A Government spokesman said today (August 31) that the second tranche of the Employment Support Scheme (ESS) has received an overwhelming response from employers and self-employed persons on the first day of the two-week application period this morning.
 
     "Up to 12 noon today, we have received a total of over 21 000 applications from employers and about 700 applications from self-employed persons and will expeditiously process all the applications received. Most eligible employers who have provided accurate and complete information are expected to receive wage subsidies in three to four weeks after submission of application," the Government spokesman said.
         
     Eligible employers and self-employed persons can submit online applications for the second tranche of wage subsidies through the ESS portal (www.ess.gov.hk) until 11.59pm on September 13 (Sunday). 
 
     For enquiries, please send email to enquiry@employmentsupport.hk or call the ESS hotline (1836 122). The service hours of the hotline are as follows.
 

      Applicants who need assistance in completing their online applications may call the ESS hotline to make appointments with the following three ESS Help Desks during the application period.
 
     • North Point Help Desk at Room 1701, A T Tower, 180 Electric Road, North Point;
     • Kwun Tong Help Desk at Room 2507, Prosperity Center, 25 Chong Yip Street, Kwun Tong; and
     • Tsuen Wan Help Desk at Room 1206, Chinachem Tsuen Wan Plaza, 455 Castle Peak Road – Tsuen Wan.

     The service hours of the ESS Help Desks are as follows.
 

     The service hours of the ESS hotline and the Help Desks will remain in service from Monday to Friday (9am to 6pm) to answer enquiries beyond the application period.

     The "Quarterly Report on General Household Survey" for April to June 2020 is now available for download.
 
     The report contains statistics on labour force, employment, unemployment and underemployment for the second quarter of 2020. It also contains detailed analyses of the characteristics of different categories of members of the labour force, including their age, sex, educational attainment, employment status, occupation, industry, hours worked per week and monthly employment earnings. Information on reasons for leaving last job and duration of unemployment for the unemployed is also presented.
 
     Users can download the report free of charge from the website of the Census and Statistics Department (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp200.jsp?productCode=B1050001).
 
     The summary of broad survey findings published in the report is shown in Table 1 attached. Enquiries about the contents of the report can be directed to the Household Statistics Analysis Section, Census and Statistics Department (Tel: 2887 5508 or email: ghs@censtatd.gov.hk).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for the United Christian Hospital (UCH) today (August 31) announced that an 83-year-old female COVID-19 confirmed patient (case nubmer: 3626) passed away today.
 
     The patient, with chronic illness, was admitted to UCH on August 2 due to fever, cough and sore throat. Her condition continued to deteriorate and she eventually succumbed at 9.43am today.
 
     The hospital was saddened about the passing away of the patient and would offer necessary assistance to her family.
 
     Including the above patient, 89 COVID-19 patients have passed away in public hospitals so far.

     The Secretariat of the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) Committee today (August 31) said that the ECF had approved 178 projects in relation to environmental and conservation matters, involving a total grant of about $196 million, in 2019-20.

     The ECF provides funding to local non-profit-making organisations, including universities, schools, community bodies and green groups, to support their green projects and initiatives, which are categorised by nature, namely the Environmental Education and Community Action Projects, Community Waste Reduction Projects, and Environmental Research, Technology Demonstration and Conference Projects.  Eligible organisations may keep in view the announcements from the ECF on its website (www.ecf.gov.hk/en/application/index.html) in 2020-21 and submit funding applications under the corresponding funding schemes.

     Details of the approved projects in 2019-20 are available on the ECF website www.ecf.gov.hk/en/approved/index.html.

     The Education Bureau (EDB) today (August 31) announced the appointment of Mr Eugene Fong Yick-jin as the Chairman and the appointment of three new members, as well as the re-appointment of an incumbent member, to the Committee on Home-School Co-operation (CHSC). The tenure of their appointments is two years with effect from September 1, 2020. 

     The three newly appointed members are Mr Cheung Yat-ming, Mr Victor Leung Wai-tai and Mr Yau Siu-hung. The incumbent member re-appointed is Ms Anny Wong Shui-kuk.

     "Mr Fong actively participates in the work of the CHSC. We believe that with Mr Fong’s rich experience in community service and enthusiasm in promoting home-school co-operation as well as the concerted efforts of other members, the CHSC will continue with its achievements in strengthening home-school co-operation," a spokesman for the EDB said.

     The spokesman also thanked the outgoing chairman, Mr Henry Tong Sau-chai, for his valuable contribution to the committee in the past.

     Established in 1993 as an advisory body, the CHSC's main roles include promoting home-school co-operation and advising the EDB, other government departments and non-government organisations on ways to promote parent involvement in education.

     The full membership list of the CHSC with effect from September 1, 2020, is as follows:
 

* Newly appointed chairman and member