Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ17: Making good use of Apology Ordinance to resolve disputes Question:
There are views pointing out that the Apology Ordinance (Cap. 631) (the Ordinance) clarifies the legal consequences of making an apology by stipulating that in most civil proceedings, an apology does not constitute an express or implied admission of fault or liability, thereby providing a safe and non-adversarial starting point for communication between parties in dispute and a new approach to resolving conflicts. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has assessed the effectiveness of Cap. 631 in easing conflicts and facilitating dispute resolution since it took effect on December 1, 2017;
(2) as there are views that members of the public have limited understanding of Cap. 631, whether the Government has formulated measures to further step up publicity of the initiatives and purpose of the Ordinance to all sectors of society, thereby facilitating amicable dispute resolution; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) to enhance application of Cap. 631, whether the Government will consider including the option of making an apology, applicable proceedings under the Ordinance and related content in the practice guides of various government departments to enable the Government to make good use of the Ordinance to prevent escalation of disputes and to resolve conflicts when encountering controversial public incidents or social disputes; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
In response to the enquiry raised by Dr the Hon Thomas So, the reply is as follows:
(1) The legislative intent of the Apology Ordinance in Hong Kong is to provide clear stipulations regarding the effect of apologies in specified matters and applicable proceedings concerning those matters, thereby promoting and encouraging parties in dispute to voluntarily make apologies, with a view to preventing the escalation of disputes and facilitating their amicable resolution. The Ordinance does not compel anyone to make an apology.
Since its enactment, the primary effectiveness of the Ordinance has been providing society with a clear legal framework, addressing concerns that apologies may lead to admission of one’s fault or liability. This encourages voluntary communication and creates more favorable conditions for amicable resolution of disputes through means such as mediation. As evidence of an apology made is generally not admissible in applicable proceedings, and that apology and settlement processes conducted in private are not reflected in public records, it is difficult to quantify the effectiveness by statistics.
(2) The Department of Justice (DoJ) recognises the importance of continuously promoting the Ordinance to the public and various sectors and will disseminate the legislative intent and practical application of the Ordinance across different occasions and media as appropriate.
Specifically, the DoJ will integrate the promotion of the Ordinance and mediation in various suitable promotional activities (whether self-organised or co-organised ones). These include initiative such as the “Mediate First” Pledge Events and seminars arranged in collaboration with other Government departments (e.g. the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department). Through these platforms, we will explain to different sectors of society how apologies, as an effective communication method, can complement mediation and provide a more amicable and constructive path for dispute resolution. The DoJ will also utilise different channels, such as the regularly published Mediation Dispatch, to enhance awareness of the Ordinance among stakeholders and the general public. We believe that by incorporating the promotion of the Ordinance into the existing promotional framework for advocating effective dispute resolution, we can more effectively help the public and professionals understand and utilise apology to achieve the goals of promoting settlement and mitigating conflicts.
(3) The Ordinance applies to the Government. Within the Government, we encourage consideration of applying the principles advocated by the Ordinance in handling matters or disputes when appropriate.
In practice, the intent of the Ordinance complements the Government’s “Mediate First” commitment and policy. For example, mediation clauses have been progressively incorporated into Government contracts to require contracting parties to first attempt resolving disputes through mediation. During these mediation processes, the legal protection offered by the Ordinance creates an environment more conducive to the engagement in open communication and exploration of settlement proposals (including apologies) for all parties involved, including Government departments. Issued at HKT 14:16
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Shiu Ka-fai and a written reply by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, in the Legislative Council today (February 25):
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ20: Prevention of bullying behaviour among minors
Year (2) The EDB, the EOC, and the HKPF have not categorised the above cases by intention and motives. The doxxing complaint cases investigated by the PCPD involve relationship disputes and school disputes respectively.
