The Housing Authority is studying the Court of Appeal's judgment on the public housing rent review and considering necessary follow-up actions, Secretary for Housing, Planning & Lands Michael Suen says.

The court today allowed the appeals by the Housing Authority against the judgment on the judicial review of the authority's decisions to defer the public housing rent review.

Mr Suen said like any litigants, the applicants may seek leave to appeal in accordance with the law, adding that the authority will then decide on the way forward.

"The judicial review cases underline the importance of identifying an alternative rent adjustment mechanism that is more viable and helps promote the long-term sustainability of the public rental housing programme," Mr Suen said.

"The judgment of the Court of Appeal provides a firm legal basis for the Ad Hoc Committee on Review of Domestic Rent Policy to carry on with its review."

In October and November 2002, two public housing tenants from Kwai Chung Estate applied for a judicial review against the authority's decisions to defer rent review in 2001 and 2002.

The Court of First Instance ruled in July last year in favour of the applicants for the judicial review. Subsequently, the authority successfully obtained from the High Court a stay of execution of the orders made by the Court of First Instance pending the outcome of its appeals to the Court of Appeal.