【立法會問與答】公務員所享有的自行租屋津貼 (Private tenancy allowance for civil servants)

立法會十五題：公務員所享有的自行租屋津貼
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　　以下為今日（一月二十八日）在立法會會議上葉劉淑儀議員的提問及公務員事務局局長鄧國威的書面答覆：

問題：

　　根據《公務員事務規例》，領取自行租屋津貼（津貼）的公務員如果在現行租約屆滿前轉換租約（轉換租約），在現行租約原先餘下的租約期內，仍須按現行租約開始日期適用的津貼表領取津貼（鎖定條件）。然而，如果公務員是因業主引用現行租約載列的條款終止租約而須提出轉換租約的申請及轉換獲資助的住所，則庫務署署長（署長）可豁免他遵守鎖定條件。本人接獲公務員的投訴，表示遭業主終止租約而署長在沒有考慮他們的意願下，豁免他們遵守鎖定條件，以致他們在新租約下須按最新公布的津貼表領取津貼。然而，由於新津貼額比舊津貼額為低，他們因此蒙受損失。就此，政府可否告知本會：

（一）用以釐定津貼額的各項因素及計算公式為何；

（二）署長對可豁免遵守鎖定條件的個案是否一律作出豁免；如否，決定是否作出豁免的具體程序為何；及

（三）豁免公務員遵守鎖定條件的政策目標為何；對於津貼申領人非自願終止現行租約的個案，署長會否考慮他們是否希望獲得豁免及特殊情況（例如會令他們蒙受損失），酌情不作出豁免？

答覆︰

主席︰

　　謹就議員所提問題，回覆如下：

（一）自行租屋津貼是政府為在一九九○年十月一日前按海外條款受聘的公務員；及該日前按本地條款受聘，而薪點屬總薪級表第34點或以上的公務員所提供的一項實報實銷的租金津貼。該項津貼的津貼額是按相關僱員實職薪點及其家庭狀況（包括婚姻狀況和家庭成員數目）而釐定，並每年跟隨差餉物業估價署就對應物業類別編製的全港全年租金趨勢調整，以切合市場租金的變動。

（二）目前自行租屋津貼計劃下的「鎖定條件」，是根據立法會財務委員會於二○○六年五月十九日所作決定實施。有關安排和實施機制，詳載《公務員事務規例》第852（4）條。

　　該規例規定，領取自行租屋津貼的公務員如果在現行租約屆滿前轉換租約的話，他在現行租約原先餘下的租約期內，只可按現行租約開始日期適用的津貼表支取自行租屋津貼，並不得超過在現行租約沒有提早終止的情況下按現行租約租用住所的費用。

　　然而，規例特別容許申領自行租屋津貼的公務員如因業主在租約屆滿前終止租約而須轉換自行租屋津貼資助的住所時，可獲豁免「鎖定條件」的規限。在這情況下，該公務員必須提供有關證明文件，使庫務署署長信納。

　　整體而言，根據《公務員事務規例》第852（4）條，任何申領自行租屋津貼的公務員如須要在現行租約完結前提前終止租約，他須向庫務署預先作出轉換租約申請。該申請如獲得批准，該規例訂明的「鎖定條件」便會自動適用。該「鎖定條件」只會在該公務員提供充分證明文件，顯示提早終止租約是因業主引用現行租約的終止條款所致及該公務員須轉換獲資助的住所，經庫務署署長審定信納，才會獲得庫務署署長按規例所賦予的權力給予豁免。

（三）豁免「鎖定條件」的安排，旨在容許僱員因業主提早終止租約時，可以根據當時適用的津貼額去應付當時市場新租約的租金。庫務署署長在考慮是否批准豁免的時候，完全基於所涉公務員所提交的事實和證據是否符合《公務員事務規例》第852（4）條所定規則來作決定，對所有個案均一視同仁，並不受申請人的個人意願影響。