(3) The Government adopts a zero-tolerance attitude towards bullying among minors. Various policy bureaux and departments have developed a holistic approach to jointly prevent and curb bullying at the levels of schools, community and criminal enforcement, while also promoting anti-bullying messages. The specific work is as follows:
Schools
A safe and harmonious school environment is crucial for the growth of minors. The EDB, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) and the HKPF have introduced a series of measures to assist schools in building a caring school culture and nurturing students’ proper values. They also help with the prevention, early identification and handling of school bullying, and provide students in need with support and mediation. The key measures are as follows:
(a) The EDB requires schools to adopt the Whole School Approach in formulating and implementing anti-bullying policies, and has provided schools with clear guidelines, listing in details the principles, procedures, methods and follow-up actions for handling school bullying incidents. At the same time, the EDB supports schools in implementing values education within and beyond the classroom, provides schools with resource packages and teaching materials on anti-bullying, and organises diversified student development programmes and activities. The EDB continues to organise various kinds of teacher professional training activities in an ongoing manner in order to enhance school personnel’s professional knowledge and capability of preventing and handling bullying in schools. The EDB also provides parents with various information through the one-stop parent education information website Smart Parent Net, helping parents acquire the knowledge and skills for nurturing their children positively. Since 2024, the EDB has been providing the “Harmonious School: One-Stop Hotline and Counselling Services”. Registered social workers provide advice, counselling and case referral services for students and parents through the hotline and instant messaging software, as well as on-site support services for schools in need.
(b) Starting from the 2019/20 school year, the SWD has put in place the measure of “two school social workers for each school” for over 460 secondary school across the territory in order to strengthen the provision of counselling and support services for students in need.
(c) The HKPF has launched the Youth Crime Prevention Booklet since 2022 to instill anti-crime awareness and proper values in young people. Teaching materials on anti-bullying are also produced to provide parents and educators with prevention and response strategies, so as to prevent young people from bullying others or becoming victims. Meanwhile, the HKPF has implemented the Police School Liaison Programme, through which it establishes a good relationship with the school community and promotes law-abiding awareness among students, thereby preventing young people from committing crimes and falling into traps. In addition, the HKPF launched the “One-stop Child Protection Web Application” (www.childprotection.gov.hk Community Criminal enforcement ConclusionIssued at HKT 14:51
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ4: Combating bid-rigging Question:
Bid-rigging in building maintenance has been a long-standing problem. Studies show that bid-rigging costs Hong Kong society between $4 billion and $25 billion every year. Therefore, there are views that it is crucial to strengthen and improve the supervision of building management and maintenance, as well as enhance market competition, regulation and transparency. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the total number of reports and complaints received by the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and the Competition Commission about suspected bid-rigging in residential building maintenance works in each of the past five years, and among these, the number of cases found to be substantiated, and the number of cases in respect of which prosecutions were instituted (together with the amount involved in the works of each of such cases) (set out in a table);
(2) as it is learnt that at present many owners are unable to attend owners’ meetings in person for certain reasons, whether the Government will, by drawing on the experience of regions such as Singapore, explore establishing an official electronic voting platform in “iAM Smart” and introducing online owners’ meetings requiring real-name attendance, so that owners will be allowed to choose their preferred means of participating in meetings and cast their own votes electronically, so as to facilitate better participation by owners in building management matters and decision-making;
(3) given that bid-rigging is a criminal offence in many countries and regions, whereas currently in Hong Kong bid-rigging, being merely civil in nature, is regulated under the Competition Ordinance (Cap. 619), with violating individuals or enterprises facing fines only, whether the authorities will consider drawing on the experience of other countries and regions to criminalize bid-rigging and increase the penalties to enhance deterrence; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4) of the detailed division of responsibilities among and respective duties of departments such as the Home Affairs Department, the Buildings Department, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Hong Kong Fire Services Department and the HKPF in combating bid-rigging; how the Government will strengthen the regulatory roles of various departments in the maintenance of residential buildings in order to eradicate bid-rigging?
Reply:
President, Having consulted the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB), the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), the Security Bureau, the CC, the ICAC, and the URA, our reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
(1) In the past five years, the number of corruption complaints received by the ICAC involving suspected bid-rigging in building maintenance works (Note) is tabulated below. Over the past five years, the ICAC mounted multiple large-scale enforcement operations in respect of corruption cases involving building maintenance works, and arrested a total of 138 persons. Details of these major operations are provided in the Annex.
Yearinvolving bid-rigging in building maintenance worksNote: Most of these building maintenance works involve residential buildings, and a small number of commercial and industrial buildings.
