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Following is an oral reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, to a question by the Hon Starry Lee Wai-king on creation of employment opportunities in the Legislative Council today (December 10):
Question :
The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for the most recent quarter has increased to 3.5% and the Government anticipates that the unemployment rate will climb further under the impact of the global financial tsunami. In 2003, to cope with the impact of the outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, the then Chief Executive announced spending more than $700 million to provide a large number of additional short-term jobs and training places, and together with other measures, the Government created a total of nearly 73,000 job or training opportunities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the respective numbers of temporary posts lasting less than one year which have been created and will be created by various government departments in the current and the next financial years, as well as the relevant details (including the job nature and expenditure involved);
(b) given that the financial tsunami has led to an increase in unemployment, the authorities will allocate funding to create more short-term or temporary posts, of the relevant details (including the type and number of posts etc.); and
(c) given that the unemployment problem is particularly serious among construction workers, whether the authorities will allocate more resources to expedite the rehabilitation projects and works for buildings and facilities in old districts as well as the removal of unauthorized building works in those areas, thereby taking the lead in creating more job opportunities; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
(a) and (b) Since parts (a) and (b) of the Honourable Starry Lee's question touch on issues pertaining to the establishment amongst all bureaux and departments, the Government's consolidated response is set out below :
In the 2008-09 financial year, all bureaux and departments of the Government have newly created altogether some 1,100 temporary positions lasting less than one year, involving expenditure of about $68 million. These include Non-Civil Service Contract and hired service contracts positions. The job nature of these positions is mainly related to the purview of the bureau and/or department concerned, such as statistical assistants, survey interviewers and translation officers. Other positions include those for executive and information technological support, such as information technology assistants.
With our external economic environment worsening markedly, we expect a very tough time ahead in the coming year. The Government is fully aware of the significant impact of the financial tsunami on the local employment market. Accordingly, the Chief Executive stressed at the second meeting of the Task Force on Economic Challenges (TFEC) held two days ago (December 8) that the Government's prime objective at this juncture would be to preserve employment. We will make use of the resources and tools available to the Government to create job opportunities, stimulate the economy and minimise the impact of the economic slowdown on the public.
Among other measures, the Chief Executive announced in the latest job creation plan that the Government would aim to provide more than 60,000 employment positions next year through expediting major and minor infrastructure projects, advancing the recruitment of civil servants and creating temporary positions.
In expediting major and minor works projects, the Government will collaborate with the Housing Authority and raise the project funding in 2009 to some $40 billion, thereby creating some 55,000 positions. We will advance the recruitment of civil servants to fill the 7,700 vacancies available from now till 2009-10 as soon as possible. In addition, government departments will, through various measures, help create some 4,000 temporary positions, the number of which will be adjusted in the light of the market needs.
These 4000 temporary positions will be mainly provided by the Hospital Authority, non-governmental organisations and service contractors, etc. Relevant departments are now working on the details of creation of these positions. Since the expenditures concerned fall under the Heads of Expenditure of the 2009-10 financial year, the details would be disclosed in the 2009-10 Budget.
Apart from the measures mapped out by the TFEC to create employment opportunities and stimulate the economy, the Financial Secretary is now consulting the public on next year's Budget with a view to formulating additional measures to create employment opportunities, boost the economy and alleviate difficulties faced by the citizens in order to effectively address the challenges brought by the financial tsunami.
(c) In face of the financial tsunami and economic downturn, the Government is actively considering measures in a multi-pronged manner to create employment opportunities. The Government has been collaborating closely with its partner organisations, namely the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS), to promote building safety and timely maintenance. These two organisations have already mapped out new measures to further assist building owners to carry out building maintenance works. The URA has earmarked some $250 million to enhance the level of subsidies provided under its building rehabilitation schemes and to carry out ten community beautification works projects. The HKHS has planned to allocate $1.5 billion in the coming five years to renovate its housing estates including carrying out building structure repairs, face-lifting of external walls, replacement of lifts, etc. It also plans to increase the level of subsidies to eligible building owners to encourage building maintenance works. In addition, the Government and these two organisations are jointly working out further special measures to encourage and facilitate building maintenance works in Hong Kong. We will announce the proposed measures in due course.
Ends/Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:35
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