Government helplines have handled more than 100,000 calls in the last year, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung says.

Taking questions in the Legislative Council today, Mr Cheung said the Government provides over-the-phone counselling and support services to the needy, including those with emotional problems, through two helplines - the Social Welfare Department hotline 2343 2255 and the Caritas Family Crisis Hotline 18 288. Both are manned by social workers.

From last October to September the department hotline handled 79,650 calls - an average of 218 a day - 19,591 of which required counselling service. The Family Crisis Hotline handled 23,544 calls, about 65 per day.

Both have voicemail, so if lines are busy callers can leave a message and a social worker will return the call within 30 minutes during duty hours, Mr Cheung said.

Non-governmental organisations also operate hotline services, including the 24-hour Tung Wah Group of Hospitals' CEASE Centre hotline 18 281 and the Samaritan Befrienders' 24-hour suicide prevention hotline 2389 2222.