Index page

Director of Bureau : Secretary for the Civil Service

Session No. : 1

File name : CSB-e2.doc

Reply
Serial No. / Question
Serial No. / Reply
Serial No. / Question
Serial No. /
CSB001 / 0855 / CSB023 / 1690
CSB002 / 0856 / CSB024 / 1691
CSB003 / 0857 / CSB025 / 0747
CSB004 / 0858 / CSB026 / 1164
CSB005 / 0859 / CSB027 / 2487
CSB006 / 0862 / CSB028 / 1271
CSB007 / 0860 / CSB029 / 1272
CSB008 / 0861 / CSB030 / 1273
CSB009 / 2032 / CSB031 / 2202
CSB010 / 2033 / CSB032 / 2203
CSB011 / 2034 / CSB033 / 2204
CSB012 / 2035 / CSB034 / 1083
CSB013 / 2036 / CSB035 / 0811
CSB014 / 2037 / CSB036 / 2653
CSB015 / 2038 / CSB037 / 1081
CSB016 / 2039 / CSB038 / 0819
CSB017 / 2040 / CSB039 / 2174
CSB018 / 2041 / CSB040 / 2407
CSB019 / 2205 / CSB041 / 0959
CSB020 / 2206 / CSB042 / 2274
CSB021 / 1269 / CSB043 / 2603
CSB022 / 1270 / CSB044 / 2398

Replies to initial written questions raised by Finance Committee Members in examining the Estimates of Expenditure 2007-08

