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The Government announced today (May 13) that the Chief Executive in Council had approved the introduction of the Public Officers Pay Adjustments (2004/2005) Bill (the Bill) into the Legislative Council (LegCo) for implementing the civil service pay reductions which are to take effect from January 1, 2004 and January 1, 2005 respectively.

"In making the decision, the Government has taken into consideration the views received from staff representatives on the draft Bill, which the Chief Executive in Council agreed in principle on April 8, 2003," the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Joseph W P Wong said.

The Bill provides for the adjustment of pay and the amount of allowances of civil servants, Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) officers and other specified public officers whose pay and allowances are determinable or adjustable in accordance with or by reference to the civil service pay scale or the ICAC pay scale. The Administration will publish the Bill in the Gazette on May 16, 2003 and introduce it into the LegCo on May 21, 2003.

On February 25, 2003, the Government decided to restore the dollar value of all civil service pay points below Directorate Pay Scale Point 3 (D3) or equivalent to the levels as at June 30, 1997 in cash terms by two adjustments of broadly equal amount to be implemented from January 1, 2004 and January 1, 2005 respectively, and to restore the dollar value of all civil service pay points at D3 and above or equivalent to the levels as at June 30, 1997 in cash terms from January 1, 2004. On April 8, 2003, the Chief Executive in Council agreed in principle to the draft Public Officers Pay Adjustments (2004/2005) Bill for implementing the pay reduction decision. The Administration has subsequently consulted the staff sides of the four central consultative councils and the four major service-wide staff unions on the draft Bill.

Mr Wong today wrote a letter to all civil servants informing them of the latest developments regarding the implementation of the impending civil service pay adjustments. His letter has been uploaded onto the Civil Service Bureau homepage at http://www.csb.gov.hk.

End/Tuesday, May 13, 2003

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