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Civil
Service Establishment
60.
Since
we must strictly control the size of the civil
service, we will consider filling existing vacancies
or creating new posts only after critically
reviewing our manpower situation and exploring the
feasibility of other options for service delivery.
In order to implement various policy initiatives and
meet the community's increasing demand
for public services, the civil service establishment
will have slightly expanded to around 162 900
by the end of March 2008, an increase of less than 1
per cent.
61.
To complement
the creation of new posts and to pre-empt possible
succession problems arising in the civil service, we
will resume open recruitment of civil servants from
1 April 2007. However, the recruitment freeze
will continue to apply to those grades covered by
the Second Voluntary Retirement Scheme, unless
otherwise approved.
62.
It
has long been our policy for civil service pay to
offer adequate remuneration to attract, retain and
motivate staff of suitable calibre who can provide
the public with quality services. By adhering
to the principle of broad comparability between
civil service and private sector pay, we ensure that
civil service remuneration is considered fair by
both civil servants and the public. The
Secretary for the Civil Service is now discussing
with staff representatives how best to apply to the
civil service the findings of the recently-completed
Pay Level Survey and develop an improved civil
service annual pay adjustment mechanism.
Should a decision be made on a civil service pay
adjustment, it is estimated that the 2007?8
Budget could meet this need.
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