Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ9: Number of Workman II in FEHD
Following is a question by the Hon Leung Kwok-hung and a written reply by the
Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today
(December 3):
Question:
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) told me that, owing to an
insufficient number of Workman II (WMII) in FEHD, the cleansing services for
Clear Water Bay Peninsula, Tseng Lan Shue and Kowloon Peak in Sai Kung District
had been outsourced to cleansing contractors starting from September this year.
There have been comments that the freeze on recruitment of WMII by FEHD will
make the department unable to cope with an epidemic outbreak (such as the
outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2003), or a sudden surge in
service demand upon termination of outsourced cleansing contracts. In this
connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) why FEHD has not employed sufficient WMII to provide cleansing services in
the above areas;
(b) given that despite the Government's recruitment freeze on the civil service
in recent years, a department may apply for exemption if there are operational
needs, whether FEHD has made such an application; if not, of the reasons for
that;
(c) of the total current number of WMII employed by all government departments,
together with a breakdown by department;
(d) of the current number of WMII working in FEHD, together with a breakdown by
reason (such as retirement and transfer of job) of the change in such numbers
over the past three years; and
(e) of the current ratio between WMII working in FEHD and cleansing workers
employed by outsourced service contractors, and whether it will set the relevant
target ratio?
Reply:
President,
It is Government's established policy that the private sector should participate
in the delivery of public services as far as practicable. To fully utilise the
expertise, innovation and agility of the private sector in providing more and
better service, bureaux and departments (B/D) will keep under regular review the
mode of delivery of services. When it is established that the service could not
be contracted out to a private service provider or must be handled by civil
servants, civil servants are engaged to meet such needs.
Our reply to the five-part question raised by Hon Leung Kwok-hung is as follows:
(a) Pursuant to the above government policy, the Food and Environmental Hygiene
Department (FEHD) reviews the provision of its services, including cleansing
services, from time to time, and where appropriate, outsource the relevant
services to private contractors. Provision of street cleansing services for
villages and roads along Clear Water Bay in Sai Kung by private contractors is
considered feasible after a review of service nature and demand by the
Department.
(b) During the period of overall open recruitment freeze and when the five-year
open recruitment freeze imposed on grades covered by the Second Voluntary
Retirement Scheme, FEHD has, after reviewing its operational needs, made
applications to the Panel co-chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration
and the Financial Secretary with Secretary for the Civil Service as a member.
With the approval, the Department carried out open recruitment to fill a total
of 245 civil service posts, including Hygiene Inspector II, Scientific Officer
(Medical), Pest Control Officer/Assistant Pest Control Officer, Pest Control
Assistant II/Student Pest Control Assistant and Veterinary Officer during the
period of recruitment freeze.
(c) According to information provided by Civil Service Bureau (CSB), as at
September 30, 2008, a total of 6,956 Workman II (WMII) were employed by various
government bureaux and departments. Details are at Annex I.
(d) As at September 30, 2008, a total of 3,233 WMII were employed by FEHD. Over
the past three years, 545 WMII have left the Department due to various reasons
including retirement and appointment to another grade. For details, please see
Annex II.
(e) Of all the frontline staff providing cleansing services in public areas, 35%
are WMII of FEHD, while 65% are staff of its outsourced service contractors.
FEHD considers the existing mode of service delivery by engaging both
departmental staff and employees of its service contractors has been working
effectively. The Department considers that there is no need to lay down any
rigid target ratio for contracting out. The deployment of and need for WMII in
the department is being actively reviewed. Requirement, if any, will first be
met through in-service recruitment. Where necessary, approval from the CSB for
open recruitment will be sought in accordance with existing procedure to meet
service needs.
Ends/Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:15
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