Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn on Sunday said the authorities will impose stricter vetting procedures to help homeowners pick qualified contractors for renovation projects.

A strengthened version of the Urban Renewal Authority’s 'Smart Tender' platform is expected to be launched in the second half of this year, she said.

On a TVB programme, Linn said the authorities will review the backgrounds of consultants and contractors before including them on the URA’s vetted list.

“Currently, consultants and contractors wishing to be included in the prequalification list are required to declare their criminal records themselves. We believe that we can obviously do more here,” Linn said.

“The vetting will no longer rely on self-declarations in the future. We will be in communication with law enforcement agencies to search for relevant records. As for ongoing investigations that have yet to lead to prosecutions, we are considering whether such information should be taken into account during the vetting.”

Linn said there are more than 1,000 registered contractors in Hong Kong and only around 100 have been included on an existing URA list for a government subsidised renovation programme.

The authorities aim to encourage trustworthy contractors to participate in government funded projects, she said.

Linn also said the government will fully support the URA, with more manpower and resources to be provided.