SKIP NAVIGATION 香港申訴專員公署

Our Work & Reports

Cases on Mediation and
Inter-departmental Collaboration

This Office has been proactively promoting the use of mediation and fostering inter-departmental collaboration to resolve disputes and redress grievances in society. We also urge government departments and public organisations to team up for the public good and happiness as well as making joint efforts to enhance administrative arrangements for better services and bring about a stronger sense of happiness and fulfilment among members of the public.

Selected Cases

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Direct Investigation Operations

 

Section 7(1)(a)(ii) of The Ombudsman Ordinance (Cap. 397):

 

The Ombudsman may investigate any action taken by or on behalf of an organisation set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1 in the exercise of his administrative functions, in any case where notwithstanding that no complaint has been made to him, he is of the opinion that any person may have sustained injustice in consequence of maladministration in connection with that action.

 

Considerations for Initiating Direct Investigation Operations

 

Major considerations for initiating a direct investigation operation include:

 

  • whether the matter involved is of significant public interest and concern
  • whether a complaint will otherwise not be actionable, e.g. it is made anonymously or not by an aggrieved person, where the matter is nevertheless of significant concern to The Ombudsman because of the magnitude or seriousness of the maladministration that may be involved
  • whether there is room for improving public administration or addressing systemic deficiencies
  • whether the time is opportune, weighing the consequences of not doing so among other priorities
  • whether there is duplication of efforts from other authorities

 

Procedure for Launching Direct Investigation Operations

 

Before deciding whether or not to launch a direct investigation operation, we may conduct a preliminary inquiry. If the inquiry points to the need for further study, we will formally notify the head of the organisation concerned of our launch of direct investigation operation. Where the circumstances warrant, we may launch a direct investigation operation without conducting a preliminary inquiry.

Latest Reports

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Government s Regulation of Occ

March 2025

Government’s Regulation of Occupational Safety and Health in Construction Industry (Full report available soon)
Labour
Housing Department s Managemen

March 2025

Housing Department’s Management of Public Housing Estates: Illegal Parking
Housing
Government s Arrangements for

February 2025

Government’s Arrangements for Recovery, Refurbishment and Reallocation of Public Rental Housing Flats (Full report available soon)
Housing
Government s work in combating

January 2025

Government's work in combating abuse of public housing resources (Full report available soon)
Housing
Government s Provision of Publ

December 2024

Government’s Provision of Public Services Relating to the After-death Arrangements (Full report available soon)
Health Food Safety & Environmental Hygiene
Leisure and Cultural Services

November 2024

Leisure and Cultural Services Department’s Handling of Obstructions to Passageways by Bicycles Owned by Operators of Bicycle Rental Services (Full report available soon)
Home Affairs, Recreation, Sports and Culture
Enforcement by Planning Depart

October 2024

Enforcement by Planning Department and Lands Department against Unauthorised Land Developments (Full report available soon)
Planning, Land & Infrastructure
Transport Department s Arrange

September 2024

Transport Department’s Arrangements for Driving Tests (Full report available soon)
Transport
Effectiveness of 1823 in Handl

March 2024

Effectiveness of 1823 in Handling Complaints and Enquiries (Full report available soon)
Others
Regulation of Licensed Swimmin

March 2024

Regulation of Licensed Swimming Pools by Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
Food Safety & Environmental Hygiene
Food and Environmental Hygiene

December 2023

Food and Environmental Hygiene Department’s Regulation over Sale of Food in Hot/Cold Holding and Non-prepackaged Beverages by Means of Vending Machine
Food Safety & Environmental Hygiene
Repairs and Maintenance of Out

December 2023

Repairs and Maintenance of Outdoor Recreational and Sports Facilities under Leisure and Cultural Services Department
Home Affairs, Recreation, Sports and Culture
Pilot Scheme on Community Care

August 2023

Pilot Scheme on Community Care Service Voucher for the Elderly
Others
Government s Enforcement again

August 2023

Government’s Enforcement against Defective Sewage Works of New Territories Exempted Houses
Food Safety & Environmental Hygiene
Housing Department s Arrangeme

July 2023

Housing Department’s Arrangements for Housing for Senior Citizens and Converted One-person Units
Housing
Handling of Complaints Involvi

July 2023

Handling of Complaints Involving Trees on Government Land
Environmental Affairs
Education Bureau s Monitoring

April 2023

Education Bureau’s Monitoring of Boarding Sections of Schools for Children with Intellectual Disabilities
Education
Measures and Usage of On stree

April 2023

Measures and Usage of On-street Parking Spaces Designated for People with Disabilities
Transport

Full Investigation

A full investigation is conducted if a complaint is complex, especially if it involves issues of principle, systemic flaws, gross injustice or serious maladministration. After thorough investigation, we will produce a full investigation report with our findings and comments, and where applicable, our recommendations for possible remedies or improvements.

Latest Reports

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January 2025

Tender for operating light refreshment business at a park under Leisure and Cultural Services Department

Home Affairs, Recreation, Sports and Culture

January 2025

Tender for operating restaurant business at a swimming pool under Leisure and Cultural Services Department

Home Affairs, Recreation, Sports and Culture

June 2024

Food safety reports of Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

Food Safety & Environmental Hygiene

November 2023

Leisure and Cultural Services Department refusing to provide information of library materials removed from library shelves or withdrawn

Home Affairs, Recreation, Sports and Culture

October 2023

Implementation of HKeToll by Transport Department and loss of vehicle tags in post

Transport

September 2023

Housing Department’s tendering arrangement for the lease of a shop in a housing estate

Housing

September 2023

Reporting of unexpected serious adverse events following immunisation with COVID-19 vaccines by Health Bureau, Department of Health and Hospital Authority

Health

September 2023

Measures taken by Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and Home Affairs Department in handling complaints about obstruction and noise caused by a wholesale market

Food Safety & Environmental Hygiene Home Affairs, Recreation, Sports and Culture

August 2023

Failure to handle properly a complaint about damaged and faded national flags and regional flags by Home Affairs Department, Chief Secretary for Administration’s Office and 1823

Home Affairs, Recreation, Sports and Culture Others

August 2023

Buildings Department failing to properly handle a request for historical documents of a building

Planning, Land & Infrastructure

August 2023

Department of Health mistakenly issuing a Compulsory Testing Order and letters to a foreign domestic helper arriving in Hong Kong

Health

July 2023

Transport Department’s handling of an application for cross-boundary private cars quota

Transport

June 2023

Electrical and Mechanical Services Department’s repeated requests for a supplier’s submission of information on electrical products regarding safety requirements

Planning, Land & Infrastructure

May 2023

Department of Health’s handling of request for Isolation Orders/Records

Health

May 2023

Environmental Protection Department’s enforcement actions against two concrete batching plants operating without a valid licence

Environmental Affairs

April 2023

Department of Health, Education Bureau and Social Welfare Department Quarantine and class resumption arrangements for COVID-19 recovered persons when their family members were subsequently tested positive

Economic Development, Commerce & Industry Health Others

April 2023

Decision to Terminate the Mutual Aid Committee Scheme by the Former Home Affairs Bureau

Home Affairs, Recreation, Sports and Culture

April 2023

Transport Department’s handling of the application for postponing a driving test by a candidate under isolation order

Transport