The HKPF and the CC do not compile breakdown statistics of complaints and relevant cases involving suspected bid-rigging in building maintenance works.
(2) The HYAB has been encouraging owners to actively participate in building management matters, including attending owners’ meetings in person. At the same time, the HYAB also welcomes the appropriate use of technology in building management work, such as electronic keeping of records. As for allowing non-physical attendance at owners’ meetings and conducting electronic voting, the HYAB is also mindful of technical considerations and operational costs, as well as the capabilities of owners from different backgrounds. The HYAB maintains an open attitude towards the relevant proposals and will further study their feasibility, in light of technological developments and their prevalence.
(3) The Competition Ordinance (Cap. 619) came into effect in December 2015, providing a legal framework to combat anti-competitive conducts across various sectors and promote fair competition among enterprises. According to the First Conduct Rule of the Competition Ordinance, collusive conducts such as bid-rigging are considered serious anti-competitive conducts prohibited under the Competition Ordinance. These provisions apply to all sectors, including building maintenance.
The CEDB understands that there have been voices in society suggesting to criminalise anti-competitive conduct such as bid-rigging. The CEDB will review the competition regime from different perspectives, including legislative and other aspects, taking into account the implementation of the Competition Ordinance so far and the experience of other jurisdictions, with a view to strengthening deterrence against bid-rigging.
(4) The Government is determined to combat bid-rigging in building maintenance, and the concerned departments will follow up on multiple fronts.
Regarding building management, operation of OCs and works procurement, as part of the efforts to deepen reforms on building management, the HYAB has commenced the next-phase review of the Building Management Ordinance (Cap. 344), and has identified five preliminary amendment directions. It includes further enhancing the mechanism of declaration of interests, with a proposal to require works consultants to declare their relationships with the contractors, thereby enhancing transparency of the procurement process.
Moreover, the Development Bureau (DEVB) is working with the URA to formulate measures for the launch of enhanced “Smart Tender” services in the second half of this year. This includes establishing more rigorous “pre-qualified lists” of consultants and contractors. In addition to considering criminal and disciplinary records alongside past performance, consultants and contractors must pass background checks by the HKPF and the ICAC before they can be included in the lists and are eligible to participate in the tender. Furthermore, the URA will oversee the tendering and bid evaluation processes for owners to engage consultants and contractors. For buildings applying for Government maintenance subsidies, after commencement of works, the URA will require consultants and contractors to report to the URA at critical project junctures, such as significant amendments to the scope of works or increases in project costs, so that the URA may offer independent advice to owners.
In terms of regulation of works, the DEVB and the BD will broaden the scope of amendments to the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123), upgrading major building maintenance works from mostly Class II minor works at present to Class I minor works, with third-party professionals to formulate works arrangements and supervision. Furthermore, the registration and disciplinary systems for registered building professionals and contractors will be further strengthened. For instance, contravention of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (Cap. 201) will be a ground for disciplinary action and a factor for consideration in registration renewal. The proposed legislative amendments will be tabled at the Legislative Council for scrutiny in the second half of this year.
On law enforcement, the ICAC and the CC have been paying close attention to corruption or bid-rigging in building maintenance works and actively investigate related cases. Details of the enforcement actions taken by the ICAC in response to such situations are set out in our reply to part (1) of the question. Since 2024, the CC has conducted five search operations involving building maintenance projects across multiple districts in Hong Kong, and the relevant cases are under investigation. Cases involving bid-rigging not only violate the Competition Ordinance, but may also involve elements in breach of other laws. Therefore, law enforcement agencies, including the HKPF and the ICAC, as well as the CC have been closely collaborating to effectively combat these illegal activities.
Regarding inter-departmental collaboration and public education, the HKPF have rolled out the RenoSafe Scheme since 2013 and maintained close liaison with relevant Government departments and stakeholders to exchange information on trends and intelligence of building maintenance-related crimes. With a view to preventing and combating unlawful infiltration into building maintenance projects and relevant tendering processes, the HKPF have conducted risk assessments and provided operational support for buildings or estates that are planning for or currently undergoing maintenance works. As at end-2025, 3 036 estates have registered for the scheme while the HKPF have organised 146 crime prevention seminars for building owners to share common modus operandi as well as means to seek assistance related to building maintenance works and tendering.
