136. Some incumbent principal officials, including certain Directors of Bureaux, would remain as civil servants. They would not be employed on contract terms and would not be included in the new accountability system.

137. As a result of introducing the new accountability system, the post-titles of those Directors of Bureaux who remained on civil service terms would be changed. Although no longer Directors of Bureaux, they would play a pivotal role between the civil service and the new contract Directors of Bureaux. They would be responsible to, and work under, the new directors. They would assist in formulating and implementing policies, listen to the views of the public and the Legislative Council, explain relevant policies, answer questions, secure support for policies and attend LegCo meetings. Their existing remuneration package and conditions of service would remain unchanged.

138. Last year, I also talked about enhancing the composition of the Executive Council at an appropriate time. To assist the Chief Executive's decision-making process, an important idea being considered is to appoint to Executive Council the principal officials under the new accountability system in addition to the top three Secretaries. Other members would also be appointed in accordance with the Basic Law. In this way, they would participate directly in the Government's overall policy-making process and help set priorities for introducing policies. Work on issues which straddle across departments would be better co-ordinated. The Government would be able to respond more comprehensively and quickly to public demands; we would also be able to prioritise better the allocation of resources and formulate policies that suit the needs of the people. This is the general thrust of our initial thinking, but we need to give further consideration to this very important issue.

139. The new system will more clearly define the roles, powers and responsibilities of top government officials. It will also build on the civil service's existing strengths, such as permanency, professionalism, neutrality, high efficiency, and freedom from corruption.

140. Since I announced the proposal to examine the accountability system, members of the Legislative Council, academics, the media and the community have enthusiastically expressed their views on the subject. In the coming few months, we will examine in detail the ideas I have just outlined and prepare proposals on the arrangements, including the remuneration package, employment conditions, and code of practice. As the Chief Executive, I have the responsibility to address issues relating to public administration and put forward feasible proposals. However, it will be for the Chief Executive in the second term to decide whether these ideas should be implemented.