Open-minded: Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee says the final version of the proposed security bill will take various views of the community into account.

Another round of Basic Law Article 23 consultation will be launched next month, Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee says.

The final version of the proposed bill will take the community's various views into account, and Mr Lee said he has started scheduling meetings with political parties.

The content and format of the consultation paper has not yet been decided, Mr Lee said, adding that he will not limit it to any particular sector of the community nor any particular method.

Noting the result of the previous consultation exercise was not satisfactory, Mr Lee said the Government will listen to different voices very carefully and the final version will garner community approval.

The Government will try to reach as many people as possible in the new exercise and make the consultation document easier to understand.

Mr Lee said the concerns raised by the legal circle and religious groups will be taken into consideration and the Government will try to remove any misunderstanding, fear or worries they have. He said the Government has not set a timetable for implementing Article 23.

Speaking on the increase of Mainland tourists, Mr Lee admitted that the upsurge will create certain pressures on cross-boundary checkpoints.

He has discussed with the Immigration Department possible ways to alleviate the pressure. The department has already deployed 94 additional staff to alleviate the increased checkpoint workload, and hi-tech equipment will be used to enhance passenger-handling capacity.

The Government will consider deploying clerical staff from other departments to help immigration officers handle the rush during the coming National Day holidays.

The tourism industry has negotiated with Mainland authorities to divert some of the tourists to less-congested checkpoints.

Mr Lee said the introduction of hi-tech equipment, streamlining of procedures, launching of smart ID cards and the introduction of automatic immigration clearance next year are some of the long-term measures taken to alleviate increasing pressure on checkpoints.