertainment and censorship policy. Both branches then ceased to exist. The RCB operated as a Broadcasting, Entertainment and Administration wing, which covered RTHK and TELA, and the Recreation and Culture wing, with responsibilities including sport. Branches of the Government Secretariat under the Chief Secretary: * General Duties Branch (-1990) * Constitutional Affairs Branch * Education & Manpower Branch * Civil Service Branch * Home Affairs Branch * Planning, Environment & Lands Branch * Broadcasting, Culture & Sports Branch * Security Branch * Health & Welfare Branch * Transport Branch * Housing Branch (1994-) Branches of the Government Secretariat under the Financial Secretary: * Finance Branch * Works Branch * Economic Services Branch * Monetary Affairs Branch (-1993); replaced by the Financial Services Branch (1993-) * Trade & industry Branch

Structure of the Government Secretariat, 1997-2002

Branches of the Government Secretariat under the Chief Secretary for Administration: * Education Bureau * Constitutional Affairs Bureau * Civil Service Bureau * Home Affairs Bureau * Planning, Environment and Lands Bureau (1997-99); renamed the Planning and Lands Bureau (2000-) * Environment and Food Bureau (2000-) * Housing Bureau * Security Bureau * Health and Welfare Bureau * Transport Bureau Bureaux under the Financial Secretary: * Broadcasting, Culture and Sports Bureau (1997-98) * Information Technology and Broadcast Bureau (1998-) * Works Bureau * Economic Services Bureau * Finance Bureau * Financial Services Bureau * Trade and Industry Bureau

Structure of policy bureaux, 2002-2007

The Government Secretariat was reorganised in Tung Chee-hwa's second term upon the implementation of the Principal Officials Accountability System on 1 July 2002: *

Civil Service Bureau The Civil Service Bureau (CSB) is one of the 15 policy bureaux under the Government Secretariat of the Government of Hong Kong and is responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies on the management of the Hong Kong Civil Serv ...

*Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau * Constitutional Affairs Bureau *

Economic Development and Labour Bureau The Economic Development and Labour Bureau (), headed by the Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, was responsible for economic development and labour issues in the Hong Kong Government. It was abolished on 1 July 2007, with its function ...

* Education and Manpower Bureau * Environment, Transport and Works Bureau *

Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) is a part of the 15 policy bureaux for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. They are responsible for developing and executing government policy on finance and treasury. The agency w ...

Health, Welfare and Food Bureau The Food and Health Bureau (FHB) was a policy bureau of the Government of Hong Kong from 2007 to 2022 that managed food hygiene, environmental hygiene and health policies in Hong Kong. It was led by the Secretary for Food and Health (SFH) dur ...

* Home Affairs Bureau * Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau * Security Bureau

Structure of policy bureaux, 2007-2022

A reorganisation of the secretariat was announced by Donald Tsang after his re-election as Chief Executive in 2007. The number of

policy bureaux Policy is a deliberate system of guidelines to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by a governance body within an organ ...

was increased from 11 to 12 as a consequence of this re-organisation; minor adjustments were also made to the responsibilities of the principal officials. Then-Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying established the Innovation and Technology Bureau in 2015. Bureaux under the Chief Secretary for Administration: *

* Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau *

Education Bureau The Education Bureau (EDB) is responsible for formulating and implementing education policies in Hong Kong. The bureau is headed by the Secretary for Education and oversees agencies including University Grants Committee and Student Fina ...

Environment Bureau The Environment Bureau (ENB; ) is a defunct executive agency of the Government of Hong Kong in operation from 2007 to 2022. It was responsible for developing policies in environmental protection, energy, climate change, sustainable development ...

* Food and Health Bureau * Home Affairs Bureau * Labour and Welfare Bureau * Security Bureau * Transport and Housing Bureau Bureaux under the Financial Secretary: * Commerce and Economic Development Bureau * Development Bureau *

* Innovation and Technology Bureau (2015-)

Present Structure of the Government Secretariat, 2022-

Pursuant to the 2021

Policy address Policy Address () is the annual address by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong (Governor prior to the handover). The practice of giving annual policy address is mandated under Article 64 of the Basic Law, requiring the government to "present regul ...

