Chief Executive John Lee said on Wednesday that the switch from a non-interventionist stance on childbirth policy by his administration to a multi-pronged approach in 2023 has led to "a significant increase" in the number of newborns.

There were 36,700 births last year, up around 11 percent or 3,500.

To build on that momentum, six new measures will be taken to augment the multi-pronged approach to promoting fertility, Lee said.

A key move in this regard will see the claim period for additional child allowances for newborns extended from one year to two.

A taxpayer can, from the 2026/27 tax assessment year, claim twice the allowance, or HK$260,000, for each newborn in the first two years following their birth. The tax allowance will be applicable to all children under the age of two by the end of the year of assessment.

To further encourage births, 15 childcare centres will be set up over the next three years, to provide 1,500 day care places, almost double the present number, for children up to three years old. The Social Welfare Department will also be allocating more care places for children up to two years old, the CE said.

Parents will also find it easier to take up jobs with the removal of the cap on the number of places under the After School Care Service Scheme on campuses.

Dedicated counters will also be set up for mothers-to-be seeking medical services to cut down on their waiting times, while there will be a concerted effort by the Primary Healthcare Commission, the Department of Health, Family Planning Association and the Hospital Authority to enhance services for women considering conceiving, as well as during the antenatal and postnatal periods.

Greater flexibility is also in the offing for those wishing to give birth, in the form of removal of statutory storage periods of gametes and embryos, with legislative amendments to facilitate the move taking effect from December.

The Hospital Authority will, in this regard, increase the quota for assisted reproductive services from 1,100 to 1,500 treatment cycles in this financial year.

Companies will also be encouraged to develop family-friendly practices such as flexible working hours.

The six measures come on top of others for families with newborns, such as raising the tax deduction ceiling for mortgage interest or rents and deductions for assisted reproductive services, easing housing worries with a public flat selection priority scheme and by shortening waiting times for public rental housing, and the newborn bonus of HK$20,000.