Tentative results of a Pay Trend Survey that would help adjust civil service pay were released on Thursday, but organisers said it would be "premature" for people to presume the administration will adopt their figures.

The survey, based on data gathered from more than 110 private firms, points to rises of 4.01 percent for senior civil servants, 4.32 percent for middle-ranking workers and 5.47 percent for junior staff.

“The numbers are not themselves recommendations in any way for an increase, decrease or anything. They are factors to be considered among a number of other factors," said Laurence Li, who chairs the Pay Trend Survey Committee.

"I think it's premature to try to forecast how these things will all be put into the pot."

The government said other factors to consider when looking at pay rises for civil servants are the state of the economy, changes in the cost of living, the administration's fiscal position, pay claims from staff and civil service morale.

Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service Clement Leung was asked whether different weight will be put on the various factors when making a decision.

“Each year, in a way, is a separate exercise, because the economic situation, the situation of the government's fiscal position are different. Every time we will have to have two-way communications with our staff side's representatives," Leung said.

“That will be something that we will have to work on in the next few weeks, and particularly, listening to the views of our staff associations on their sentiments and their views on civil service morale, as well as their proposals."

Last year, senior civil servants received pay rises of 2.87 percent, while those in middle and junior ranks got 4.65 percent. This was roughly in line with the results of that year's pay trend survey.
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Last updated: 2024-05-16 HKT 17:26