Legco members grill Carrie Lam over changes at Central Policy Unit

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor insisted yesterday there were no plans to change the nature or role of the Central Policy Unit, as lawmakers across the political spectrum continued to question a controversial appointment to the government think tank.

Lam said the unit would continue to advise top echelons of the government on issues such as poverty and economic development, while also co-ordinating appointments to government advisory and statutory bodies.

Lam was fielding questions at a meeting of the Legco House Committee amid criticism of the appointment of Sophia Kao Ching-chi and a statement by unit chief Shiu Sin-por that she had to be informed on all appointments to advisory bodies.

Civic Party lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching asked why the Central Policy Unit had become a headhunting body.

Lam replied: "The government has no plan to change the nature and role of the CPU. The full-time members are to provide advice on policy matters to the … Chief Executive, the Chief Secretary for Administration and Financial Secretary. The CPU also nurtures talented people for work in the government."

James Tien Pei-chun, of the Beijing loyalist Liberal Party, questioned the need to expand the unit's role by hiring Kao and asked how decision-making power was divided between the unit and bureaus.