Hong Kong legislators have questioned whether the incoming city leader’s plan to overhaul the government will translate into better delivery of public services and improvements in performance worth the HK$95 million (US$12.1 million) annual price tag, but they are inclined to endorse the blueprint. Some lawmakers also expressed concern on Friday over whether the restructuring would provide enough support for policymaking that adequately supported young people and the industrial sector. The restructuring plan, which the city leader’s top advisers endorsed on Tuesday, calls for increasing the number of bureaus from 13 to 15 and creating deputy posts under the secretaries for administration, finance and justice to better o-ordinate large infrastructure projects and improve communication throughout the civil service. Chief Executive-elect John Lee Ka-chiu has expressed hope that the Legislative Council will approve the blueprint next month before he takes over on July 1. At a Legco subcommittee meeting on Friday, Starry Lee Wai-king, chairwoman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said key performance indicators must be set to ensure the restructuring plan worked as intended. “In the eyes of residents, what matters is whether the revamped administration can achieve results,” she said. “After nearly HK$100 million per year is spent, can Hong Kong improve its competitiveness and resolve the deep-seated social issues?” Tony Tse Wai-chuen, who represents the architectural, surveying, planning and landscape sector, said: “I support the plan. But we need to be prudent in public finance and consider the views of the people. With a price tag of HK$95 million a year, residents may only see this as a negative factor, before seeing its benefits.” A closer look at details of Hong Kong’s government revamp plan But Daniel Cheng Chung-wai, secretary general of the Chief Executive-elect’s Office, sought to allay concerns by noting that Lee had put achieving results at the heart of his vision for governing. “We totally agree that the priority is to achieve goals and ensure good division of labour and internal coordination,” he said. Erick Tsang Kwok-wai, secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, suggested lawmakers and residents could view the annual price tag for the revamp as money well spent. “The chief executive-elect is not trying to create posts to benefit himself,” he said. “He is hoping that this can bear fruit. Even if you engage in [retail business], you also need to open a shop and invest, hoping that profit can be made.” But Tik Chi-yuen, the sole lawmaker not aligned with the pro-establishment bloc, argued the creation of the three deputy secretary posts should be postponed, as outgoing leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s proposal, first mentioned in January, focused on adding and renaming bureaus. He said the responsibilities of the deputy secretaries and how they would work with their bosses remained unclear. Tik, who represents the social welfare sector, also said lawmakers had no idea that together with these three posts, the restructure would be so costly, arguing that while the bureau revamp could be undertaken now, the creation of the new ministerial roles should proceed later. “Can we handle Carrie Lam’s proposal first and leave John Lee’s to six months after he takes office?” Tik said. But Cheng insisted that the restructuring plan would only work as a whole. “It’s kind of a chicken and egg situation,” he said. “I think you need a good structure and a good team to reach the targets.” Other lawmakers pointed to concerns they had about the details of the restructuring plan. In the past, the city’s housing and land policies were supervised by the chief secretary and the finance chief, respectively. But after the overhaul, the finance chief will oversee both portfolios. Banking sector lawmaker Ronick Chan Chun-ying said he was worried about whether the arrangement would end up distracting the finance chief from his core mission. “I am also concerned about why the Trade and Industry Department continues to be under the commerce bureau and not the revamped innovation, technology and industrial bureau?” he asked. But Cheng vowed that the finance chief would not lose focus on ensuring Hong Kong remained a centre for global commerce. Doris Ho Pui-ling, head of the Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office which is overseeing the proposed revamp, explained that while the Trade and Industry Department was responsible for supporting traditional industries and small- and medium-sized enterprises, the renamed Innovation, Technology and Industrial Bureau would focus on re-industrialisation and attracting hi-tech manufacturing firms to Hong Kong. Hong Kong’s next leader John Lee reveals hiccups in forming his team The blueprint also calls for the creation of a Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, splitting the Transport and Housing Bureau into a Housing Bureau and Transport and Logistics Bureau, as well as turning the Home Affairs Bureau into a Home and Youth Affairs Bureau. Lawmaker Benson Luk Hon-man questioned whether any specific department would be created under the latter bureau to focus on the policies for the city’s young people. Ho explained that the new department would come in the form of a youth affairs branch under the bureau and it would be led by full-time senior officials. Separately, John Lee met lawmakers from the Federation of Trade Unions, Tik Chi-yuen, as well as other independent legislators, and listened to their views on issues such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the reopening of the border with mainland China, unemployment support and housing. Lee explained the government restructuring plan to them, saying that the blueprint would help individual bureaus focus on social problems. The three deputy posts would also strengthen the government’s capabilities in coordination and cross-department collaboration, he said. He expressed hope that lawmakers would approve the relevant proposals by the middle of next month.