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Following is a question by the Hon Kam Nai-wai and a written reply by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Professor K C Chan, in the Legislative Council today (April 18):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the ranks of government officials (including Directors of Bureaux) entitled to the provision of a private washroom in their offices, together with a list of the Directors and other government officials concerned by rank;
(b) of the criteria adopted by the Government for determining which ranks of officials may be entitled to the provision of a private washroom in their offices; why such officials do not share the staff washrooms in the office buildings with other civil servants; and
(c) of the male-to-female toilet compartment (including urinal bowls) ratio in the new Central Government Complex?
Reply:
President,
In considering whether private washrooms should be provided, we will consider the respective rankings of individual government officials as well as their operational needs so as to facilitate the officials concerned to take a wash and dress up for attending official functions. At present, private washrooms are provided in the offices of the Chief Executive, Secretaries of Department, Directors of Bureaux, directorates of ranking D8 or above, and Heads of certain disciplined services departments.
The Architectural Services Department had specified in the tender document for the Tamar Central Government Offices that the number of male and female toilets should be 30% and 50% over the stipulated standards on the provision of toilets laid down in the Buildings Department's Practice Note No. 297. At present, the total number of male and female toilets in the staff offices in the Central Government Offices is 195 and 284 respectively. There are also 134 urinals in total in the male toilets. Private washrooms and toilets provided in communal areas are not included. On the basis of the aforementioned figures, the ratio of male to female toilets is about 1 to 1.5.
Ends/Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:01
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