Liberal Party chairman Tommy Cheung said on Saturday that the independent committee set up to probe the cause of the Tai Po fire could come up with its findings much faster than an inquiry commission.

Led by Electoral Affairs Commission head David Lok and assisted by outgoing lawmaker Chan Kin-por and departing MTR Corporation chairman Rex Auyeung, the panel is expected to submit a report within nine months.

Chief Executive John Lee has said the panel will be given investigative powers if needed.

Speaking on Commercial Radio, Cheung said he expects the committee's report to be more comprehensive than one with legal powers.

"Looking back, an inquiry commission wouldn't take just nine months to complete its probe, it would take even longer," he said.

"The chief executive has said that different departments will look into different matters, instead of just relying on the three-member independent committee to look into everything. So everyone is working together.

"An inquiry commission was set up before because we were worried that a person summoned would not turn up, or that a necessary document was not going to be given to the body.

"But I am not too worried about this now because many departments are probing the case... I think the independent committee's work will be done quickly, and it will be very comprehensive."

Legislator Lo Wai-kwok, who chairs the Business and Professionals Alliance, said on the same show that the nine-month period given to the panel to work on the investigation meets public expectations.

He anticipates the committee will also make suggestions on improving the regulations for building renovations and addressing safety issues.

Lo, who represents the engineering sector in the Legislative Council, said he was disheartened and furious to see that the industry had come under suspicion of breaching laws and regulations, but stressed that offenders comprised only a minority.

Meanwhile, ahead of the end of the Legco term, both Cheung and Lo said they would help familiarise their successors with the duties required by the functional constituencies before their departure.

They both also said they would continue to serve society through other means.