To strengthen support for owners and OCs in handling building management and large-scale maintenance projects, etc, the HAD has set up the Central Platform on Building Management. Monthly briefings are organised, and relevant Government departments and organisations are invited to introduce various services and schemes on building management and maintenance, including the BD, the Fire Services Department, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Labour Department, the HKPF, the ICAC, the URA, and the CC. Through attending these one-stop briefings, owners and OCs can learn more about details of the relevant services and schemes. In addition, District Offices also organise talks and workshops, etc, inviting relevant departments and organisations to introduce information on building management and maintenance to owners and OCs in the districts.
Furthermore, the ICAC will, where appropriate, take early intervention actions to alert owners about the risks of corruption and bid-rigging in contract awarding, so as to nip in the bud potential corruption, bid-rigging and related unlawful activities. The CC has also been actively taking forward publicity and public education programmes to raise awareness of the issue of bid-rigging and assist procurement personnel, including OCs, in strengthening preventive measures. Issued at HKT 18:05
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
Hospital Authority welcomes 2026-27 Budget Mr Fan expressed his gratitude to the Government for the continuous increase to the subvention for the HA in order to support the enhancement of public healthcare services. The Public Healthcare Fees and Charges Reform has been fully implemented and has shown initial success. The HA will continue to make optimal use of resources and ensure their proper allocation so that public resources are used effectively to promote the sustainable development of public healthcare services. Enhancing healthcare protection for the “poor, acute, serious, critical” patients on all fronts will ensure that the resources of the public healthcare system can be directed in a targeted manner to help those patients most in need, and fulfil the healthcare system’s role as a safety net.
Mr Fan said, “With the staunch support of our nation and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the HA will continue to strengthen its services to provide patients with timely treatment and care. The HA will continue to strive to provide high-quality medical services to the public. The HA is conducting accreditation for various public hospitals, and is setting up a third stroke centre in accordance with national accreditation standards.”
The HA Chief Executive, Dr Libby Lee, thanked the HKSAR Government for supporting the continuous enhancement of public hospital services. “The HA will continue to strengthen its service capacity to meet the needs of the community, which includes enhancing service quality, streamlining processes, reducing patient waiting times and optimising hospital environments. The HA is committed to provide patient-centred clinical services with warmth, so that patients could receive appropriate medical treatment in a well-maintained environment,” said Dr Lee.
The HA will continue to execute various measures for the sustainable development of public healthcare and align with the policy on primary healthcare, including the enhancement of Family Medicine Integrated Centres and Family Medicine Clinics in different districts. In the coming financial year, over 200 additional public hospital beds will be opened and continuous improvements will be made to specialist out-patient clinics and radiology services, as well as the provision of additional operating theatre sessions. Meanwhile, ophthalmology services will also be strengthened by increasing the service capacity of cataract, eye surgery and other treatment procedures.
The HA will reinforce holistic care for cancer patients utilising AI to improve the accuracy and efficiency of cancer diagnoses, and increasing cancer-related genetic and genomic testing. The HA will provide fast-track diagnostic services to patients with suspected lung cancer and implement a cancer case manager programme to provide timely treatment tailored to patient needs. Additionally, the HA will continue to enhance palliative and end-of-life care services to enable terminally ill patients to die with dignity.
