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The Labour Branch of the Economic Development and Labour Bureau will merge with the Labour Department from tomorrow (July 1).

The streamlining will achieve a better integration of formulation and implementation of labour policies, and will increase efficiency and economy.

The new organisation will retain the corporate title of the Labour Department. It will be headed by the Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour(Labour), who will also assume the role of Commissioner for Labour. The latter post will be deleted after the merger.

Apart from underpinning the Secretary for Economic Development and Labour in formulating labour policies, the permanent secretary will oversee the day-to-day management of the new Labour Department in its delivery of services. As the permanent secretary will also be discharging the statutory functions in the name of the Commissioner for Labour, the post will be designated as Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labour(Labour)/Commissioner for Labour (PSL/CL). The appointee will also be the chairman of the Labour Advisory Board.

Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, who has been the permanent secretary since July 1, 2002, will head the new organisation.

End/Monday, June 30, 2003

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