The Civil Service Bureau today made pay offers to the staff side of the four civil service central consultative councils, under which civil service pay will be frozen for 2021-22 with retrospective effect from April 1.

The offer will cover civil servants in the upper, middle and lower salary bands and the directorate.

The bureau said the above decisions were made by the Chief Executive-in-Council after considering all relevant factors under the established annual civil service pay adjustment mechanism.

Apart from the net pay trend indicators and the pay claims of the staff side, other factors also included the state of Hong Kong's economy, the Government's fiscal position, changes in the cost of living and civil service morale.

The bureau said while the unemployment rate is still high, the economy has shown a clear trend of recovery.

Although the COVID-19 epidemic in the past year had greatly impacted various industries, labour market conditions will likely improve as the economy continues to recover, especially if the epidemic remains well contained. Local inflation may go up slightly alongside the recovering economy.

The bureau added the efforts and contributions of civil servants at all ranks in fighting the epidemic in the past year are worthy of recognition.

The Chief Executive-in-Council will decide on the 2021-22 civil service pay adjustment after considering the response from staff and in accordance with the established mechanism.