Author Archives: hksar gov

     Following is a question by Professor the Hon Lau Chi-pang and a reply by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, in the Legislative Council today (October 28):

Question:

     There are views reflecting that the information provision services on government websites currently do not effectively guide users to swiftly access the information they need; some information provision services only direct users to the relevant homepages of other government websites instead of the specific content pages, resulting in users having to spend a considerable amount of time searching and piecing together the required information from different government websites. In this connection, will the government inform this Council:

(1) of the percentage of links on government websites that currently direct users to specific content pages; whether there are plans to review the approach to setting up hyperlinks on government websites at present;

(2) as it is learnt that members of the public currently handling a matter involving multiple government departments often need to repeatedly search for and piece together information across different government websites, whether the authorities have plans to set up dedicated navigation pages on existing government websites for common cross-departmental matters, consolidating and listing out the eligibility criteria, processes and links to forms of the relevant government departments; and

(3) whether there are plans to deploy conversational artificial intelligence integrated engines on government websites to help users locate the information they need more precisely and comprehensively; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     The Government has always adhered to the people-oriented principle, actively deploying technology to enhance the quality and efficiency of public services. In establishing and maintaining Government websites, all government departments are required to comply with relevant guidelines and standards.

     Regarding the question raised by Professor the Hon Lau Chi-pang, our consolidated reply is as follows:

(1) According to the Guidelines on Dissemination of Information through Government Websites (the Guidelines) issued by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB), Government websites should present information to the public in a clear and convenient manner, including categorising content by theme; making effective use of hyperlinks by placing core information on the homepage and details on sub-pages so that the public can click through directly to relevant information; compiling frequently asked questions to facilitate self-service searches by the public; and ensuring that web content is accurate and updated regularly.

     For example, the “GovHK” website (www.gov.hk), which is managed by the Digital Policy Office (DPO), generally enables users to access the specific pages of relevant departments’ websites directly through hyperlinks. For other government websites, they are managed by individual departments. Since departmental websites are updated from time to time, some old webpages, archived pages or cross-departmental reference links may be redirected to the homepage of the relevant website as a result of the revamp or update of the target pages. The Government does not keep relevant statistics so far. Regarding the situation raised by the Hon Member, departments are reminded through the HYAB’s Guidelines to perform regular website maintenance, and also to check the hyperlinks periodically to ensure they are in effective operation.

(2) For matters involving multiple government departments, “GovHK” has, in accordance with the HYAB’s Guidelines, set up dedicated navigation pages on common cross-departmental matters, by user category (namely residents, business and trade, and non-Hong Kong-residents) and by theme, bringing together information and services of the relevant departments in one place. Examples include “Employment” and “Health and Medical Services”, which are commonly used by citizens; “Registration and Licences” and “Support for Local Enterprises”, which are of interest to the business sector; and “Working in Hong Kong”, which is relevant to non-Hong Kong-residents. In addition, the website features sessions such as “Quick Guides” (for example, “Drivers” and “Senior Citizens”), “Topics” (for example, “Marriage Registration” and “Reproductive Health”), “Top Online Services” and “Top Government Forms”, which provide direct links to the relevant application pages, forms and information, thereby facilitating members of the public in obtaining relevant information and making applications.

(3) “GovHK” has launched its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, “Bonny”, in 2019. Leveraging technologies such as natural language processing and machine learning to analyse user input, Bonny can handle enquiries in a mixture of Chinese and English (including Cantonese expressions) and assist members of the public in searching for suitable e-government services and application forms on government department websites.

     In recent years, mobile devices have become an important means for members of the public to access government information and public services. As a one-stop personalised digital services platform, “iAM Smart” provides access to more than 1 400 online services and government e-Forms offered by the Government as well as public and private organisations. It has over 4.8 million registered users and records an average of more than 220 000 usages per day, thereby realising the Government’s objective of a “single portal for online government services”.

     To provide further convenience to the public, the “iAM Smart” platform launched the AI Assistant feature in October this year, covering enquiries relating to government public services. Members of the public only need to type in their enquiries, and the AI Assistant will leverage AI technology to instantly retrieve relevant information and services from different government official websites, and a knowledge base reviewed by relevant government departments, organise the information into a clear and coherent form, and provide links to the information sources and services, making it easier for members of the public to access the relevant information. The DPO will continue to optimise the AI Assistant feature. It is expected that an enhanced version of the AI Assistant, offering personalised services, will be launched by the end of this year to further enhance the user experience.

