(3) All contracts of employment between the Government of Hong Kong and public officers in force immediately before 1 July 1997 which remain in force on and after that date shall on and after that date be regarded as contracts of employment with the Government of the HKSAR and in the case where an executive order relating to the public service made by the Chief Executive applies to a public officer his contract of employment is subject to the terms of that executive order.
24. Continuance of powers
(1) Subject to subsection (2), all common law powers and statutory powers under Ordinances adopted as laws of the HKSAR which were vested in public officers, and extant immediately before 1 July 1997 (except for those that are inconsistent with the Basic Law), shall on and after that date continue in existence and vest in the corresponding public officers in the HKSAR.
(2) Those prerogative powers (including rights, privileges and immunities) exercisable by a public officer immediately before 1 July 1997, except for those that are inconsistent with the Basic Law, shall on and after that date continue in existence, vest in the Chief Executive and be exercisable by the corresponding public officer in the HKSAR.
25. Previous acts
(1) All acts done before 1 July 1997 by, to or in relation to a public officer under a common law power or a statutory power under an Ordinance adopted as a law of the HKSAR, shall on and after that date remain valid to the extent that they were valid immediately before that date and are not inconsistent with the Basic Law, and be deemed to have been done by, to or in relation to, as the case may be, the corresponding public officer in the HKSAR.
(2) In subsection (1), “acts done” (作出的作為) includes acts delegating any powers and acts done in the exercise of a power by a delegate.
26. Delegations generally
All powers and duties delegated to a public officer which were in force immediately before 1 July 1997 shall, where a corresponding power of delegation (whether express or implied) exists on and after that date, be deemed to have been delegated to the corresponding public officer in the HKSAR.