Director of Bureau : Secretary for the Civil Service

Session No. : 1

Reply
Serial No. / Question
Serial No. / Name of Member / Head / Programme /
CSB001 / 0855 / FUNG Kin-kee, Frederick / 143 / Human Resource Management
CSB002 / 0856 / FUNG Kin-kee, Frederick / 143 / Human Resource Management
CSB003 / 0857 / FUNG Kin-kee, Frederick / 143 / Human Resource Management
CSB004 / 0858 / FUNG Kin-kee, Frederick / 143 / Human Resource Management
CSB005 / 0859 / FUNG Kin-kee, Frederick / 143 / Human Resource Management
CSB006 / 0862 / KWONG Chi-kin / 143 / Civil Service Training and Development
CSB007 / 0860 / TAM Heung-man / 143 / Human Resource Management
CSB008 / 0861 / TAM Heung-man / 143 / Human Resource Management
CSB009 / 2032 / TAM Yiu-chung / 143 / Human Resource Management
CSB010 / 2033 / TAM Yiu-chung / 143 / Human Resource Management
CSB011 / 2034 / TAM Yiu-chung / 143 / Human Resource Management
CSB012 / 2035 / TAM Yiu-chung / 143 / Translation and Interpretation Services and Use of Official Languages
CSB013 / 2036 / TAM Yiu-chung / 143 / Translation and Interpretation Services and Use of Official Languages
CSB014 / 2037 / TAM Yiu-chung / 143 / Civil Service Training and Development
CSB015 / 2038 / TAM Yiu-chung / 143 / Civil Service Training and Development
CSB016 / 2039 / TAM Yiu-chung / 143 / Civil Service Training and Development
CSB017 / 2040 / TAM Yiu-chung / 143 / Civil Service Training and Development
CSB018 / 2041 / TAM Yiu-chung / 143 / Civil Service Training and Development
CSB019 / 2205 / YOUNG Howard / 143 / Civil Service Training and Development
CSB020 / 2206 / YOUNG Howard / 143 / Civil Service Training and Development
CSB021 / 1269 / CHEUNG Man-kwong / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB022 / 1270 / CHEUNG Man-kwong / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB023 / 1690 / KWONG Chi-kin / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB024 / 1691 / KWONG Chi-kin / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB025 / 0747 / LI Fung-ying / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB026 / 1164 / NG Margaret / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB027 / 2487 / SIN Chung-kai / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB028 / 1271 / TAM Yiu-chung / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB029 / 1272 / TAM Yiu-chung / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB030 / 1273 / TAM Yiu-chung / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB031 / 2202 / YOUNG Howard / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB032 / 2203 / YOUNG Howard / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB033 / 2204 / YOUNG Howard / 46 / General Expenses of the Civil Service
CSB034 / 1083 / CHAN Bernard / 120 / Public and Judicial Service Pension Benefits
CSB035 / 0811 / KWONG Chi-kin / 120 / Public and Judicial Service Pension Benefits
CSB036 / 2653 / TAM Yiu-chung / 120 / Public and Judicial Service Pension Benefits
CSB037 / 1081 / CHAN Bernard / 136 / Public Service Commission
CSB038 / 0819 / KWONG Chi-kin / 136 / Public Service Commission
CSB039 / 2174 / NG Margaret / 136 / Public Service Commission
CSB040 / 2407 / NG Margaret / 136 / Public Service Commission
CSB041 / 0959 / KWONG Chi-kin / 174 / Secretariat services for advisory bodies on civil service and judicial salaries and conditions of service
CSB042 / 2274 / SIN Chung-kai / 37 / Medical and Dental Treatment for Civil Servants
CSB043 / 2603 / YEUNG Sum / 37 / Medical and Dental Treatment for Civil Servants
CSB044 / 2398 / CHEUNG Man-kwong / 188 / Payment of Salaries, Pensions and Benefits
Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2007-08 / Reply Serial No.
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY TO
INITIAL WRITTEN QUESTION / CSB001
Question Serial No.
0855
Head: / 143 - Government Secretariat: Civil Service Bureau / Subhead (No. & title):
Programme: / (2) Human Resource Management
Controlling Officer: / Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service
Director of Bureau: / Secretary for the Civil Service
Question:
Under the Matters Requiring Special Attention in 2007-08, it is stated: “Continue to consider the application of the results of the pay level survey…”. Will the administration inform this Committee if the study covers the effect of the civil service pay adjustment on the terms of non-civil service contracts? For example, will the pay of the serving and new non-civil service contract staff be adjusted with reference to the civil service pay and if not, will the existing situation of unequal pay for equal work aggravate?
Asked by: Hon. FUNG Kin-kee, Frederick
Reply:
We are now discussing and considering with the staff side representatives on how the recently completed pay level survey results should be applied to each of the existing civil service pay scales having regard to the relevant policy considerations.
As regards the pay of non-civil service contract (NCSC) staff, Heads of Department have discretion to determine the level of pay to be offered to NCSC staff, having regard to the condition of the employment market as well as their unique management and operational considerations. However, the level of pay should not exceed the mid-point salaries of comparable civil service ranks or ranks of comparable level of responsibilities. The results of the pay level survey would not have any direct impact on the pay of NCSC staff.
Signature
Name in block letters / Andrew H Y WONG
Post Title / Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service
Date / 14 March 2007
Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2007-08 / Reply Serial No.
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY TO
INITIAL WRITTEN QUESTION / CSB002
Question Serial No.
0856
Head: / 143 - Government Secretariat: Civil Service Bureau / Subhead (No. & title):
Programme: / (2) Human Resource Management
Controlling Officer: / Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service
Director of Bureau: / Secretary for the Civil Service
Question:
With regard to the resumption of open recruitment of civil servants from 1 April 2007 as mentioned in the budget, will the administration inform this Committee of the estimated number of civil servants to be recruited in the financial year of 2007-08 and the posts of the bureaux and departments involved?
Asked by: Hon. FUNG Kin-kee, Frederick
Reply:
