A controversial survey to assess Hong Kong people's attitudes towards homosexuality was not intended as a referendum on whether to enact any laws on the issue, a government official said yesterday.
Draft questions for the survey were severely criticised by gay-rights groups as being biased, particularly those on whether homosexual sex should be regarded as criminal and whether it is a psychological disorder.
More than a dozen groups at the Home Affairs Bureau's sexual minorities forum yesterday said the draft survey was problematic and asked how its results would be used by the government.
Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs Stephen Fisher said the survey was not a referendum.
'This is a survey - as simple as that. It will guide our thinking on the issues but will not determine our decisions. We need to see its results before we can say how we will respond to it.'
Mr Fisher said the questions were drafted by market research agency MVA Hong Kong and vetted by an independent advisory group, which amended the draft.
