The chairman of the Social Workers Registration Board has stressed that the statutory body reviews every application on a case-by-case basis, after the government suggested the board might have erred in renewing and approving licences from people who had committed serious crimes.

On Tuesday, the Executive Council approved a plan to reform the statutory body overseeing social workers, increasing the amount of appointed members and enabling "the prompt removal" of social workers convicted of serious offences.

Labour and Welfare Secretary Chris Sun on Wednesday said there was an urgency to make legislative amendments, and that there were "very obvious cases" that had deviated from the spirit of the law in the eyes of the public.

“Let's say the board approved the renewal of someone who was involved in drug possession or trafficking. I am not saying this is wrong. But it was not reasonable to approve the application, when many people within the Social Workers Registration Board had strong opinions and huge concerns about it," Sun told an RTHK programme.

The board's chairman, Ng Yut-ming, argued on the same programme that people who had done something wrong in the past should be given a second chance.

"From the day the board was formed till now, we still review every single application on a case-by-case basis. Even if someone has a criminal record, we will still consider [the application]," Ng said.

"Some people had committed crimes when they were young. But after many years and undergoing social work training, they had reflected and changed... Even among recipients of 'Ten Outstanding Young Persons' were people who had committed crimes like drug possession or trafficking. Does it mean society should not give them the opportunity to change?"

The proposed reforms will increase the number of board members from the current 15 to 27, with all required to take an oath of allegiance to the SAR.

Seventeen members will be appointed, eight will be elected and there will be two social welfare officials.