     Looking ahead, we will continue to deepen the application of AI in public services. For instance, the DPO plans to launch Chatbot-as-a-Service 2.0, equipped with a new version AI engine in 2027, use it to update “Bonny”, and make it available for adoption by other departments. This service will integrate technologies such as large language models, a natural language processing engine, retrieval-augmented generation and web data extraction, to assist departments in expanding the coverage of their knowledge bases, thereby enabling them to provide more accurate and direct responses on their websites. read more

     Following is a question by the Hon Duncan Chiu and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (October 28):

Question:

     Under existing legislation, the Road Traffic (Traffic Control) Regulations (Cap. 374G) impose a fixed penalty of $2,000 on pedestrians crossing a road in contravention of light signals, while the Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness and Obstruction) Ordinance (Cap. 570) imposes a fixed penalty of $3,000 on depositing of litter or waste. However, there are views that the fixed penalty mechanism lacks flexibility. Apart from increasing the financial burden on the grass roots, such measure may not lead to sustained behavioural changes or improve public law-abiding awareness, and the Government should consider introducing alternative measures that are more targeted and of educational significance. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of prosecutions instituted against pedestrians crossing a road in contravention of traffic rules over the past three years, and among these, the respective numbers of cases in which verbal warnings were issued and fixed penalties were imposed;

(2) of the number of pedestrian casualties in traffic accidents over the past three years, with a breakdown of the relevant number by cause of accident and severity of casualties;

(3) over the past three years, (i) of the number of fixed penalty notices issued by the authorities against depositing of litter or waste, and (ii) at which locations (e.g. tourist attractions, urban areas, country parks) did depositing of litter or waste occur most frequently, with a breakdown of such cases by the 18 districts across the territory;

(4) whether the authorities will consider drawing on the practices of domestic and overseas countries and regions by adopting a model of “combining punishment and education” to introduce the option of non-financial penalties in lieu of fines, such as requiring those who commit minor traffic offences to assist in maintaining road traffic order, or requiring those who deposit litter or waste to take part in street cleaning work; if so, of the relevant plans and timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5) apart from law enforcement, of the Government’s specific strategies and measures in place to step up publicity and education, with a view to raising public awareness of road safety and maintaining a clean environment, thereby reducing the occurrence of the above unlawful behaviour at source?

Reply:

President,

     Having consulted the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), the reply to the question raised by the Member is as follows: 

(1) The Government has always been concerned about the issue of pedestrians crossing roads without complying with traffic rules, and has adopted a strategy of combining education with enforcement, in order to change the habit of crossing roads without complying with traffic rules and to ensure the safety of road users. The fixed penalty regime does not cover the offence of crossing roads without complying with traffic rules. The HKPF prosecutes pedestrians for crossing roads without complying with traffic rules by way of summons, and the court imposes appropriate penalties based on the severity of the case. According to current legislation, violators are liable to a maximum fine of $2,000.

     The figures of pedestrians prosecuted and given verbal warnings for crossing roads without complying with traffic rules in the past three years are as follows:
 

Year	Prosecution	Verbal warning
2023	8 912	527
2024	9 105	745
2025	6 689	301

(2) The figures of pedestrian casualties in traffic accidents over the past three years, broken down by contributory factors and degree of injury, are provided in Annex 1. On the whole, the number of pedestrian casualties in traffic accidents decreased from about 2 800 in 2023 to about 2 500 in 2025, representing a decrease of about 8 per cent.

(3) The numbers of fixed penalty notices issued for littering in the past three years by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) in public places, and by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at venues under their management, broken down by the 18 districts in Hong Kong, are provided in Annex 2.