Mr Fan and Dr Lee once again thanked the HKSAR Government for its support of public healthcare services. The HA will utilise the subvention properly and strive to implement relevant measures for the benefit of patients. Issued at HKT 18:10
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Chan Hak-kan and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (February 25):
Question:
On regulating alcohol consumption among adolescents, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that according to the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310), every person carrying on a business in Hong Kong regardless of the mode of business must register his business within one month of commencement of business, while “business” required to be registered includes any form of trade, commerce, craftsmanship, profession, calling or other activity carried on for the purpose of gain; whether the Government has conducted random inspections to see if stores currently engaging in the sale of alcohol through online shopping and second-hand platforms have completed business registration; if so, of the details of the relevant random inspections;
(2) given that the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the Department of Health implemented the Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 (the Ordinance) starting from November 30, 2018 to prohibit any person from selling and supplying intoxicating liquor to persons under the age of 18 in the course of business, of the respective details of the inspections and law enforcement actions (including the strength of the relevant law enforcement officers, the number of inspections conducted and the number of cases in which a fine was imposed) taken by TACO in stores and premises under the Ordinance in each of the past five years;
(3) given that the Ordinance stipulates that regarding the online sale of alcohol, if it is sold or supplied via remote distribution (e.g. in the form of SMS messages, group messages, websites, telephone or mail order), the prescribed notice must be displayed in a reasonably legible manner, or its contents must be read out or played as a sound recording; however, there are views pointing out that the aforesaid measures may not be able to prevent persons under the age of 18 from purchasing alcohol from online shopping platforms; of the respective numbers of law enforcement actions targeting online shopping platforms taken by TACO and numbers of cases in which a fine was imposed in each of the past five years; among such cases, the number of those found to have contravened the requirements of the aforesaid prescribed notice; whether the authorities have conducted decoy operations; if so, the relevant figures;
(4) whether the Government has studied the situation of alcohol abuse among adolescents in Hong Kong since the Ordinance came into operation; if it has studied, whether the number of cases involving alcohol abuse among adolescents has shown a downward trend; what measures the Government has put in place to address the situation of alcohol abuse among adolescents; and
(5) of the current alcohol consumption situation in Hong Kong; whether the Government has assessed if it has achieved the target of “at least 10 per cent relative reduction in the prevalence of binge drinking and harmful use of alcohol among adults and in the prevalence of drinking among youth by 2025” set out in the “Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong”; if it has assessed and the target has been met, whether the Government will set new targets; if it has assessed and the target has not yet been met, whether it has plans to make improvements?
Reply:
President,
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), harmful use of alcohol is a significant risk factor for more than 200 diseases, injuries and other health conditions. Harmful use of alcohol is associated with the risk of developing a range of health problems such as mental and behavioural disorders (including alcohol dependence), and major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (e.g. liver cirrhosis and some cancers). In addition to health effects, harmful use of alcohol can place a heavy burden on individuals, families and the society. The WHO recommends that governments of various places should strengthen their responses to reduce alcohol-related harm for prevention and control of NCDs. Reducing alcohol-related harm is an important priority action area in the prevention and control of NCDs locally.
In response to the Hon Chan Hak-kan’s question, the reply after consultation with the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and the Department of Health (DH) is as follows:
(1) Every person who carries on a business in Hong Kong, regardless of whether through a brick-and-mortar presence or the internet, is required to apply for business registration under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310) (BRO). The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) inspects the transactions carried out on the internet from time to time to ascertain the compliance with the BRO requirements. The IRD will examine details of the relevant transactions, including (i) the procurement, promotion, sales, and delivery of goods, (ii) the collection and payment of sales proceeds, and (iii) the purpose, scale, persistence and location of these transactions, to determine whether the relevant transactions constitute the carrying on of a business in Hong Kong.
Under section 15(1)(c) of the BRO, any person who fails to apply for business registration for a business carried on by them in Hong Kong under the BRO commits an offence, and the maximum penalty is a fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for one year. Where any online activity (including a transaction of alcoholic products) constitutes carrying on a business in Hong Kong but the business has not yet been registered under the BRO, the IRD would remind the relevant person to apply for business registration for the business as soon as possible, and would initiate prosecution if necessary.
(2) Part 5 of the Dutiable Commodities (Liquor) Regulations (Cap. 109B) (the Regulations) prohibits the sale and supply of intoxicating liquor to minors in the course of business. According to the Regulations, a person must not, in the course of business, including face-to-face or remote distribution, sell or supply alcoholic beverages to a minor. The Regulations also require vendors who sell or supply intoxicating liquor through face-to-face distributions to display a prescribed notice complying with the Regulations in a prominent position at the premises in the course of business. Between 2021 and 2025, the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the DH conducted more than 78 000 inspections to check retailers’ compliance with the legal requirements mentioned above, and carried out investigations and enforcement actions upon receipt of intelligence or complaints. Over the same period, the TACO received 109 complaints regarding the sale or supply of intoxicating liquor to minors in the course of business. No violation was found upon plainclothes inspections and follow-up investigations. As for the requirement to display prescribed notices, the TACO issued 12 summonses to offenders, and nine of which resulted in convictions by the court, with fines ranging from $1,800 to $2,500.
