Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members speaks on Budget Following are the remarks by the Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council (ExCo), Mrs Regina Ip, at a media session on the 2026-27 Budget in the Legislative Council Complex this afternoon (February 25):
Reporter: Mrs Ip, are you satisfied with the scale of the relief measures proposed in this Budget, particularly the support for the middle class? Secondly, whether the investment in Hong Kong’s long-term growth, for example AI and IT, is sufficient?Issued at HKT 17:52
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ10: Professional grades relating to planning and construction in civil service Question:
There are views pointing out that in order to achieve sustainable development for Hong Kong and provide a quality living environment for people, the government team must have sufficient professionals relating to planning and construction to participate in and support such work as land development, housing supply and infrastructure construction. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council about the total number of posts (including permanent and time-limited posts) in the professional grades relating to the architectural, surveying, planning, landscape and engineering fields in the civil service establishment in the 2025-2026 financial year, with a breakdown by (i) bureau/department/office and rank (set out in Table 1), and (ii) grade (including (a) Architect, (b) Building Surveyor, (c) Estate Surveyor, (d) Land Surveyor, (e) Maintenance Surveyor, (f) Quantity Surveyor, (g) Valuation Surveyor, (h) Town Planner, (i) Planning Officer, (j) Landscape Architect, and (k) Engineer (based on the relevant grades)) (set out in Table 2)?
Table 1
Bureau/ Department/ OfficeD2Professional RankAssistant Professional Rank 2Table 2
Bureau/ Department/ OfficeD2Professional RankAssistant Professional Rank 2Reply:
President,
In the 2025–26 civil service establishment, about 7 000 posts are professional grades relating to architecture, surveying, town planning, landscape architecture, and engineering. These professional posts cover various grades, including architects, building surveyors, estate surveyors, land surveyors, maintenance surveyors, quantity surveyors, valuation surveyors, town planners, planning officers, landscape architects, and engineers (including building services engineers, civil engineers, electrical and mechanical engineers, electronics engineers, geotechnical engineers and structural engineers). These posts are mainly concentrated in departments under the Development Bureau (including the Architectural Services Department, Buildings Department, Civil Engineering and Development Department, Drainage Services Department, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, Lands Department, Planning Department, and Water Supplies Department), Housing Bureau/Housing Department, Highways Department and Transport Department. The numbers of such professional posts (including both permanent and time-limited posts) are provided in Annex I and Annex II, categorised by policy bureau/department and grade respectively.Issued at HKT 17:30
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
FEHD releases fifth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in February
District
District Among the fifth batch of First Phase Gravidtrap Indexes covering 11 survey areas and Area Gravidtrap Indexes covering three survey areas in February, all were 0 per cent, indicating that the distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes was not extensive.
The FEHD has so far released five batches of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in February 2026, covering 62 survey areas. Among these 62 survey areas, 61 recorded a decrease or remained unchanged in the individual gravidtrap index as compared to the Area Gravidtrap Index last month, i.e. January 2026, representing that the areas’ mosquito infestation improved or maintained a low level. Only one area recorded a slight increase, but the index was lower than 10 per cent. Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.
Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The gravidtrap and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department’s webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#Issued at HKT 17:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (February 25) the Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures for January 2026. According to the Composite CPI, overall consumer prices rose by 1.1% in January 2026 over the same month a year earlier, smaller than the corresponding increase (1.4%) in December 2025. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the year-on-year rate of increase in the Composite CPI (i.e. the underlying inflation rate) in January 2026 was 1.0%, also smaller than that in December 2025 (1.2%). The smaller increases in January 2026 were mainly due to the high base of comparison stemming from the Chinese New Year falling in January last year, in particular inbound and outbound transport fares.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, the average monthly rate of increase in the Composite CPI for the 3-month period ending January 2026 was 0.2%, the same as that for the 3-month period ending December 2025. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the corresponding rates of increase were both 0.2%.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Tang Ka-piu and a written reply by Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, in the Legislative Council today (Feb 25):
Question:
Some residents of On Kay Court in Ngau Tau Kok have reflected that the works consultancy firm engaged by On Kay Court for the major maintenance works of the housing estate is the same as the one engaged by Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, and the persons in charge of the firm are now involved in judicial proceedings, thus plunging the works at On Kay Court into a standstill and a supervision vacuum and arousing residents’ concern about safety and works progress. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether the Government and the Urban Renewal Authority will, in view of the situation concerning the maintenance works at On Kay Court above, consider intervening by adopting the following measures: (i) deploying qualified civil servants or designating independent professionals as works consultants; (ii) entrusting qualified third-party organisations to monitor the work of the existing works consultancy firm or introducing other special options as support, and (iii) if it is necessary to engage a new contractor, stepping up the monitoring of the new contractor to ensure that the services it provides are professional, safe and compliant with the law and prevent the works from being left uncompleted;
