About 51,800 civil servants will be left outside the five-day week scheme after the government's planned launch of the second and third phases on January 1 and July 1 of 2007 respectively.

However, on full implementation of the three phases, a total of 94,800 or 65 per cent of the civil servants will be able to enjoy the five-day week scheme, said Secretary for the Civil Service Denise Yue. She was speaking at the Legislative Council yesterday.

She, however, said that those 51,800 civil servants could not benefit from the new scheme due to their special work nature.

The phase one scheme, which was launched on July 1 this year, was on the whole smooth, she said.

Legislator Li Fung-ying said the staff morale of those who still could not enjoy the five-day week upon implementation of the last phase might be affected.

In reply, Yue said the disciplined services and manual workers under the Model I pay scale could not enjoy the five-day week.

It is because they are required to work on shift duty on Saturdays and Sundays in accordance with their terms and conditions of employment.

"We have studied ways to allow staff to work on five days only during the week but they do not necessarily enjoy consecutive rest days on Saturdays and Sundays.

"But under the premises of nil increase of manpower and resources, 51,000 staff can't enjoy the five-day week," she said.

The Democratic Party's Cheung Man-kwong, though not opposing the five-day week, said services to the public should be provided on a six-day basis.

Quoting dental services for children and students who require language therapy services as examples, he said most parents were only free on Saturdays to bring their children to get such services.

"I do not oppose the five-day week but concerned staff shall work on shift to maintain the services," he urged.

Emphasizing the government's improved financial position, Lee Cheuk-yan, from the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, said the SAR should increase manpower.

With more manpower, civil servants can work five days a week and services to the public can be provided on Saturdays as well, he said.

Chan Yuen-han, from the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, also supported the idea of manpower increase. Yue, however, said that the government has no plans at this stage to curtail the working hours or increase the number of staff.

The public is expected to undergo a behaviourial change to adapt to the changes, she said.

(HK Edition 11/21/2006 page2)