Policy governing post-retirement employment of civil servants



Date Context Summary of development Action
25.8.97 PS The Panel discussed with the Administration on the policy governing the post-retirement/post-agreement employment of former civil servants. [Paper]
15.10.97 CQ Hon CHAN Yuen-han raised a question on the acceptance of employment by civil servants on pre-retirement leave. [Hansard "page 58"]
31.3.99 CQ Hon Emily LAU raised a question on the appointment of former Education Department (ED) staff in aided schools. [Hansard]
12.99 ED An information paper provided by the Administration on the employment of retired officers of ED in aided schools was circulated to members. [Paper]
17.1.00 PS The Panel discussed with the Administration on the policy governing acceptance of outside appointments by civil servants after retirement or completion of agreement. [Paper]
16.10.00 PS At the meeting when the Panel discussed with the Administration on the civil service-related issues featuring in the Chief Executive's Policy Address 2000, some members expressed concern about the post-retirement employment of directorate officers. [Minutes "page 5"]

At members' request, the Administration provided the statistics on the number of applications for post-retirement employment from directorate officers. [Follow-up Paper]
14.3.01 CQ Hon LAU Kong-wah raised a question on the post-retirement employment of civil servants in public organizations. [Hansard "page 70"]
17.12.03 CQ Dr Hon David CHU raised a question on the independence of Audit Commission. As part of the question, Dr CHU sought information on the mechanism or measures in place to deal with the situation in which a former Director of Audit took up employment in a government department or a public organization. [Hansard "page 16"]
4.5.04 PRESS The Administration made a statement that all retired civil servants were required to seek prior approval before taking up employment or engaging in business activities the principal part of which was carried out in Hong Kong within two years of their retirement. [Press release]
12.5.04 CQ Hon Emily LAU raised a question on retired civil servants taking up employment in statutory bodies. [Hansard "page 82"]
17.5.04 PS The Panel discussed with the Administration on the policy governing acceptance of outside appointments by civil servants after retirement. [Paper] [The Fifteenth Report on the Work of the Advisory Committee on Post-retirement Employment (1 January 2003 - 31 December 2003)]

At members' request, the Administration provided members with supplementary information on the number of retired directorate officers who took up post-retirement employment with private commercial enterprises from 2001 to 2003, with a breakdown by rank at the time of retirement. [Follow-up Paper]

The Administration also undertook to review the existing post-retirement employment mechanism, taking into account views expressed by members at the meeting, and revert to the Panel on the outcome of the review.
11.04 PS A letter dated 25.11.04 from Ms Elaine CHUNG Lai-kwok to the Secretary General of the Legislative Council (with press releases issued by Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) Co. Ltd. on 9.11.04 and 15.11.04 attached) was circulated to members. [Letter]
1.12.04 CQ Hon KWONG Chi-kin raised a question on retired senior civil servants taking up job in the private sector. Mr KWONG's enquiry was related to Ms Elaine CHUNG Lai-kwok's employment with the Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) Co Ltd after her retirement from the civil service. [Hansard "page 6"]
3.12.04 PRESS The Secretary for the Civil Service (SCS) met the press on the post-retirement employment of former civil servants and implementation of the civil service pay adjustment with effect from 1.1.05. [Press release]
21.12.04 PS In view of the wide public concern about the approval given by the Administration for the former Deputy Director of Housing (Ms Elaine CHUNG Lai-kwok) to take up post-retirement employment with the Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) Co. Ltd., the Administration was invited to discuss with the Panel on the policy governing post-retirement employment of civil servants. [Letter dated 7.12.04 from Hon CHEUNG Man-kwong and Hon KWONG Chi-kin] (No soft copy) [The Administration's reply dated 14.12.04] [First letter dated 16.12.04 from Ms Elaine CHUNG to the Panel] [Second letter dated 18.12.04 from Ms Elaine CHUNG to the Panel] [Third letter dated 18.12.04 from Ms Elaine CHUNG to the Panel] [Letter dated 18.12.04 from the Clerk to Panel to Ms Elaine CHUNG] [Letter dated 20.12.04 from Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) Co. Ltd.] [Letter dated 20.12.04 from Hon CHEUNG Man-kwong] (No soft copy) [Letter dated 20.12.04 from the Clerk to Panel to SCS] [Letter dated 21.12.04 from SCS to the Panel Clerk] [Background Brief] [Letter dated 26.2.05 from SCS informing members of the progress of the investigation on possible conflict of interests between the post-retirement employment of the former Deputy Director of Housing and her previous service in the Government]
5.1.05 CQ Hon LEUNG Yiu-chung raised a question on the taking up of employment by retired senior civil servants. [Hansard "Page 86"]
17.1.05 PS At the meeting when the Panel discussed with the Administration on the policy initiatives of the Civil Service Bureau featuring in the Chief Executive's 2005 Policy Address, some members expressed concern about the policy governing the post-retirement employment of civil servants. [Paper] [Minutes "page 3"]

At members' request, the Administration provided members with supplementary information on a number of issues relating to post-retirement employment of former civil servants. [Follow-up Paper]
2.2.05 CM A motion moved by Hon CHEUNG Man-kwong and amended by Hon TAM Yiu-chung on monitoring the post-retirement employment of the Chief Executive, principal officials under the accountability system and civil servants at directorate level with private-sector organizations was passed. [Hansard "Page 112"]

The Administration provided in April 2005 the progress report on the major developments since the motion debate held at the Council meeting on 2 February 2005. [Progress Report]
21.3.05 PS The Panel discussed the following two papers:
(a)a paper provided by the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) on "Post-retirement employment of Ms Elaine Chung, former Deputy Director of Housing/Deputy Secretary for Housing", setting out CSB's findings and assessments related to various concerns about the post-retirement employment of Ms CHUNG. [Paper]
(b)a paper provided by CSB on the findings and preliminary proposals from its review of the policy on post-service employment of former directorate civil servants. [Paper] [Background Brief]

On item (a) above, the following motion proposed by Hon CHEUNG Man-kwong was passed at the Panel meeting:
"That this Panel does not accept the Civil Service Bureau's investigation report on "Post-retirement Employment of Ms Elaine Chung, Former Deputy Director of Housing/Deputy Secretary for Housing", and requests the Government to conduct an independent investigation into the matter and present a report to the Legislative Council and the public."

