Funding for the Hong Kong Police Force is to remain largely frozen in the coming financial year, though the “plant, vehicle and equipment” budget was increased by 59 per cent in finance chief Paul Chan’s 2023 budget.
The rise came despite the fact that the Force spent only an estimated 8.5 per cent of the allotted HK$507 million budget for equipment in the 2022-23 financial year.
Last year, the police equipment budget was quadruped.
The overall budget for the Force was increased slightly by 0.6 per cent – from HK$26.66 billion allotted last year to HK$26.86 billion this year.
Meanwhile, the budget for the Correctional Services Department was increased by 1.57 per cent to HK$5.25 billion.
As for the Department of Justice, it was allotted HK$2.42 billion for the upcoming financial year – a 3.45 per cent increase. The budget for criminal prosecutions rose to HK$1.01 billion – a five per cent increase.
The 2023 Budget in full:
- Hong Kong unveils HK$761 billion budget in bid to boost post-Covid recovery
- HK$5,000 consumption vouchers for all eligible residents
- Tax cuts scaled back, transport subsidy extended, other relief measures
- Jockey Club to pay HK$12 billion football betting tax over 5 years to increase gov’t income
- Cigarette packs rise by HK$12 in bid to disincentivise smoking
- Police equipment budget rises 59%, despite spending just 8.5% of 2022 allocation
- City expects to see HK$140 billion deficit, but ‘visible rebound’ in economy expected
- Gov’t to spend HK$50m on promotional work as city outlines new local ‘happy’ campaign
- Mixed reviews as critics slam gov’t for overlooking the poor
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