Legco grants $177b interim funds for government operations

The Legislative Council has passed an interim funding resolution allocating HK$177.7 billion to ensure the government can continue providing essential services, including education, social welfare and healthcare from April 1 until the formal approval of the 2025-26 Budget.

Joseph Chan Ho-lim, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, said the interim funds, equivalent to 28 percent of the HK$639.7 billion proposed in the 2025 Appropriation Bill, will cover about two months of government operations.

He said at the Legislative Council meeting on Thursday that the government must pay over HK$12.6 billion in the first week of the upcoming fiscal year, including HK$8.2 billion to the Hospital Authority, HK$1.4 billion in social welfare payments,  HK$1.8 billion in grants to universities and others.

The LegCo will resume the second reading of the Appropriation Bill on April 16, with the third reading scheduled for April 30.

Ayra Wang