, Carrie Lam announced a government restructuring proposal in January 2022 to be considered and implemented by the Chief Executive-elect returned by the 2022 Chief Executive election. The proposal was adopted by Chief Executive-elect John Lee Ka-chiu; requisite funding was approved by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council on 10 June 2022. Bureaux under the Chief Secretary for Administration: *

* Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau * Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau *

* Environment and Ecology Bureau *

Health Bureau The Health Bureau ( zh, 衛生局, pt, Serviços de Saúde) in Macau is mainly responsible for coordinating the activities between the public and private organisations in the area of public health, and assure the health of citizens through speciali ...

* Home and Youth Affairs Bureau * Labour and Welfare Bureau * Security Bureau Bureaux under the Financial Secretary: * Commerce and Economic Development Bureau * Development Bureau *

Housing Bureau Housing Bureau (HB) is one of the fifteen policy bureaux for the Government of Hong Kong. It is responsible for the housing portfolios. The agency was established on 1 July 2022. The current (since 1 July 2022) Secretary for Housing is Winnie H ...

* Innovation, Technology & Industry Bureau *

Transport and Logistics Bureau Transport and Logistics Bureau () is one of the fifteen policy bureaux for the Government of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. It is responsible for the transport and logistics policy portfolios. The agency was establis ...

Reorganisation Proposals

2012 Proposal

In April 2012, Chief Executive-elect Leung Chun-ying announced his plan to reform the government, "aimed at providing better service to the public while boosting governance". Under the plan, two more deputy secretaries are to be created – a new deputy chief secretary and deputy financial secretary – to join the chief secretary, financial secretary, and secretary for justice.Lee, Colleen; So, Peter; Ng, Kang-chung (8 June 2012). "'Business as usual' for CY if the plan fails". ''South China Morning Post'' Leung announced his desire to create a Culture Bureau; Housing and Transport would be split into two bureaux and Housing would merge with Lands and planning. The newly created Deputy chief secretary position will be responsible for the Labour and Welfare, Education and cultural affairs bureaux. The Chief Secretary is to oversee the environment, Food and health, Home affairs, Security, Civil service, and Constitutional and mainland affairs. The Financial Secretary is to oversee Housing, planning and lands, Works, Transport and Financial Services and the treasury bureaux. The Deputy financial secretary will be in overall charge of the Commerce, industrial and tourism, as well as the Information and technology bureaux.Mary Ma, (27 April 2012
"Top choice closing in"
. ''The Standard'' To allow for a smooth transition, the government agreed to table Leung's restructuring plan before LegCo before it dissolved for the summer. However, Pan Democrats believed careful scrutiny was necessary, and strongly opposed the plan to rush through the changes;

People Power "People Power" is a political term denoting the populist driving force of any social movement which invokes the authority of grassroots opinion and willpower, usually in opposition to that of conventionally organised corporate or political for ...

representatives in Legco warned they would table some 900 motions at the Finance Committee meeting on 15 June and over 100 amendments at the plenary council meeting on 20 June. Bureaux under the Chief Secretary for Administration: *Civil Service Bureau *Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau *Environment Bureau *Food and Health Bureau *Home Affairs Bureau *Security Bureau Bureaux under the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration: *Education Bureau *Labour and Welfare Bureau *Culture Bureau Bureaux under the Financial Secretary: *Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau *Housing, Planning and Lands Bureau *Transport and Works Bureau Bureaux under the Deputy Financial Secretary: *Commerce and Industries Bureau *Technology and Communication Bureau

References

External links

Re-organisation of Policy Bureaux of the Government Secretariat
Hong Kong government departments and agencies {{HongKong-gov-stub