To align with the announcement by the Government yesterday (March 21) to provide essential, emergency and limited public services only starting from March 23 (Monday) in order to reduce the risk of a large-scale outbreak of COVID-19 in the community, a spokesman for the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (March 22) appealed to households to participate in the ongoing General Household Survey (GHS) and the 2019/20 Household Expenditure Survey (HES) by online questionnaire or telephone interview in order to reduce face-to-face contacts.

     Notification letters will be sent to the sampled living quarters to invite the households therein to participate in the above surveys. Households can follow the instructions in the letters to complete the online questionnaire or call the C&SD for telephone interview.

     The GHS is conducted continuously on a monthly basis to collect information on the labour force, employment, unemployment and underemployment, as well as the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population in Hong Kong. The 2019/20 HES, which started in last September for a whole year, collects up-to-date expenditure patterns of households in Hong Kong for updating the expenditure weights for the Consumer Price Indices. Results of both surveys are vital for compiling important social and economic indicators for Hong Kong.

     For enquiries about the GHS, please contact the General Household Survey Section (1) at 2887 5526 or by email to household-survey@censtatd.gov.hk. For enquiries about the 2019/20 HES, please contact the Household Expenditure Survey Section at 3188 2107 or by email to hesurvey@censtatd.gov.hk.

     To align with the announcement by the Government yesterday (March 21) to provide essential, emergency and limited public services only starting from Monday (March 23) in order to reduce the risk of a large-scale outbreak of COVID-19 in the community, the Companies Registry announced today (March 22) that it will provide limited counter services every working day for receiving documents delivered in hard copy and collection of certificates for company incorporation starting from tomorrow (March 23).
 
     The limited opening hours of the Registry will be as follows with effect from tomorrow:
 
14/F Public Service Hall of Queensway Government Offices and
12/F of One Kowloon, Kowloon Bay
 
Monday to Friday
9.30am to 4pm
           
     To achieve social distancing with a view to reducing the risk of the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the community, the Registry urges people to continue to deliver documents electronically or by post. People should avoid visiting the Registry’s office premises unless they require urgent service. The Registry’s services for registration of documents and public search services will continue to be provided electronically through the e-Registry (www.eregistry.gov.hk), the Cyber Search Centre (www.icris.cr.gov.hk) and the website of the Registry for Trust and Company Service Providers (www.tcsp.cr.gov.hk).
 
     Please check the latest announcements on the Registry’s website at www.cr.gov.hk for any updates.
 
     For enquiries, please call 2867 2600 or contact the Registry at email: crenq@cr.gov.hk.

     To align with the latest limited service arrangements announced by the Government to reduce social contacts and the risk of spreading COVID-19 in the community, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced today (March 22) the latest arrangements for its public services from March 23. The detailed arrangements are as follows:
 
(1) Counter and licence application services of the EPD's regional offices will be temporarily suspended. Members of the public may place the application documents in the drop-in boxes located at the regional offices during office hours (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday), or submit the applications online or by post. The EPD will continue to process all licence applications as normal.
 
(2) Members of the public can place their applications for vehicle exhaust and noise emissions compliance/exemption with relevant documents in the drop-in box located at the EPD's office at 34/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, during office hours (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday). The applicants will be informed of the collection arrangement for the approved letters.
 
(3) Members of the public can submit their applications and submissions under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance to the EPD's office located at 27/F, Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, during office hours (9am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday).
 
(4) Members of the public can submit applications for non-road mobile machinery online, and registrations and enquiries for the "Waste Cooking Oils" Scheme by email or by post. For details, please refer to the EPD website (www.epd.gov.hk).
 
(5) For the Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme, members of the public may call 2872 1838 for application for an account, call 2872 1854 or 2872 1856 for chits application and billing account enquiries, or email enquiry@epd.gov.hk for any of the above enquiries. The operating hours of the telephone enquiry service will be 9am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
 
(6) For Waste Transfer Service Accounts, members of the public may call 2872 1704 (9am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5pm, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday) or email rts@epd.gov.hk for enquiries.
 
(7) The instant call answering service of the EPD's general customer service hotline will be suspended. Members of the public can make enquiries by leaving voice messages via the hotline (2838 3111) or by email (hq-hotline@epd.gov.hk).
 
     Details of the latest arrangements for the above services are available at the EPD website (www.epd.gov.hk).

     In addition to the services above, the EPD is maintaining basic inspections and investigations to handle enquiries and complaints. If necessary, the EPD may also arrange virtual or face-to-face meetings with contractors, consultants and the trade.

     Regarding facilities, the EPD's WEEE•PARK visitor centre, T•PARK visitor centre, EcoPark visitor centre and Environmental Resource Centres will continue to be temporarily closed. All Community Green Stations remain open to collect recyclables, while visitor and education programmes will continue to be suspended until further notice.

     In light of the latest developments of COVID-19, the Civil Engineering and Development Department announced today (March 22) that the opening hours for the following public services will be adjusted starting tomorrow (March 23) until further notice:
 
(1) The office hours of the Civil Engineering Library will be from 10am to 4pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday;
(2) The office hours for applications for dumping licences and sand removal permits will be from 2pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday; and
(3) The office hours of the Permit and Licensing Office of the Mines Division will be from 9am to noon, Monday to Saturday.

     In view of the latest situation of COVID-19 infection, all Regional Education Offices and the Joint Office for Kindergartens and Child Care Centres under the Education Bureau (EDB) will provide only essential, emergency and limited basic public services starting tomorrow (March 23).
 
     A spokesman for the EDB today (March 22) reminded members of the public who need these services to call the service units concerned in advance.
 
     As for appointments already made for hearing services at the Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre and related emergency services, the services will be provided as scheduled. The EDB will also contact the parents concerned and make necessary arrangements based on the situation of individual cases.
 
     The School Places Allocation Section will continue to provide hotline services to handle enquiries and other limited services by appointment.
 
     The following public facilities of the EDB will remain closed to the public temporarily until further notice:
 
1. Hong Kong Teachers' Centre, Special Education Resource Centre, Central Resources Centre and Young Achievers' Gallery located at Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre;
2. Arts and Technology Education Centre (including STEM Education Centre);
3. School Places Allocation Section; and
4. Qualifications Framework Secretariat.