Top civil servants ‘liable if they don’t flag systemic loopholes’ under proposal

A proposed accountability framework will hold government department heads personally liable for systemic loopholes that they fail to flag to superiors, Hong Kong’s civil service chief has said.

Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan also said that public perception could play a role in decisions on pay adjustments for government employees, after being questioned about the potential impact of an inquiry into the city’s deadliest fire in decades.

In a television appearance on Sunday, she discussed the proposed framework and said that even department heads would be held accountable and should face the consequences of governance failures.

“Regarding post-investigation actions, we will adhere to existing protocols. Whether it is a permanent secretary, a department head, or a frontline civil servant, if they are found to be incompetent, they will be handled under the same mechanism and face the same consequences,” she said.

Under the system, department heads who discovered any systemic loopholes would be required to report them to their superiors, or they would be held liable for failing to come forward, Yeung said.

The proposal was first mentioned in Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s 2025 policy address and aims to enhance governance, drive top officials to improve work procedures and boost management efficiency.

The planned mechanism will allow the city leader, the top three government ministers and bureau chiefs to initiate investigations through the Public Service Commission – an independent statutory body that advises on civil service appointments and promotions.