The Security Bureau has made preparations for the national security law to be enforced in Hong Kong, Secretary for Security John Lee said today.

Mr Lee told reporters after attending the Legislative Council meeting that the responsible law enforcement agency must be prepared once the law is enacted in the city and that such preparations include securing ample manpower.

He said: "We will have to wait for the law to be written and then promulgated, then we will know what exactly the law will say.

"But it is important for the law enforcement agency to get prepared now with the number of people to be ready to discharge their duties as required by the law. It is because once the law is promulgated, then it becomes effective law. So the responsible law enforcement agency will have to get prepared now."

Mr Lee emphasised that he is confident Police will quickly develop the skills and knowledge needed to enforce the law and explained that recruitment of new personnel will be based on needs.

"The number of people will have to be decided according to the need. We are making preparations but we have to look at the exact law, to see what will be required of the law enforcement agencies to do, so as to actually decide on the number of people.

"As regards preparation, we have already been starting to look into what personal qualities, what experience will be required of the people who will be working in this new set-up unit."

Besides setting up a new unit, Police will train officers to ensure they are prepared to enforce the new law, he added.

"We of course will be liaising with counterparts on the Mainland to see how training can be done with their assistance. In fact in the same way as Police go about counter-terrorism, Police will be making opportunities to learn from counterparts overseas.

“So they will have of course a lot of things to do but I have good faith in their ability to discharge their function effectively."

Mr Lee said the Government will explain more details once the national security law is made public.