The number of inspections and the enforcement actions carried out by the TACO at shops and premises in accordance with the Regulations in the past five years is set out at Annex 1.
The number of posts for frontline law enforcement officers in the approved establishment of the TACO is 125. Since the relevant law enforcement officers work on the alcohol and tobacco control initiatives at the same time, the manpower arrangements cannot be separately delineated.
(3) Any person who sells or supplies liquor to others by remote distribution must display or broadcast a prescribed notice stating that, under the law of Hong Kong, intoxicating liquor must not be sold or supplied to minors in the course of business. In addition, prior to the sale or supply, the seller or supplier must receive an age declaration from the purchaser or recipient. Provided that there are no circumstances giving rise to reasonable suspicion that the declaration is false, such declaration may serve as a defence in the event of prosecution. The TACO conducts online inspections and follows up on cases where non‑compliance with the above requirements are identified. Between 2021 and 2025, the TACO carried out over 2 600 online inspections and issued more than 600 advisory letters, with the vast majority of websites co-operating upon receiving the advisory letters. The number of inspections and enforcement actions carried out by the TACO against online shopping platforms in accordance with the Regulations in the past five years is set out at Annex 2.
As regards covert enforcement operations (commonly known as “sting operations”), the personnel involved must be relevant appointed law enforcement officers. They are subject to strict rules and regulations, and are also required to undergo training, thereby understanding the legal boundaries and are capable of handling unexpected situations. Given that the offences currently regulated by the Regulations concern acts directed at minors, the use of “sting operations” is considered inappropriate. The DH encourages members of the public to provide information to the TACO, which will then conduct inspections and take enforcement actions upon receiving intelligence or complaints.
(4) and (5) The Government promulgated, in 2018, the Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong (SAP), with a focus on NCDs and their common behavioural risk factors (such as harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity), to comprehensively promote a healthy lifestyle. One of the targets of the SAP is at least 10 per cent relative reduction in the prevalence of binge drinking and harmful use of alcohol (viz. harmful drinking/alcohol dependence) among adults and in the prevalence of drinking among youth by 2025.
Currently, regular surveys targeting students from upper primary to post-secondary levels are conducted by the Narcotics Division (ND) of the Security Bureau (SB) to collect information on alcohol drinking, smoking and drug use among young people. According to the Survey of Drug Use among Students by the ND of the SB, since the Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 took effect in 2018, the prevalence of drinking among young people shows a downward trend; and the relevant target of the prevalence of drinking among youth as stated in the SAP has been achieved. The relevant statistics are shown in the table below:
SAP indicator related to reducing the prevalence of drinking among youth
(note 1)
Year 2011/12
Year 2014/15
Year
2017/18
Year 2020/21
Year 2023/24
Ever drinking
56.0%
56.2%
56.7%
47.5%
40.4%
12-month drinking
41.0%
41.3%
42.3%
32.8%
27.9%
30-day drinking
18.4%
20.2%
21.2%
16.7%
14.3%
Note 1：Including primary four to six students, secondary one to six students and post-secondary students
Source：Survey of Drug Use among Students conducted by the ND of the SB
In addition, the DH conducts a Population Health Survey (PHS) approximately every five years, with the Health Behaviour Survey (HBS) conducted in between to understand the health status and health-related behaviours of the Hong Kong population, including drinking behaviours. According to the HBS 2023 conducted by the DH, the age-standardised prevalence of binge drinking (i.e. drinking at least five cans of beers, five glasses of table wine or five pegs of spirits on a single occasion) at least monthly among adults (aged 18 years or above) increased when compared to the baseline figures of the PHS 2014/15, while remaining at a low level. According to the 2019 worldwide statistics from the WHO, 17 per cent of people aged 15 years or above engaged in heavy episodic drinking or “binge drinking” on one or more occasions in the last month. Comparatively, Hong Kong’s statistics on binge drinking is relatively lower. The statistics on binge drinking in Hong Kong are shown in the table below:
SAP indicator related to reducing the harmful use of alcohol
PHS 2014/15
PHS 2020-22
HBS 2023
Age-standardised prevalence of binge drinking (note 2) at least monthly among adults (aged 18 years or above)
2.4%
2.2%
2.9%
Note 2：Binge drinking is defined as drinking at least 5 cans of beers, 5 glasses of table wine or 5 pegs of spirits on a single occasion.