完

２０１５年１月２８日（星期三）
香港時間１５時４３分

LCQ15: Private tenancy allowance for civil servants
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     Following is a question by the Hon Mrs Regina Ip and a written reply by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Paul Tang, in the Legislative Council today (January 28):

Question:

     Under the Civil Service Regulations, if an officer who is receiving a Private Tenancy Allowance (PTA) changes to a new private tenancy before an existing tenancy expires (a change of tenancy), the officer shall continue to receive, for the original remaining period of the existing tenancy, PTA on the scale of rates prevailing on the commencement date of the existing tenancy (locking condition). However, in case an officer is required to make an application for a change of tenancy and a change of accommodation under assistance because of his landlord's instigation of a break clause provided in the existing tenancy, the Director of Accounting Services (DAS) may exempt the officer from the locking condition. I have received complaints from some civil servants that their tenancies were terminated by their landlords, and DAS has exempted them from the locking condition regardless of their wishes, thereby subjecting them to PTA on the most recently announced scale of rates under the new tenancies. However, this has caused them to suffer losses as the new rates are lower than the old ones. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the various factors for determining the PTA rates and the formula for arriving at the rates;

(2) whether DAS exempts, without exceptions, all cases which may be exempted from the locking condition; if DAS does not, of the specific procedures for deciding whether exemption will be granted; and

(3) of the policy objectives of exempting civil servants from the locking condition; for cases in which the existing tenancies are terminated involuntarily by PTA claimants, whether DAS will consider if they wish to be exempted and special circumstances (e.g. the granting of exemption will cause them to suffer losses), and exercise discretion not to grant the exemption?

Reply:

President,

     The reply to the question is as follows:

(1) Private Tenancy Allowance (PTA) is an accountable rental allowance provided by the Government to officers appointed on overseas terms before October 1, 1990 and to officers appointed on local terms before October 1, 1990 receiving a salary on or above point 34 of the Master Pay Scale. The rates of the PTA are determined by the substantive salary point and family status (including marital status and number of family members) of the officers concerned. These rates are adjusted annually in line with the territory-wide full-year rental trend of the corresponding classes of domestic properties compiled by the Rating and Valuation Department, so as to cater for changes in market rentals.

(2) The current "locking condition" under the PTA scheme was implemented following the approval of the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council on May 19, 2006. Details of the arrangement and implementation mechanism are set out in the Civil Service Regulation (CSR) 852(4).

     The relevant CSR stipulates that if a PTA recipient changes to a new tenancy before an existing tenancy expires, he shall, for the original remaining period of the existing tenancy, receive PTA on the scale of rates prevailing on the commencement date of the existing tenancy. Furthermore, the PTA payable during the period shall not exceed the cost of renting accommodation of the existing tenancy, as if the existing tenancy is not prematurely terminated.

     Nevertheless, the CSR particularly provides that in case a PTA recipient is required to change the accommodation under assistance due to a premature termination of the existing tenancy by the landlord, the officer will be exempted from the "locking condition", subject to the officer's provision of relevant documentary proof to the satisfaction of the Director of Accounting Services (DAS).

     Hence, in accordance with CSR 852(4), any PTA recipient who wishes to terminate an existing tenancy before its expiry is required to apply to the Treasury for a change of tenancy beforehand. If the application is approved, the "locking condition" stipulated in the CSR will automatically apply. DAS will only exercise the power of exemption vested in him under the CSR when he is satisfied that the officer has provided adequate documentary proof to show that the premature termination of a tenancy is due to the landlord's instigation of a break clause and that a change of accommodation under assistance is required.

(3) The exemption from the "locking condition" aims to enable an officer whose tenancy is prematurely terminated by the landlord to cope with the market rent of a new tenancy at that time by using the prevailing PTA rate. In considering whether an exemption should be granted, DAS' decision is based entirely on the facts of the case and whether the documentary proof submitted by the officer concerned are adequate to meet the conditions stipulated in CSR 852(4). All cases are treated with impartiality and are not influenced by the personal wishes of the applicants.

Ends/Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:40

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