Government Secretariat


The Government Secretariat is the collective administrative headquarters of the Government of Hong Kong. It is collectively formed by the offices of the Chief Secretary and of the Financial Secretary as well as 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".

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History

The structure of the Government Secretariat has undergone periodic changes.

Early colonial history

The Colonial Secretariat was established in the 1840s as the Colonial Secretary's department, and was directly composed of the government's various departments, including the Public Works Department and the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs. This structure allowed power to be heavily concentrated at the top, in the offices of the Colonial Secretary and Financial Secretary. In the pre-war years, the smaller size of the government allowed even the most senior officials to keep track of both important policy issues and relatively trivial administrative matters, meaning that they could act quickly and decisively. Principal assistant colonial secretaries in the Colonial Secretary's office were responsible for coordinating policy and administrative matters, with the heads of departments being some of the most senior civil servants in the colony.

The McKinsey Report

Governor Sir Murray MacLehose commissioned McKinsey & Company to conduct a study on the structure of the Hong Kong Government. MacLehose subsequently restructured the Colonial Secretariat pursuant to recommendations in the McKinsey Report in 1973, adding a new layer of "branches" between the Colonial Secretary and the departments. The new branches, led by policy secretaries, would be primarily responsible for formulating policy, while the departments would continue to conduct day-to-day operations. The basic three-tier structure created by Governor MacLehose still exists largely unchanged today.
Branches of the Government Secretariat under the Colonial Secretary:
Branches of the Government Secretariat under the Financial Secretary:
  • Financial Branch ; replaced by the Monetary Affairs Branch
  • Economic Services Branch
The Colonial Secretariat was renamed as the Government Secretariat in 1976, following the decision to retitle the Colonial Secretary as the Chief Secretary.

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
  • Home Affairs Branch
  • Social Services Branch ; replaced by the Health & Welfare Branch
  • Housing Branch
  • Security Branch
  • Civil Service Branch
  • New Territories Branch ; replaced by the City & N.T. Administration Branch and renamed the District Administration Branch
  • News Branch
  • Education Branch ; renamed the Education & Manpower Branch
  • Transport Branch
  • Lands & Works Branch
  • General Duties Branch
  • Municipal Services Branch
Branches of the Government Secretariat under the Financial Secretary:
  • Economic Services Branch
  • Monetary Affairs Branch
  • Trade & industry Branch

    1989 reorganisation

In the 1 September 1989 reorganisation, the Recreation and Culture Branch 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
  • 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
Branches of the Government Secretariat under the Financial Secretary:
  • Finance Branch
  • Works Branch
  • Economic Services Branch
  • Monetary Affairs Branch ; replaced by the Financial Services Branch
  • Trade & industry Branch

    Structure of the Government Secretariat, 1997-2002

Branches of the Government Secretariat under the Chief Secretary for Administration:
Bureaux under the Financial Secretary:
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
  • Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau
  • Constitutional Affairs Bureau
  • Economic Development and Labour Bureau
  • Education and Manpower Bureau
  • Environment, Transport and Works Bureau
  • Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau
  • Health, Welfare and Food Bureau
  • 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 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:
  • Civil Service Bureau
  • Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau
  • Education Bureau
  • Environment Bureau
  • 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
  • Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau
  • Innovation and Technology Bureau

    Present structure (2022-)

Pursuant to the 2021 Policy address, 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:
  • Civil Service Bureau
  • Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau
  • Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau
  • Education Bureau
  • Environment and Ecology Bureau
  • Health Bureau
  • Home and Youth Affairs Bureau
  • Labour and Welfare Bureau
  • Security Bureau
Bureaux under the Financial Secretary:
  • Commerce and Economic Development Bureau
  • Development Bureau
  • Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau
  • Housing Bureau
  • Innovation, Technology & Industry Bureau
  • Transport and Logistics Bureau

    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. 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. 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 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