The Leisure & Cultural Services Department is providing a new round of ex-gratia payment to personnel affected by the cancellation of programmes scheduled to be held in its venues or facilities due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

The latest round of payment is being made to those engaged in recreation and sports programmes organised or subvented by the department, including coaches and instructors.

It is being offered to those directly engaged by the department or sports coaches and staff hired by national sports associations or sports organisations subvented under the Sports Subvention Scheme.

The payment is also being offered to sports coaches from national sports associations or sports organisations who were engaged by the department through the Direct Purchase Authority Management System.

The ex-gratia payment is equivalent to two-thirds of their original remuneration for the cancelled programmes scheduled to commence or to be held from July 15 to September 30.

Coaches and personnel who have previously benefited from the subsidy scheme are not required to submit applications.

The department will release the payment to the personnel directly or through the national sports associations or sports organisations.

Disbursement of the payment will start in November in batches.

Additionally, the department will provide ex-gratia payment to instructors and speakers of seminars, workshops and music training courses organised by the Hong Kong Public Libraries and the Music Office whose programmes were cancelled and could not be rescheduled due to venue closures, school suspensions or the epidemic.

Part-time ushers and part-time ticketing assistants affected by the closure of cultural venues will also be provided with the payment.