The PHS 2025/26 commenced last September and the findings are expected to be available in late 2026. The Government will use the relevant data to review the targets and outcomes of the SAP.
Under the SAP, the Government adopts a multi-pronged approach, comprising publicity and education, law enforcement, promotion of alcohol screening, etc, to reduce alcohol-related harm. The relevant initiatives include:
(i) The DH has launched a publicity and education campaign named “Understanding Alcohol Harm” since 2022 to enhance the public’s understanding of the health risks associated with alcohol consumption through various channels. Through a website, the DH disseminates information on alcohol-related harm to the public, and provides online risk assessment of drinking behaviour, personalised health advice, self-help tools, health education resources, etc, to encourage drinkers to change their drinking behaviour for the sake of their health.
(ii) The DH recommends the Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention (A-SBI) tool to primary healthcare service providers, including organisation of online training for the staff of the District Health Centres (DHCs) and District Health Centre Expresses (DHC Expresses) to encourage regular use of the A-SBI tool for early identification and management of at-risk drinkers, as well as arranging referral for those with probable alcohol dependence. DHCs and DHC Expresses provide primary healthcare services to citizens, including the Life Course Preventive Care Plan, which is an evidence-based and comprehensive health strategy that emphasises prevention and personalised needs. It provides guidance on the health needs of citizens across different life stages and assists citizens in developing a healthy lifestyle, including early identification and intervention of high-risk drinking behaviours through health risk assessment and providing alcohol abuse prevention advice, with a view to enhancing the overall health of the Hong Kong citizens.
(iii) The DH has also launched the Pilot Alcohol Cessation Counselling Service (Pilot Programme) through subvention to a non-governmental organisation. The Pilot Programme was launched on April 8, 2024, and will last for two years to provide free counselling service for Hong Kong residents identified to have probable alcohol dependence. The service comprises three components, namely initial assessment, evidence-based individual counselling intervention, and subsequent evaluation follow-up.
(iv) Targeting the situation of alcohol use among young people, the DH has been enforcing the Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) Regulation 2018 since 2018 to prevent youth access to alcohol. Apart from this, the DH has also launched the “Young and Alcohol Free” campaign since 2016 to step up efforts to combat underage drinking and protect young people from the harm that alcohol may bring. The activities included the development of health education resources, the launch of Announcements in the Public Interest (APIs) targeting young people, and collaboration with groups and non-governmental organisations serving youth to provide training to trainers, as well as assistance in organising relevant health education activities to further disseminate relevant messages to young people in the community. To echo the launch of the new APIs and posters, the latest round of the promotional campaign was launched in 2025 and was promoted through social media, residential building lobby TV display network, public transport, venues under the DH and other government departments to enhance coverage and reach.
The DH will continue to reduce alcohol-related harm through various means and will closely monitor local alcohol consumption situation through periodic surveys.
