Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho on Saturday said it is inappropriate to simply look at projected unit completion as the total supply volume for private flats.

Last week, the government announced that some 107,000 private units may be available for sale in the coming three to four years.

Writing on her Facebook page, Ho said she is aware of online discussions about the number being overly optimistic and that there might not be that many flats available.

Ho explained that the figure includes completed units that are still unsold, units currently being built, and those whose construction hasn't started yet.

The housing minister stressed that the administration has been consistent in how they release data, and such information can be traced back for more than a decade to avoid confusion.

She also noted that nearly 19,000 private flats had been completed each year over the past five years, saying this shows the government’s success in balancing demand and supply.