Hong Kong officials will assess the independent commission’s report on the Hung Fuk Estate fire before deciding what accountability measures to take. The commission was expected to submit its report to the Chief Executive during October. Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan separately said she expected it to be published by the end of the month.
Yeung said that if the report clearly identifies misconduct by an individual civil servant, the government could proceed directly to disciplinary action. If it instead identifies departmental or institutional problems without establishing individual responsibility, the Public Service Commission could investigate the administrative responsibility of individual employees.
The duration of any second-level inquiry would depend on the complexity of the case, Yeung said. Whether its report could be made fully public would also depend on the circumstances, including whether it involved government secrets or personal privacy.
The Civil Service Bureau and the Public Service Commission are preparing internal rules and operational arrangements for a possible inquiry, including staffing and office accommodation. Yeung said the preparations were intended to allow it to begin promptly if required; they do not mean an inquiry has been launched.