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Housing benefits for civil servants and teaching staff
Following is a question by the Hon Emily Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for Civil Service, Mr W K Lam, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
According to the results of the 1994/95 Household Expenditure Survey (HES) conducted jointly by the Census and Statistics Department and the Hang Seng Bank, the proportion of expenditure on housing had increased by four to five percentage points, as compared to the results of the HES conducted in 1989/90. In respect of the relatively low expenditure households, the proportion had increased from 21% to 25%; for the medium expenditure households, from 24% to 28%; and for the relatively high expenditure households, from 29% to 34%. By contrast, for many years senior civil servants and teaching staff of tertiary institutions who live in staff quarters provided by the Government and the tertiary institutions are only required to pay 7.5% of their monthly salary as rental payment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a)
(b)
(0)
(d)
of the respective numbers of civil servants and teaching staff of tertiary institutions who pay 7.5% of their salary as rental payment, and the grades to which they belong;
the
year in which the 7.5% rate was formulated and the basis for it:
why the above rate has remained unchanged despite the fact that the housing benefits for civil servants have been changed several times over the year; and
whether there is any plan to review the 7.5% rate mentioned above?
Reply:
Mr President.
(a)
1,725 Civil servants residing in non-departmental quarters, and 740 officers receiving the Private Tenancy Allowance pay 7.5% of their salary as rent. All officers were employed before 1 October 1990. They are in grades with salary points above MPS point 34 or equivalent.
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