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Following is a question by the Hon Wu Chi-wai and a written reply by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, in the Legislative Council today (February 26):
Question:
The work of the Central Policy Unit (CPU) includes conducting policy researches in the social, political and economic spheres and commissioning experts to conduct thematic consultancy studies by way of contracts where necessary. In addition, the Government launched the Public Policy Research Funding Scheme (the Scheme) in 2005 to promote public policy researches. Since 2013-2014, CPU has taken over the administration of the Scheme from the Research Grants Council under the University Grants Committee and relaxed the eligibility criteria for the Scheme. Some members of the public have pointed out that for some of the research projects made public on CPU web site, only executive summaries, which are very brief, of their reports are available, rendering it impossible for members of the public to know the results of the research projects funded by CPU. Such practice has not only deprived the public of their right to know, but also affected the desire of scholars and researchers of community think tanks to participate in the relevant work. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) in respect of each of the research projects made public by CPU on its web site since 2004, (i) whether the projects were publicly-funded; if so, of the amounts of funding, and (ii) the reasons for not making public the full texts of some of the research reports (set out such information by the name of project and year in Table 1);
(2) of the criteria and mechanism adopted by CPU for determining whether the reports of research projects should be published in full or in part; whether it will make public reports of the research projects the full texts of which are not yet available; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) whether the reports mentioned in (1) cover all research projects which CPU commissioned other organizations to conduct since 2004; if they do not, of the details of the research projects which have not been made public, including (i) whether the projects were publicly-funded; if so, of the amounts of funding, (ii) the reasons for not making public any part of the research reports, and (iii) whether the data, contents, analyses or policy proposals set out in the research reports have been adopted by the Government; if so, of the details of the policies or legislation so formulated or amended by the Government, and set out such information by the name of project and year in Table 2;
(4) of the details of the research projects the reports of which have never been published by CPU or the Research Grants Council since the launch of the Scheme (except the research projects mentioned in (3)), including (i) the reasons for not publishing the research reports and (ii) whether the data, contents, analyses or policy proposals set out in the research reports have been adopted by the Government; if so, of the details of the policies or legislation so formulated or amended, and set out such information by the name of project in Table 3;
(5) regarding the research projects mentioned in (4) and those to be funded by the Scheme in future, whether the Government will make an undertaking and draw up a code for the release of the contents of the reports of the research projects for public access within a certain time after they have been submitted to the Government; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(6) whether the Government will make an undertaking to release for public access the research results of public policy research projects to be funded by public money in future, irrespective of whether the projects are conducted or commissioned by CPU, unless the disclosure of such information, including information on the administration of justice, defence or foreign affairs, will undermine public interest or if such information contains commercially sensitive materials; and
(7) as there are views that the information obtained from the research projects conducted by CPU is very important to the promotion of public policy research, whether the Government will, in its guidelines to CPU, ensure that CPU will not refuse to release research reports for public access on the ground that the reports might involve "information relating to incomplete analysis, research or statistics which could be misleading"?
Reply:
President,
On the basis of the information provided by the Central Policy Unit (CPU), my reply to the Hon Wu Chi-wai's question is as follows:
Parts (1), (2), (3), (6) and (7): The major function of the CPU is to provide advice to the Chief Executive (CE), the Chief Secretary for Administration (CS) and the Financial Secretary (FS). Policy research undertaken by the CPU includes specific topics assigned by the CE, CS and FS, covering social, political and economic spheres, often involving cross-bureaux policy issues. The CPU's research aims to offer forward-looking thinking and ideas from various perspectives for the Government's internal reference and discussion. Upon receipt of a study report submitted by a commissioned body, the CPU's Full-time Member or researcher in charge of the project will make public the contents of the report as far as possible, provided that such disclosure will neither affect the proper and effective conduct of the research work of the CPU, nor inhibit the frankness and candour of discussion within the Government.
For titles of commissioned projects, contract value and whether only executive summaries of the reports are made available online by the CPU since 2004, please refer to the Annex.
There are 10 commissioned projects which have been completed and are under review by the CPU to see whether the executive summaries or contents of the reports can be made public. The CPU does not have statistics on whether the data, contents, analyses or proposals of individual research reports have been adopted.
Parts (4) and (5): In the 2005 Policy Address, the Government announced the introduction of the Public Policy Research Funding Scheme (the Scheme), which aims to promote public policy research and nurture the talents required. The Scheme also encourages academics to share their research results to facilitate rational and objective discussions.
The Research Grants Council (RGC) under the University Grants Committee (UGC) was responsible for running the Scheme and the Strategic Public Policy Research Funding Scheme in the 2012-13 financial year and before. A list of funded projects has been uploaded onto the RGC's website (www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/result/other/ppr10.htm). Under the arrangement of the RGC, the intellectual property rights of research results belong to the person-in-charge of the research projects. Therefore, the contents and data of the projects would not be made public. However, both the CPU and RGC have encouraged academics to make available research results to the academic community and the general public. Many academics also release their research results through press briefings, academic papers and seminars. In the same vein, upon receipt of research reports, the CPU will forward them to relevant policy bureaux for reference.
Starting from the 2013-14 financial year, the CPU is responsible for the administration of the Scheme. The Scheme continues to be open to institutions funded by the UGC. In addition, other local degree-awarding tertiary institutions and non-profit-making public policy research think tanks may also apply. As the CPU stated at the special meeting of the Legislative Council Panel on Education on February 21, 2013, to enhance transparency, it will upload all research reports of projects funded by the Scheme onto the CPU's website for public reference and will invite academics, think tanks, government officials, and people from non-governmental organisations and business sectors to exchange views through channels such as seminars.
The Scheme aims to promote public policy research and provide the Administration, academics or relevant stakeholders with research findings for reference. The Administration does not have statistics on whether the research reports have been adopted. Instead, it attaches importance to the exchange between researchers and stakeholders as a means to promote public policy research and discussion.
Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:05
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