Civil service establishment growth for 2009-10 is estimated to be about 0.9%, Secretary for Civil Service Denise Yue says, adding the estimated civil service establishment for March 31, 2010 is 165,703.

Miss Yu today told lawmakers the Government will advance the recruitment of civil servants to fill 7,700 civil service vacancies between December 2008 and March 2010.

Among them about 4,300 are vacancies with starting salaries at Master Pay Scale (MPS) Point 9 or below, 3,400 vacancies at MPS Point 10 to 33, and less than 10 vacancies at MPS Point 34 or above. Annual salary expenses of these posts will be $640 million, $940 million and $5.81 million.

As at February 28 about 1,400 vacancies were filled and appointment letters sent to another 1,200 suitable candidates.

She said new civil service posts will only be created when the operational need is fully justified, when the work involved cannot be undertaken by re-deployment of existing staff, and when alternative modes of service delivery are considered inappropriate.