Exco backs salary rise of at least 2.6pc for senior officials

Increase would not apply to the chief executive, who earns more than HK$400,000 per month

Top officials in the next administration could be paid at least 2.6 per cent more, with the city’s No 2 potentially earning HK$396,000 a month, after the chief executive’s de facto cabinet endorsed salary recommendations by an independent panel.

Yet any increase would not apply to the chief executive, who earns more than HK$400,000 per month, and it remained unclear whether John Lee Ka-chiu, the sole candidate in the leadership election tomorrow, would receive more than outgoing leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.

In 2020 and last year, Lam froze the salary of political appointees amid the coronavirus pandemic and economic downturn. The monthly salary of 16 senior officials has remained at their 2019 levels of between HK$348,100 and HK$386,950.

But according to a government paper, a review by an independent commission recommended “the pay freeze should not be taken into account as it is a decision made by the [current] government under the prevailing social, economic and political environment”.

“The pay freeze is also voluntary in nature and is only applicable to [politically-appointed officials] serving in the fifth-term government,” the paper reads.

The commission suggested that for the next term of government, pay for senior officials should be adjusted in accordance with the change in average annual inflation since 2019, which was about 2.6 per cent, plus the latest inflation rate of this month, which has yet to be announced.

Before taking the latest inflation rate into account, pay for the chief secretary could rise from HK$385,950 to HK$396,000, the salary for the financial secretary could increase from HK$372,900 to HK$382,600, and pay for the secretary for justice could increase from HK$360,300 to HK$369,650.

The salary for the 13 bureau chiefs could be increased from HK$348,100 to HK$357,150.

A government spokesman said: “This only serves to restore the original levels of the cash pay package as approved by the [Legislative Council] in 2017, and should not be construed as a pay rise.”

This only serves to restore the original levels of the cash pay package as approved by the [Legislative Council] in 2017

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN

The commission also recommended raising the accumulation limit of senior officials’ leave balance from 22 to 33 days.

The recommendations accepted by the Executive Council are still subject to the approval of the Chief Executive’s Office.

Since 2018, the monthly salary of the chief executive and the principal officials has been adjusted annually based on inflation. In 2020, Lam voluntarily reduced her salary from HK$434,000 to HK$390,000 a month, but the pay cut expired by June last year.