New direction: Secretary and Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue and Rebecca Lai announce the Government's five-day week plan.

Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue says the Government will transfer to a five-day week in phases from July 1.

Ms Yue said the new initiative will bolster civil service morale and promote social harmony. She assured that the Government will maintain the overall level and efficiency of its services, adding that it has no plan to mandate a five-day week in Hong Kong.

Two main types of government units will be closed on Saturdays under phase one, including back-offices, offices providing in-house professional and administrative services; and units offering services to the public which are not in great demand on Saturdays and their non-provision will have no significant impact. Their opening hours will be extended on weekdays to compensate for hours lost on Saturdays.

Saturday changes

Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service (Special Duties) Rebecca Lai said services no longer provided on Saturdays from July 1 include:

* Transport Department licensing services;

* Inland Revenue and Rating & Valuation Department counter services;

* Home Affairs Department Public Enquiry Service Centres; and,

* enquiries and applications for public rental housing and various business-related licence and permit application services provided by the Buildings, Environmental Protection, Food & Environmental Hygiene, Trade & Industry and Customs & Excise Departments.

"We will closely monitor the operation of the five-day week and fine-tune the arrangement as necessary following implementation," she said.

Internet services, drop-in boxes and alternative payment channels will be made available or further enhanced to facilitate business transactions with the Government.

Mrs Lai said for the time being, the more in-demand services will continue to be provided on Saturdays, such as immigration-related counter services (for registration of births and deaths, marriage ceremonies, ID card, visa, passport applications), mail delivery and post office counter services, job centres, occupational health clinics, Social Welfare Department family services, environmental hygiene services, libraries, and recreational facilities.

Emergency services

Law enforcement, rescue services, and maintenance of public order will continue to be provided around the clock.

Upon the implementation of phase one, some 59,000 staff will work longer on weekdays but their total working hours per week will remain unchanged.

Mrs Lai said separate from the five-day work initiative, some 11,100 staff already work to roster systems that involve five shifts or less per week. Another 3,400 will have their duty pattern adjusted to five shifts or less. About 73,500 staff will work five days or shifts or less per week from July.

"This arrangement has no impact on the public as the concerned services will continue to be maintained on Saturdays - and even Sundays as appropriate," she said.

More services will phase in to the five-day week pattern from January for complete migration by July.

"At this stage and subject to further examination by bureaux and departments, it may be possible for another 15,000 staff to switch to a five-day week by July 2007. Separately, bureaux and departments are working on the feasibility of using the roster arrangement to enable more staff to work five shifts per week. By July 2007, it may be possible for 92,600 staff to work five days or shifts per week," she said.

Relevant departments will publicise their new opening hours. For details, visit this website or call 1823.