(2) as it has been learnt that the Owners’ Corporation (OC) of On Kay Court will have to hold a general meeting regarding its major maintenance arrangements, but some residents are worried that the inadequate participation of certain owners (especially non-occupier owners who have leased their units) will affect the quorum of the meeting and the decision-making progress, whether the Government has conducted any assessment in this regard and adopted any measures to assist the housing estate in relaunching the works;
(3) whether the Independent Checking Unit under the Housing Bureau has participated in the screening of works contractors and consultancy firms by OCs of housing estates developed by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), as well as the assessment and monitoring of the business competence and integrity of the relevant companies;
(4) whether it plans to undertake reforms in order to strengthen the Housing Bureau’s support for housing estates under the Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) and the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) in the areas of building management and maintenance works or even directly intervene in these aspects; if so, of the specific measures and the timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(5) of the total number of TPS and HOS estates in Hong Kong which have received a repair order issued by the Government under the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme in the past five years, with a breakdown by maintenance works progress (i.e. works in progress, works completed and works not yet commenced); of the number of housing estates among them which have engaged the same works consultancy firm and contractors as Wang Fuk Court;
(6) as HA possesses property ownership in some HOS and TPS estates, whether HA will assume a more leading role in building maintenance works projects in the future by exercising its voting rights as an owner and directly participating in the relevant decision-making process; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(7) regarding those HOS estates which have been completed for quite some time but have not yet formed their OCs, whether the Government will take targeted follow-up measures and initiate the provision of legal, administrative and technical support for them, so as to expedite their formation of OCs and in turn facilitate the maintenance and repair of such housing estates;
(8) of the total amount of subsidies offered to eligible owners every year since the introduction of the Mandatory Building Inspection Subsidy Scheme; and
(9) whether it has inquired into the number of housing estates which have received works consultancy services from the works consultancy firm involved in the major maintenance project of Wang Fuk Court in the past two years, and whether those projects have applied for and received government funding; if so, of the housing estates involved; as the works of those housing estates may be plunged into a standstill as in the case of On Kay Court, of the support and response arrangements put in place by the Government in this regard?
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by Professor the Hon Chan Wing-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (February 25):
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Online auction of vehicle registration marks to be held from March 12 to 16 (5) A VRM can only be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. Relevant information on the Certificate of Incorporation must be provided by the successful bidder in the Purchaser Information of the Memorandum of Sale if the VRM purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.
(6) Successful bidders will receive a notification email around seven working days after payment has been confirmed and can download the Memorandum of Sale from the E-Auction. The purchaser must apply for the VRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser within 12 months from the date of issue of the Memorandum of Sale. If the purchaser fails to do so within the 12-month period, in accordance with the statutory provision, the allocation of the VRM will be cancelled and a new allocation will be arranged by the TD without prior notice to the purchaser.Issued at HKT 15:00
Financial Secretary Paul Chan today said the Government has earmarked resources for support work after the Tai Po fire and for community care, such as increasing the number of vouchers under two elderly care service schemes.
Delivering his 2026-27 Budget today, Mr Chan said the Government has provided comprehensive support for people affected by the Tai Po fire.
He added that the Government has just announced the long-term housing arrangements and earmarked $4 billion accordingly.
The Government also proposed to allocate $300 million to the Urban Renewal Authority to launch an enhanced version of “Smart Tender” in the second half of this year, and to provide subsidies to encourage owners to utilise the scheme’s paid services to reduce the risk of bid-rigging in building repair works.
Mr Chan also noted that the Government will earmark $3 billion for the Development Bureau to conduct a comprehensive review of Operation Building Bright 2.0 to draw up a new subsidy scheme.
Furthermore, the Government will allocate $1 billion to extend the Lift Modernisation Subsidy Scheme.
Beginning in the next financial year, the Government will increase the number of Community Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly by 4,000 to 16,000 and the number of Residential Care Service Vouchers for the Elderly by 1,000 to 7,000, with estimated full-year expenditures of $1.2 billion and $1.97 billion respectively.
Meanwhile, the Elderly Health Care Voucher Pilot Reward Scheme will be extended by two years until end 2028.
Elderly persons who have accumulated voucher spending of $1,000 or above within the same year on specific primary healthcare services, such as examinations and chronic disease management, are eligible for a $500 voucher reward. Mr Chan said the measure will involve an additional expenditure of about $1 billion.
The Government will also implement new arrangements for portable cash assistance in the middle of this year, under which elderly participants of the Guangdong Scheme, Fujian Scheme and Portable Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme may opt to receive government assistance directly through their accounts with designated Mainland banks.
