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Following is a question by the Hon Emily Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (February 18):
Question:
The Annual Report 2007-2008 of the Hospital Authority (HA) reveals that the remuneration of the five highest paid executives in that year increased by 3.6% to 7.6% as compared to that of last year, whereas it was reported that the pay rise for frontline nursing staff was 0.3% only. There have been comments that such situation reflects the failure of HA's internal monitoring mechanism for the adjustment of staff remuneration by the management, and thus leading to a situation which rewards the upper-ranked staff generously but gives the lower-ranked staff a niggardly pay. In this connection, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council whether:
(a) they know the criteria adopted by HA for determining the remuneration adjustments for its management and frontline staff;
(b) they had regularly reviewed in the past three years HA's monitoring mechanism for the adjustment of staff remuneration by the management; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c) they will consider subjecting the adjustment of remuneration of those HA staff who are equivalent in rank to directorate civil servants to the supervision of the Legislative Council; if they will not, of the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
(a) The remuneration of the senior executives in the Hospital Authority (HA), including the Chief Executive, Cluster Chief Executives, Hospital Chief Executives, and Heads of functional divisions in the HA Head Office, is determined in accordance with the relevant policies formulated by the HA Board. In general, such factors as internal relativities, pay level in the market and the affordability of the organisation as well as the Annual Pay Adjustment and the policy on salary increment applicable to the general staff of HA are taken into account in determining the remuneration and annual remuneration adjustment of the senior executives. Besides, the remuneration of these senior executives would also be adjusted under certain circumstances in accordance with established mechanism having regard to individual employment conditions and changes of duties.
Other staff of HA are paid on the established pay scales of HA. At present, HA makes reference to the findings of the annual Pay Trend Survey of the civil service in determining the pay adjustments for its staff paid on the established pay scales. Besides, under HA's salary increment policy, staff will be awarded salary increment subject to performance. However, the above Annual Pay Adjustment mechanism is not applicable to supporting staff at the ranks of General Services Assistant and Technical Services Assistant, who are mostly on contract terms. HA conducts annual review on the pay adjustment of these two ranks with reference to the general market trend.
(b) The annual pay adjustment rate of HA staff is subject to approval by the HA Board. As for the remuneration of individual senior executives, the adjustment is subject to approval by the HA Board through its Executive Committee.
(c) HA is an independent statutory body. According to Schedule 3 of the Hospital Authority Ordinance (Cap. 113), HA is conferred with power to determine the most appropriate terms and conditions of employment of its employees. At present, such arrangements have been working well and it is not necessary to make changes to these arrangements.
Ends/Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Issued at HKT 13:00
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