Replies to Questions from Finance Committee Members

Examination of Estimates of Expenditure 2003-04
CONTROLLING OFFICER’S REPLY TO
INITIAL WRITTEN QUESTION
Head : Subhead (No. & title) Question : Serial No.
60 – Highways Department 000 Operational expenses
1096
Programme :
Controlling Officer : Director of Highways
Director of Bureau : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works
Question : The expenses of the four programmes are affected by the “salary increments for
staff”. In this connection, please inform the Committee of:
(a) the number and ranks of the staff involved in the “salary increments for
staff” and the amount of expenses involved in 2003-04;
(b) how the department could take up the additional expenses arising from the
salary increments on one hand, and provide equivalent or better services
with less resources on the other;
(c) the actual amount of savings in the implementation of salary reduction of
civil servants in 2002-03. Whether the savings offset part of the expenses in
(a) above.
Asked by : Hon. IP Kwok-him
Reply : To implement civil servants’ salary reduction with effect from 1.10.2002, an
amount of about $26 million has been deducted from the department’s operating
expenditure envelope in 2003-04.
Gototop
An officer may be granted an increment only if his/her performance at work
(including conduct, diligence and efficiency) has been satisfactory and he/she
has not yet reached the maximum pay point of the salary scale of his/her
substantive rank. There are about 630 officers of various ranks in the
department who may be granted salary increments subject to satisfactory
performance. The expenditure required for this purpose amounts to about $6
million which will be absorbed within the provision in the envelope.
Signature
Name in block letters MAK CHAI KWONG
Post Title Director of Highways
Date 21 March 2003
Reply Serial No.
ETWB(T)005