About SCDS
Description of work
Established in February 1989, the main role of the Standing Committee on Disciplined Services Salaries and Conditions of Service (SCDS) is to advise and make recommendations on matters concerning the pay and conditions of service of the disciplined services.
The SCDS advises the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China independently after taking into full account relevant factors and views expressed by the parties concerned. The decision as to whether the advice should be accepted rests with Government. The SCDS's terms of reference and membership are set out below.
Terms of reference
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To advise and make recommendations to the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in respect of the disciplined services on
- the principles and practices governing grade, rank and salary structures including the creation and abolition of grades and ranks at all levels;
- salary levels and structure of individual grades;
- the evaluation of jobs for the purpose of determining salaries and conditions of service;
- conditions of service and benefits other than salary that are relevant to the determination of remuneration;
- assessment of levels of, and eligibility for, allowances payable specifically to disciplined services staff;
- any matters affecting the disciplined services that require to be specially considered in relation to the machinery for the regular overall review of public service pay below the bottom point of the directorate in the general civil service;
- annual pay awards for ranks and grades remunerated at levels equivalent to or above the bottom point of the directorate in the general civil service;
- creation of permanent posts in ranks and grades remunerated at levels equivalent to or above the bottom point of the directorate in the general civil service;
- consultative machinery and procedures to enable management and staff to discuss matters within SCDS's terms of reference;
- the need for special or regular reviews to be commissioned or undertaken by SCDS itself, on matters within its purview; and
- matters referred to SCDS by the Chief Executive, or matters which SCDS considers appropriate to its terms of reference.
- SCDS shall not advise on the salaries and conditions of service of the heads of the disciplined services unless specifically invited to do so by the Chief Executive.
- SCDS shall operate through sub-committees: the Police Sub-Committee, the General Disciplined Services Sub-Committee, the ICAC Sub-Committee and such other sub-committees as SCDS may establish. All submissions to SCDS shall be considered in the first instance by the sub-committees, which shall be responsible for formulating their own recommendations separately. SCDS shall oversee the work of the sub-committees, approve their recommendations (amended if SCDS sees fit) and submit them to the Chief Executive.
- SCDS shall participate in the annual pay trend survey exercise through nominating one or two members to the Pay Trend Survey Committee.
- The heads of the disciplined services may jointly or individually refer any matters relating to the pay and conditions of service of the disciplined services to SCDS. In addition, the Official Side and Staff Side of the Police Force Council, the Disciplined Services Consultative Council and the ICAC Staff Consultative Committee may jointly or individually refer such matters to SCDS.
- SCDS shall give due weight to any wider community interest, including financial and economic considerations, which in its view are relevant.
- SCDS shall not consider cases of individual officers nor be involved in appointments, promotions and discipline matters.
- SCDS shall consider in the light of experience whether any amendments to its terms of reference are desirable and, if so, recommend appropriate changes.
- In carrying out its terms of reference, SCDS, through its sub-committees, shall ensure that adequate opportunities are provided for staff associations or management to express their views. SCDS, through its sub-committees, may also receive views from other bodies which in its view have a direct interest.