Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau said on Friday the government will further review operations at RTHK after lawmakers expressed concern over the broadcaster's expenditure.

At a special finance committee meeting on the budget in the legislature, lawmakers raised questions over the station's headcount and spending.

Junius Ho noted that the broadcaster's forecast budget for this financial year had been set at HK$1.5 billion, around 50 percent more than that of five years ago.

He said the station cannot keep asking for more public money when the government is under financial stress.

"We will go back to review once again the overall operations of RTHK, its production and manpower arrangements," Yau said in response.

RTHK is under the purview of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau.

New People's Party lawmaker Regina Ip noted the broadcaster is cutting four positions from its 750-strong workforce this financial year, and questioned if it could cut more jobs at the programme officer level in the TV section, since three of its five TV channels are relays of state television or broadcast acquired programmes.

Director of Broadcasting Angelina Kwan said the streamlining will continue, and proposals will be submitted to the bureau later.

Kwan added that RTHK has been purchasing outside programmes to provide more diverse content.