The average daily number of people in remand reached its highest in more than two decades while the number of new admissions to correctional institutions last year also rose, prison authorities said on Thursday.

New prison admissions overall stood at 18,438 last year, up seven percent from the figure in 2023, according to the Correctional Services Department.

More than 3,600 people were remanded in custody on average per day over the past year – the highest figure since 2000.

"In response to the ever-changing penal population, especially the increasing population of those in remand, the department has deployed part of the capacity of certain correctional institutions to admit those in remand, to alleviate the overcrowding situation of reception centres," said commissioner Wong Kwok-hing.

Delivering an annual round-up of the department's work, Wong also said authorities decided against introducing legal amendments to prevent people placed under supervision from leaving Hong Kong.

The idea was previously floated after former student activist Tony Chung allegedly violated his supervision order and went to Britain to seek political asylum.

"After discussing with the Department of Justice, we found that under current laws, we actually have enough power to impose some new supervisory conditions," Wong said.

"So since last year, we have implemented some arrangements for all those under supervision on applying to leave Hong Kong. They must apply to our supervisors before leaving Hong Kong, and they can only leave when we give approval."

Fifteen cases had been approved so far under the new rule, Wong added.