The government plans to set up four high-level task forces to better co-ordinate policy proposals before they reach the Executive Council, says Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.
Lam yesterday told TVB in an interview that they were needed because key issues had become more complicated and required more focused discussions among ministers.
The four task forces would each have a specific focus and they would be separate from Lam's existing general policy committee.
In the past five years, the committee has met weekly to resolve issues between departments before proposals are submitted to the Exco or released to the public.
'Nowadays, it would be impossible for a single bureau to formulate its policies alone,' Lam said. 'It requires more discussions among ministers at the stage of policy formulation.'
The task forces will focus on four main policy areas: security and constitutional issues; land, housing and infrastructure; welfare, education and manpower; and sustainable development and the environment.