The Government Laboratory provides a full range of analytical, investigatory and advisory services to enable Government departments to meet their responsibilities for law and order, public health and safety, environmental protection, government revenue and consumers' interests. Similar services are provided for other statutory bodies.

Established since 1913 and headed by the Government Chemist, the Laboratory has at present a staff of 430, of which one-third are professional experts in various scientific disciplines.

The Laboratory moved to its present premises in Homantin, Kowloon in December 1992. The accommodation exceeds 8,000 square metres in total floor area and affords state-of-the-art facilities, particularly in respect of analytical instrumentation and computer networking systems, security of operations and management of laboratory waste.

The scientific administration of the Hong Kong Government Laboratory is the responsibility of the Government Chemist who heads the agency. There are two operational divisions:

• The Analytical and Advisory Services Division
• The Forensic Science Division

each of which is headed by an Assistant Government Chemist. Administrative Support is provided by the Administration Division.

In addition to the services provided to client departments, the Laboratory is actively involved in quality management and proficiency test programmes, both local and overseas. Assurance in providing safe laboratory environment and adequate staff training has always been the policy and significant activity of the Laboratory.

The Laboratory also offers suitable training for visitors from China, Macau and Philippines through arrangement of United Nations organizations. It presents lectures to operational staff of major client departments, primarily through the efforts of its professional staff.

The remarkable advances in technology in recent years coupled with the frequent introduction of government's new policies and regulations involving analytical considerations, the launching of new materials and products in the local market as well as the sophistication of criminal activities have contributed to significant changes in the work patterns of, and methodology employed at, the Laboratory. This has led not only to a higher degree of specialization among the professional staff, but also to the installation of a powerful array of modern scientific instruments.

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