The Administration provided a written response to the above motion on 13 April 2005. [Follow-up Paper]

On item (b) above, the Panel supported CSB's proposals to improve the existing mechanism governing post-retirement employment of directorate officers and made some suggestions for refining the proposals.

At members' request, the Administration provided supplementary information on the post-service employment of former civil servants. [Follow-up Paper] [Follow-up Paper]
23.8.05 PS The Administration provided "The Sixteenth Report on the Work of the Advisory Committee on Post-retirement Employment (1 January 2004 - 31 December 2004)" for the Panel's information. The report summarizes the work of the Advisory Committee in 2004. It also outlines the principles and guidelines adopted by the Advisory Committee in considering applications and the recent pattern of taking up outside employments by former civil servants. Among the many cases which the Advisory Committee advised on, the report gives a brief account of its advices given on the case involving the post-retirement employment of Ms Elaine Chung, the former Deputy Director of Housing/Deputy Secretary for Housing. [Paper]
17.10.05 PS The Panel discussed the paper on policy initiatives of the Civil Service Bureau set out in the 2005-06 Policy Agenda, including the review of the policy on post-retirement employment of civil servants. [Paper]
21.11.05 PS The Administration reported to the Panel on the preliminary proposals arising from the review of the policy governing post-service employment of former directorate civil servants. The Panel discussed with the Administration on the revised policy and arrangements. [Paper] [Background Brief]

At members' request, the Administration provided supplementary information on the review of policy on post-service employment of former directorate civil servants. [Follow-up Paper]
25.8.06 PS The Administration provided "The Seventeenth Report on the Work of the Advisory Committee on Post-service Employment of Civil Servants (1 January 2005 - 31 December 2005)" for the Panel's information. The report summarized the work of the Advisory Committee in 2005. [Paper]
8.11.06 CQ Hon Albert Ho Chun-yan raised a question on civil servants taken up employment after retirement. [Hansard "page 70"]

PS The Administration provided "The Eighteenth Report on the Work of the Advisory Committee on Post-service Employment of Civil Servants (1 January 2006 - 31 December 2006)" for the Panel's information. The report summarized the work of the Advisory Committee in 2006. [Paper]

PS The Administration provided "The Nineteenth Report on the Work of the Advisory Committee on Post-service Employment of Civil Servants (1 January 2007 - 31 December 2007)" for the Panel's information. The report summarized the work of the Advisory Committee in 2007. [Paper]
27.10.08 PS The Panel discussed the policy on post-service employment of former directorate civil servants with the Administration. [Paper] [Paper]

Development to date presented in background brief prepared by the Secretariat. [Background brief]
16.2.09 PS The Panel discussed the public consultation on post-service outside work for directorate civil servants conducted by the Committee on Review of Post-service Outside Work for Directorate Civil Servants with the Administration and Review Committee. [Paper] [Paper]
16.3.09 PS The Panel discussed the Consultation document published by Committee on Review of Post-Service Outside Work for Directorate Civil Servants on 20 February 2009 with the Administration and Review Committee. [Report] [Paper]
13.7.09 PS The Panel discussed the Report on Review of Post-Service Outside Work for Directorate Civil Servants with the Administration and Review Committee. [Report] [Paper]

Development to date presented in background brief prepared by the Secretariat. [Background brief]

PS The Administration provided "The 20th Report on the Work of the Advisory Committee on Post-service Employment of Civil Servants (1 January 2008 - 31 December 2008)" for the Panel's information. The report summarized the work of the Advisory Committee in 2008. [Paper]
19.10.09 PS The Panel discussed the review of post-service outside work for directorate civil servants with the Administration. [Paper]

Development to date presented in background brief prepared by the Secretariat. [Background brief]
2.6.10 CQ Hon CHEUNG Man-kwong raised a question on post-service employment of civil servants. [Hansard "page 102"]
9.6.10 CQ Hon LI Fung-ying raised a question on post-service employment of the former Commissioner for Tourism. [Hansard "page 83"]

PS The Administration provided "The 21st Report on the Work of the Advisory Committee on Post-service Employment of Civil Servants (1 January 2009 - 31 December 2009)" for the Panel's information. The report summarized the work of the Advisory Committee in 2009. [Paper]
4.5.11 CQ Hon WONG Sing-chi raised a question on control of post-service employment of senior government officials. [Hansard "page 113"]
1.8.11 PS The Panel discussed the review of post-service outside work for directorate civil servants with the Administration. [LegCo Brief: CSBCR/AP/5-090-005/21]

Development to date presented in background brief prepared by the Secretariat.[Updated background brief]


  		• Civil Service Bureau - Post-retirement Employment:
    http://www.csb.gov.hk/hkgcsb/showdisplay.jsp?page_no=188&lang_iso=en_uk
  		• Civil Service Bureau - Advisory Committee on Post-retirement Employment:
    http://www.csb.gov.hk/hkgcsb/showdisplay.jsp?page_no=567&lang_iso=en_uk


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