The Government has been sharply criticised by think-tank advisers for failing to draw up contingency plans ahead of the court ruling on mainland-born children.
Part-time members of the Central Policy Unit said there had been a breakdown in the Government's alarm system.
The meeting, about a fortnight ago, was the first convened by the unit's new head Dr Edgar Cheng Wai-kin since he took over from Gordon Siu Kwing-chue late last month. There are about 30 part-time members.
According to one, some were taken aback by the Government's failure to prepare for losing the court case.
They were surprised there had apparently been no detailed plans worked out before the court decision to cope with the possible influx of hundreds of thousands of mainlanders.
The member said: 'What we have seen is that the survey [on how many mainlanders were affected by the ruling] is only to be conducted after the court ruling. The case started more than a year ago. We don't know what the Government has done over such a long period of time.
