Ingrid Yeung: more rigour in civil service accountability with possible "bell-curve" appraisals
發佈日期: 2026-05-03 19:38
TVB News
Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung says if department heads discover loopholes in the accountability system, they should report it -- or they will be held responsible for the oversight.
The government's two-tiered heads of department accountability system will see more serious allegations involving department or bureau heads scrutinised by the Public Service Commission.
Speaking with TVB News, Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung says the second-tier is triggered by "more serious, repetitive and widespread" issues.
She says the Public Service Commission, as an independent statutory advisory body established in 1950 on civil service appointment, has been given new powers to oversee relevant investigations.
Secretary for the Civil Service INGRID YEUNG: "It is very well respected within the government by civil servants, very transparent."
Reporter: (The water bottle scandal earlier, the seat belt debacle, and even the Tai Po fire. We know that we need to have more credibility and public trust towards the government worker system. Do you think the heads of department accountability system is going to help with that?)
INGRID YEUNG: "Heads of departments have all along been expected to be accountable. Now we are spelling it out in detail and institutionalising this. I think this will help government department heads to put in place effective systems to manage their departments."
Reporter: (The Tai Po hearing has recently flagged the issue of probably some unclear division of responsibilities among different departments. Do you think the mechanism will help address that concern as well?)
INGRID YEUNG: "Surely, it will help. Sometimes things fall between several stools. The department head can bring it to upper levels or to other departments who may have the power to deal with this sort of problems to get it resolved."
She says the accountability mechanism can cover permanent secretaries and could expedite disciplinary hearings on civil servants which normally take nine months with more comprehensive probes.
Yeung adds the rank-and-file civil servants will face stricter appraisals with possible considerations of a "bell-curve" approach -- in other words, assessing officers against one another for promotion opportunities and point scale pay raises.
Lower-performing civil servants may be denied their annual increment pay rise.
And that brought the question of the annual pay adjustment mechanism for civil servants.
Reporter: (The pay adjustment mechanism -- so why is not public perception included in the mechanism?)
INGRID YEUNG: "I think in a way public perception is included. Civil servants' morale, we consider civil servants' pay claims, and I think in it, it's all bounded (with) a lot of elements included."
She says details about the more rigorous appraisal mechanism will be revealed around mid-year.