Regarding support for youth, the Financial Secretary said the Government will introduce a new media thematic internship programme in the Mainland and allocate an additional $60 million toward implementing the Funding Scheme for International Youth Exchange under the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau continuously.
The Government will also provide around 3,600 short term internship placements in government departments and public bodies for post-secondary students.
Mr Chan also announced that the annual funding for the Women Empowerment Fund will be increased to $30 million from the next financial year.
To support persons with disabilities, the Government will enhance rehabilitation services by providing about 450 additional places for day, residential and pre-school services in the next financial year, involving an additional annual expenditure of about $107 million.
For school children receiving On-site Pre-school Rehabilitation Services, the Government will provide bridging and support services during their first term in primary school, involving an additional annual expenditure of about $260 million.
Meanwhile, the provision for the Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme will be increased to $222 million in the coming financial year.
Regarding healthcare service enhancements, Mr Chan said the Government will further develop primary healthcare in the community by launching the Primary Healthcare Co care Network, which will extend screening to include hepatitis B and other diseases, strengthen cross disciplinary collaboration, and improve support services such as medical laboratory testing and diagnostic radiology.
The target participation for the first five years is for around 700,000 individuals, he added.
The Government will also implement the community drug formulary and launch the community pharmacy programme in the second half of this year.
To enhance the price transparency of private healthcare services, the Government will introduce the relevant regulation to the Legislative Council this year.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan today announced several measures to integrate technological and industrial innovations through key infrastructure projects, including Hetao Hong Kong Park and San Tin Technopole.
Through tripartite co-operation, the Government intends to channel land and corporate resources towards target industries for priority development in Hong Kong. Encouraging greater participation in innovation and technology by the business sector will expedite development of the Northern Metropolis.
Planning for Phase 2 of Hetao Hong Kong Park is complete and the Government will seek Legislative Council approval to inject $10 billion into the park company to accelerate development..
To create a comprehensive industrial ecosystem, the Government will establish a dedicated company this year with the aim injecting $10 billion to move forward with development of the San Tin Technopole.
Aerospace collaboration
The finance chief said today that Hong Kong is well-positioned to connect the Mainland’s aerospace industry with global markets by providing professional services in research and development (R&D), financing and risk management.
The Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises will take the lead in identifying and attracting aerospace firms to establish a presence in the city. To further support the sector, the Government has requested Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing to review listing requirements to facilitate the entry of aerospace enterprises into the local capital market.
Driving RISC-V innovation
The Hong Kong Investment Corporation is actively promoting the R&D and industrialisation of RISC-V technology through strategic investments and the establishment of the Hong Kong RISC-V Alliance.
The alliance aims to leverage this open-source technology to foster cross-industry co-operation among academia, industry and the investment sector within the Greater Bay Area and international markets.
Advancing emerging technologies
The Government is accelerating the commercialisation of new materials with two startups set to launch production lines at EcoPark this year and the third InnoHK research cluster, establishing new R&D centres focused on advanced manufacturing and sustainability.
To the foster the next wave of artificial intelligence (AI), the Government and the Hong Kong Investment Corporation are building a robust ecosystem for embodied AI.
Strategic investment
The Financial Secretary said today that the Government is currently selecting managers for its $10 billion Innovation & Technology Industry-Oriented Fund, with operations set to begin this year to channel market capital into strategic fields like life and health technology and AI.
To further bolster cross-boundary collaboration within the Greater Bay Area, the Government will also review and enhance tax arrangement for R&D expenditures.
Patient capital
The Hong Kong Investment Corporation has invested in over 190 projects to date. As the initial $62 billion capital has been largely allocated, the Government will arrange capital injections to further promote industry clustering and the development of frontier technology.
Overall consumer prices rose 1.1% year-on-year in January, a smaller increase than the 1.4% year-to-year rise recorded in December, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.
Netting out the effects of the Government’s one-off relief measures, the underlying inflation rate was 1% in January, also less than that seen in the previous month.
Compared with January 2025, year-on-year increases in prices were recorded in the following categories: electricity, gas and water; miscellaneous services; alcoholic drinks and tobacco; miscellaneous goods; transport; housing; and meals out and takeaway food.
Meanwhile, year-on-year decreases were logged for durable goods; clothing and footwear; and basic food.
The Government said that the smaller increases in January were mainly due to the high base of comparison stemming from the Chinese New Year taking place in January last year, while the 2026 Chinese New Year fell in mid-February.
It added that price pressures on various major components remained largely contained in general.
Looking ahead, external price pressures are expected to largely stay moderate, but domestic costs may rise as the Hong Kong economy continues to grow. Nevertheless, overall inflation should stay mild in the near term.