(4) and (5) The Government attaches great importance to road safety, and has adopted a multipronged strategy encompassing legislation, improvement of transport facilities and traffic management, application of technology, stepping up of enforcement, as well as publicity and education with a view to safeguarding the safety of road users. In 2026, the HKPF has launched a total of four territory-wide thematic operations on pedestrian safety. Regarding publicity and education, the Transport Department and the HKPF have been collaborating with the Road Safety Council to promote road safety among all road users (including pedestrians) through various activities, which include production and broadcasting of television and online publicity video clips, publication and distribution of Road Safety Bulletins and leaflets, affixing publicity covers on traffic signal controllers, conducting road safety talks in primary and secondary schools as well as elderly centres, and disseminating information on social media platforms, to educate different road users about road safety matters that require their attention, including obeying traffic rules and traffic signals, proper use of pedestrian crossing facilities and staying alert at all times.

     Moreover, given that the elderly account for the majority of traffic fatalities, the HKPF has implemented a series of activities tailor-made for them, which include organising talks for the elderly, vehicle blind spot experiences, road safety drama performances, and introducing virtual reality experiences to further enhance the elderly’s road safety awareness and reduce instances of crossing roads without complying with traffic rules.

     Regarding environmental hygiene issues, the Government strives to maintain cleanliness in public spaces while raising public awareness of environmental hygiene through enhancing regulations, stepping up enforcement, optimising cleaning services, leveraging technology, and promoting public education. The FEHD continuously conducts publicity and public education through various channels, such as its social media accounts, the “Keep Clean Ambassador Ah Tak” theme page, posters and banners. The FEHD also organises talks and activities, such as the outreach activity day held in Tai Po District on October 22, 2026, and deploys a promotional vehicle as the Mobile Education Centre to make visits to schools, housing estates, and public parks to promote personal and environmental hygiene awareness.

     Concerning the proposal to introduce non-monetary penalties such as community service as alternatives to fines, the Government has to consider various factors, which include deterrent effect, legal issues, court operation mechanisms, and practical implementation factors such as administrative resources. Having balanced these considerations, the Government considers that the existing prosecution and penalty mechanism is effective and provide adequate deterrence. The Government will continue to review the arrangements and adopt a multipronged approach through publicity and targeted enforcement to continuously enhance public awareness of road safety and environmental hygiene. read more

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department… read more

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department… read more

     Following is a question by the Hon Lau Ka-keung and a reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (October 28):

Question:

     A recent case of suspected child abuse has aroused widespread social concern about how high-risk households can be identified at an early stage and whether the strength of existing child protection measures is adequate. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) as the authorities have reportedly indicated that they would decide whether to take forward the introduction of a “failure to protect” offence following the satisfactory implementation of the work on the mandatory reporting of child abuse and the accumulation of experience, but given that the number of child abuse cases has shown an upward trend recently, whether the authorities will study the enactment of a “failure to protect” offence while regularly reviewing the effectiveness of the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance; if not, of the reasons for that;

(2) of the mechanisms currently put in place by the authorities for the proactive identification and early intervention of households at high risks where carers have tendencies such as drug abuse and family violence; whether it will expedite the establishment of a social welfare data-sharing platform and adopt artificial intelligence to identify households at high-risk at an early stage for precise response; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) as it is learnt that the detection of inappropriate high-consumption behaviour by households receiving the Minimum Living Allowance (MLA) on the Mainland may trigger early warnings under its dynamic monitoring system or result in the revocation of their eligibility for MLA, of the mechanisms and measures put in place by the authorities to combat unreasonable high-consumption behaviour by certain households receiving the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) while ensuring that the basic living needs of the children concerned are not affected by any adjustment to or the cessation of CSSA payments?

Reply:

President,

     The Government attaches great importance to safeguarding the best interests of children, and has always been committed to protecting children’s wellbeing in various policies. My response to the question raised by the Hon Lau Ka-keung’s question is as follows:

(1) The Government has been committed to promoting the early identification of, and intervention in, suspected cases of serious child abuse. The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance (Cap. 650) (the Ordinance) came into effect on January 20, 2026, mandating specified professionals to make a report as soon as practicable if they, during the course of their work, have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is suffering or is at real risk of suffering serious harm. The implementation of the Ordinance has proceeded smoothly and has received a positive response. It has successfully strengthened public awareness for child protection, and demonstrated the effectiveness of the Government’s efforts in areas such as legislation, publicity, public education and providing relevant training for mandatory reporters.

