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Force management completed a Manpower Planning Survey in May 1995 to obtain direct feedback from staff as to their intentions with regard to 1997. Manpower Planning is an ongoing process examining the various scenarios of different levels of leavers so as to provide necessary information to Force management to consider any adjustments that may need to be made to the various contingency measures that are now in place.

The Manpower Survey provided an insight into the possible intentions of staff in the ranks of Inspector to Senior Assistant Commissioner. At that time 173 officers, 6.9% of those surveyed, indicated an intention to leave the service from July 1995 to 1 July 1997; a further 275 (11%) were undecided. It is worth noting that the number of applications to retire which have been received so far is in line with the findings of the 1995 Survey. This merely confirms the validity of that exercise.

The force replacement policy provides for promotion and recruitment as soon as an officer commences leave prior to finally leaving the service. Discounting known leavers and the undecided officers, the number of officers who will compete for promotion, remains well in excess of the number of vacancies which are likely to arise. The situation will continue to be monitored closely.

End

Construction of the new airport

Following is a question by Dr the Hon Samuel Wong Ping-wai and a written reply by the Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Gordon Siu, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

With regard to the construction of the new airport, will the Government inform this Council of the following:

(a)

whether the new airport can start operating within the first quarter of 1998 as scheduled, given that two to three franchises of the facilities in the new airport have yet to be awarded by the Chinese and British governments, and having regard to the present progress in construction works and other related projects; and