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
LCQ13: Youth training and development The Chief Executive announced in the 2025 Policy Address that, to broaden the international horizons of Hong Kong young people and cultivate their holistic outlook, the Government will launch the Youth Talent Training Programme and a new media thematic internship programme on the Mainland, strengthen the Youth Financial Education Programme, and launch new mediation workshops to enhance young people’s understanding of the mediation industry. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the specific details and preparatory progress of the Youth Talent Training Programme and the media thematic internship programme on the Mainland; whether monitoring and evaluation mechanisms have been established for these two programmes to ensure their effectiveness; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) since the launch of the Youth Financial Education Programme in May 2024, of the specific measures and activities the Government has implemented to enhance young people’s financial literacy and assist them in establishing good habits for managing personal finances; of the details of the deepened programme and the implementation timetable; and
(3) of the details and preparatory progress of the new mediation workshops launched for young people; whether follow-up support measures have been formulated to assist the continuous development of young people interested in joining mediation-related industries? The reply to the question raised by the Hon Leung Man-kwong is as follows:
(1) As announced by the Chief Executive in his 2025 Policy Address, to better equip our young people, broaden their international horizons and cultivate a holistic outlook, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) would launch the Young Talent Training Programme (YTTP). The programme includes the following specific initiatives: (i) providing more opportunities for young people to participate in the internships of international organisations and attend international conferences, thereby enabling them to widen their international perspectives and develop holistic views; (ii) launching a new media thematic internship programme on the Mainland to provide opportunities for young people studying communication to undertake internships at a major media organisation on the Mainland, thereby helping them broaden their media horizons and deepen their understanding of national development; (iii) deepening the Youth Financial Education Programme (YFEP) launched in 2024 to provide young people with information on the financial sector and financial planning, so as to enhance their understanding of the financial market; and (iv) launching a brand new workshop on mediation to enable young people to acquire basic mediation concepts and knowledge, thereby strengthening their understanding of mediation services as well as the mediation industry.
Among these, the HYAB is currently preparing to launch a new media thematic internship programme on the Mainland under the HYAB Thematic Youth Internship Programmes to the Mainland. The programme will target post-secondary students studying communication-related disciplines and provide them with internship opportunities at a leading media organisation on the Mainland. Through internship, students will be able to gain an in-depth understanding of the media landscape, industry operations and development trends on the Mainland. It aims to cultivate young talent with enhanced understanding of the country’s development and a professional media perspective. The programme is expected to be held in July this year for a period of three weeks, offering 16 internship placements in areas such as programme production, creative media and new media application. Details of the programme will be announced in March.
As always, the HYAB will closely monitor the implementation of the YTTP through, for example, sending representatives to attend activities as observers, collecting feedback from stakeholders by questionnaire, and/or attending debriefings and sharing sessions of participants, in order to monitor the programme’s effectiveness.
(2) In 2024, the HYAB and the Investor and Financial Education Council (IFEC) jointly launched the pilot YFEP at youth hostels under the Youth Hostel Scheme, providing youth tenants with financial planning and counselling services as well as information on financial management, saving and investment that suits their individual needs, thereby assisting them to develop effective financial management plans.
Since its launch in 2024, the pilot YFEP has offered story-telling sessions on financial management, interactive learning activities and a series of online resources, aiming to help youth tenants customise their own financial plans and goals and establish good habits of managing personal finances and investment.
According to the feedback collected from youth participants, a majority of them agreed that the activities and information provided under the pilot YFEP helped deepen their knowledge of financial management. In view of this, the HYAB has started to enhance the YFEP in 2025 by expanding the programme to cover other newly launched youth hostels and the Youth Link as the first step. Apart from the IFEC, the HYAB has also invited the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) Schemes Authority to work together to enhance the YFEP by providing young people with information on the financial sector and financial planning that better suits their needs, thereby supporting their personal development and cultivating more talents for society.
Under the YFEP, 14 story-telling sessions on financial management have been organised, covering topics such as financial planning, investment, credit and risks, MPF management and information on the financial sector, with experts sharing their knowledge and insights about financial management and the financial sector among youth participants. Moreover, 11 issues of digital newsletters have been published to date, providing young people with information on financial management and various personal financial management tools.
(3) To proactively consolidate and implement Hong Kong’s development of “eight centres” as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan to establish Hong Kong as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, together with the establishment of the headquarters of the International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong, the HYAB has launched a new series of mediation workshops to enable young people to acquire basic concepts and knowledge of mediation, thereby enhancing their understanding of mediation services and the mediation industry as well as fostering the mediation culture. The HYAB has worked with the Joint Mediation Helpline Office to organise a number of mediation workshops at secondary schools and youth hostels starting from December 2025 to enable young people to learn about mediation services and opportunities brought by “eight centres” for the industry, so as to nurture mediation talents for Hong Kong and the country. As at end-January 2026, around 400 young people have already attended these workshops. The HYAB will review the workshops’ content and arrangement in a timely manner taking into account the feedback of participants, with a view to helping young people develop their professional competence and equip themselves early for their future career pursuits. Issued at HKT 18:45
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