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The following is issued on behalf of the Housing Authority:

The Housing Authority has resolved to file an application for a stay of execution of the Order issued by the Court of First Instance today (August 12) in respect of the Judicial Review on the Authority's decisions to defer the review of rent of its Public Rental Housing (PRH) estates.

The Order directs the HA to review and determine the variation of rents of the batch of PRH units, of which the two applicants' public housing units are part, according to the true meaning and effect of section 16(1A) of the Housing Ordinance.

The Court noted that a rent review exercise is formidable and involves a sophisticated process. It has also expressly recognized the Housing Authority's wish to stay the order and to lodge an appeal against the judgment. Accordingly, it has decided to deal with the stay of the Order at a hearing on August 26, 2003.

The HA decided last month to appeal against the judgment handed down earlier by the Court. The decision was reached following careful consideration of all aspects of the case, including the grounds and merits for appeal, the wide implications of the judgement for the overall rental policy, the Authority's financial position and the long-term sustainability of the PRH programme.

"In view of the Applicants' refusal to give consent for the HA to take the case to the Court of Final Appeal, the Authority will now appeal to the Court of Appeal and hope that the hearing could be arranged expeditiously," the spokesman said.

End/Tuesday, August 12, 2003

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