Salaries trimmed: Secretary for Civil Service Joseph Wong said the second round of civil service pay cuts will go ahead on January 1 as scheduled.

After careful consideration, the Government has decided to implement the second round of civil service pay cuts on January 1 as scheduled, Secretary for Civil Service Joseph Wong says.

Speaking to the media this afternoon, Mr Wong said the decision is lawful, and more important, the two-phase pay cut was a result of the strenuous efforts the management and staff sides made to reach a consensus.

"I am sure this decision will be acceptable to the vast majority of the civil service and it is considered reasonable by the community at large," he said.

Mr Wong said he will write to all civil servants after the Court of Final Appeal has granted approval to the administration's appeal of the Court of Appeal's ruling on the matter.

Ex-civil servant understands her new job's parameters

In response to media interest to the involvement of a senior retiree in the West Kowloon Cultural District project, Mr Wong said he has already made the approved parameters of her job clear to the individual.

He said the retiree concerned has been reminded she should not be a member of the bidding team, take part directly or indirectly in the bidding process, be involved in any promotional or public consultation activities, or act as a spokesperson for any bidder on the project.

Mr Wong said he has been keeping abreast of the matter and it is inappropriate at this stage to jump to a conclusion on whether the retiree in question has breached any conditions.