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Following is a question by the Hon Chan Chi-chuen and a written reply by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, in the Legislative Council today (November 13):
Question:
It has been reported that the Administration Wing has recently procured a number of ergonomically designed chairs of a well-known brand for the conference room in the Office of the Chief Secretary for Administration (CS). Some members of the public consider the chairs too luxurious as they cost as high as $5,905 each. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the details of the chairs and other essential furniture in the conference rooms of the Chief Executive's Office and the Offices of CS, the Financial Secretary and the Secretary for Justice, including the brand names, model numbers, quantities and unit prices;
(b) whether the criteria for procuring furniture for the conference rooms in the offices of government departments include the ranks of the government officials using the conference rooms concerned; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c) whether the authorities will review the furniture procurement criteria, with a view to reducing public expenditure to make available more resources for poverty alleviation work; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
(a) The information of furniture used in the conference rooms of the Chief Executive's Office and the Offices of the three Secretaries is set out at Annex.
(b) and (c) Generally speaking, the Chief Executive's Office and the Offices of the three Secretaries will set the specifications of their furniture in the light of operational needs and conduct the procurement in accordance with the established procedures laid down in the Stores and Procurement Regulations. At present, the Administration has no plan to revise the existing procurement method.
Ends/Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Issued at HKT 11:29
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