Starting from 1 April 2007, Heads of Department / Grade can resume open recruitment of civil servants having regard to their operational needs. However, grades included in the Second Voluntary Retirement Scheme will continue to be subject to an open recruitment freeze, unless otherwise approved. In 2007-08, there will be a net increase in the civil service establishment of about 1130 posts. As for existing vacancies, as bureaux / departments will only fill them when there are operational needs and alternative modes of service delivery (e.g. outsourcing) are considered unfeasible, we are unable to provide an accurate estimation of the number of civil servants that they will recruit and the posts involved.
Signature
Name in block letters / Andrew H Y WONG
Post Title / Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service
Date / 14 March 2007
Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2007-08 / Reply Serial No.
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY TO
INITIAL WRITTEN QUESTION / CSB003
Question Serial No.
0857
Head: / 143 - Government Secretariat: Civil Service Bureau / Subhead (No. & title):
Programme: / (2) Human Resource Management
Controlling Officer: / Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service
Director of Bureau: / Secretary for the Civil Service
Question:
It is mentioned under Matters Requiring Special Attention in 2007-08 that : “continue to maintain and enhance the morale of the civil service…” and “co-ordinate the implementation of the final phase of the five-day week initiative in the Government, which is scheduled for commencement on 1 July 2007…”. Would the Administration advise this Committee, apart from the five-day week initiative, what other initiatives in support of the promoting family-friendly policy stated in the Policy Address will be implemented in the civil service? Will such initiatives include prescribing standard working hours, reducing occasions when staff are required to work overtime, allowing flexible working hours or working from home, offering job sharing opportunities, granting paid paternity leave to male staff, providing child-care services and facilities in the workplace, etc.? If yes, please provide the implementation schedule and the expenditure involved. If not, what are the reasons?
Asked by: Hon. FUNG Kin-kee, Frederick
Reply:
The Government aims to provide a family-friendly working environment to enable civil servants to cope with both work and family commitments. Under the basic principles of no additional staffing resources, no reduction in the conditioned hours of service of individual staff, no reduction in emergency services and the continued provision of some essential counter services on Saturday, the Government introduced the five-day week initiative by phases from July 2006 to reduce the work pressure of staff and to improve the quality of family life, without impairing operational efficiency. The final phase of the five-day week initiative is scheduled to commence on 1 July 2007. Heads of Department may arrange their staff to work in staggered working hours as they consider necessary to meet operational needs.
Civil servants are subject to the conditioned hours stipulated for their respective grades. Conditioned hours mean the hours of duty which salary is calculated to cover and the hours which must be worked before the concerned staff can claim overtime work. The actual hours of attendance of individual civil servants are determined by their Heads of Department having regard to operational requirements. The Civil Service Regulations stipulate that overtime work may be undertaken only when it is unavoidable. It is incumbent upon Heads of Department to ensure that overtime work is kept to the absolute minimum having regard to operational requirements, and that such unavoidable overtime work is strictly controlled and properly supervised at all times.
Besides, the vast majority of civil servants are provided with full-pay annual leave, ranging from 22 to 40.5 days (apart from maternity leave), for the purpose of recuperation from the pressure of work and attending to personal matters including taking care of their families.
Apart from the above measures, the Government will continue to take an interest in the health and well being of staff, assist them in managing work-related stress and better understanding the importance of work-life balance.
Signature
Name in block letters / Andrew H Y WONG
Post Title / Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service
Date / 14 March 2007
Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2007-08 / Reply Serial No.
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY TO
INITIAL WRITTEN QUESTION / CSB004
Question Serial No.
0858
Head: / 143 - Government Secretariat: Civil Service Bureau / Subhead (No. & title):
Programme: / (2) Human Resource Management
Controlling Officer: / Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service
Director of Bureau: / Secretary for the Civil Service
Question:
Regarding the statement: “continue to consider the application of the results of the pay level survey…” under Matters Requiring Special Attention in 2007-08. Would the Administration advise this Committee whether any provision has been made for civil service pay adjustment in the 2007-08 Estimates? If yes, what is the estimated amount? If not, what are the reasons?
Asked by: Hon. FUNG Kin-kee Frederick
Reply:
Whether there will be any adjustment to civil service pay, and if so, the magnitude of such adjustment, in 2007–08 depends on how the results of the recently completed pay level survey are to be applied to the civil service and the results of the pay trend survey. We are still discussing with the staff sides on the application of the results of the pay level survey, and the 2007 pay trend survey has yet to be conducted. Should a decision be made on a civil service pay adjustment in the coming months, the 2007–08 Budget could meet this need.
Signature
Name in block letters / Andrew H Y WONG
Post Title / Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service
Date / 14 March 2007
Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2007-08 / Reply Serial No.
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY TO
INITIAL WRITTEN QUESTION / CSB005
Question Serial No.
0859
Head: / 143 - Government Secretariat: Civil Service Bureau / Subhead (No. & title):