     The Law Reform Commission recommended, in its report released in September 2021, the introduction of a new offence of “failure to protect”. The objective of the recommended offence is in line with the Ordinance as they both mandate certain categories of persons to take reasonable steps to protect children from suffering serious harm.

     At this juncture, the Government will give priority to carrying out the work relating to the mandatory reporting mechanism for child abuse, including continuously monitoring the operation of the mandatory reporting mechanism, ensuring the adequacy of related support measures such as emergency placement and professional support, and continuing to provide the necessary training for specified professionals. We will accumulate experience and carefully consider how to further strengthen the protection of children, and will continue to embed awareness of child protection in the hearts of the general public through publicity and education.

(2) The Government has been taking a multi-pronged approach to strengthen the identification of and support for high-risk families, in order to enhance the child and family support network, thereby achieving the goal of protecting children.

     To ensure the safety and healthy development of children, the Government established a mechanism in 2005, under which the Social Welfare Department (SWD), the Department of Health (DH), the Hospital Authority (HA), and the Education Bureau jointly implement the Comprehensive Child Development Service (CCDS). Under the CCDS, service units including Maternal and Child Health Centres under DH, hospitals under HA and Integrated Family Service Centres (IFSCs) under the SWD form a collaborative platform to identify various health and welfare needs of high-risk families with children from birth to five years of age as early as possible. Under this mechanism, children and families identified as having such needs will be referred to the relevant medical or welfare service units for appropriate follow-up services.

     To enhance support for families with parenting needs, the Government has successfully set up four Community Parents and Children Centres this year. These centres promote parent-child interaction and pass on positive parenting skills to parents through play-based services, as well as refer families with other needs to receive appropriate Government and community services, thereby preventing child abuse at source. In addition, there are currently 65 IFSCs and two Integrated Services Centres across Hong Kong, providing a range of preventive, supportive and remedial welfare services adopting the “child-centred, family-focused and community-based” approach, with a view to strengthening families’ ability to care for and provide guidance to children.

     The Chief Executive’s 2026 Policy Address announced that the Government will establish a “welfare information sharing e-platform” in phases to integrate the social welfare data of relevant government departments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). We will use artificial intelligence to enable the early identification of high-risk individuals or families for timely intervention and targeted response, with a view to intervening, as far as practicable, before problems arise or at an early stage. Through data analysis, we aim to facilitate targeted support, resource allocation and service deployment in a scientific manner, thereby putting into practice the shift in approach from “reactive response” towards “proactive identification and targeted support”. The Government has already identified child protection as one of the priorities in designing the platform. Through data analysis, in future we hope to be able to identify high-risk cases in a targeted manner for early intervention and handling. Our target is to initiate a trial of data integration and analysis involving selected government departments and NGOs in the first half of next year, followed by gradual expansion of the platform’s application.

(3) The CSSA Scheme provides a safety net of last resort for people who cannot support themselves financially due to old age, ill-health, disability, single parenthood, unemployment, low-earnings or for other reasons to help them meet their basic needs. The CSSA Scheme contains rigorous financial tests, including income and asset tests, to ensure the proper use of public resources and prevent abuse.

     In fact, the circumstances and actual needs of CSSA recipients and their families vary. Their way of living and consumption behaviour cannot be generalised. Therefore, it is difficult to impose standardised restrictions on the consumption behaviour of CSSA recipients. 

     That said, the Government maintains a zero-tolerance attitude towards the abuse of the CSSA. If members of the public discover anyone suspected of abusing the CSSA, they may report the cases to the SWD. The SWD will actively follow up every report received. Meanwhile, the SWD adopts a multifaceted approach to combat the abuse of the CSSA. This includes conducting data-matching with other government departments and organisations regularly and as necessary for information verification, conducting regular reviews of approved cases on a risk-based approach and proactively conducting investigations. If an investigation confirms that a case involves fraud, the SWD will take resolute follow-up action and refer serious cases to the Police for investigation and consideration of prosecution as appropriate. The SWD will also recover overpayment from the relevant persons.

     If any persons (including children) have other welfare needs resulting from the stoppage of the CSSA payment, they will, where appropriate, be referred to suitable service units for follow-up assistance. read more