The Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung urges social welfare sector employees to take into account the interests of their service users and ensure that the "collective leave" action on Wednesday will not disrupt services for the disadvantaged, especially the elderly and disabled, as well as emergency services.

Mr Cheung said since he and the Director of Social Welfare Stephen Fisher assumed office on July 1 they have been exchanging views with the sector on the challenges and problems they encounter in the implementation of the lump-sum grant subvention system.

"On the basis of maintaining the lump-sum grant subvention policy, the Director of Social Welfare has reconvened the Lump-Sum Grant Steering Committee August 29 to review the system's operation and effectiveness with non-governmental organisations, social welfare staff organisations and service users, and to explore possible measures to implement the system more efficiently and fine-tuning the system. The second meeting will be held by the end of this month," he said.

Mr Cheung said the Government is willing to explore with the sector possible measures through the steering committee.