I am out of the office until 08/12/2021.

For urgent matters, please contact Miss Jackie LAM, CO(Per)4 at 3107 2571 /
&DH/CO[Per]4.

Note: This is an automated response to your message "Freedom of Information
request - Spending on Covid 19 Related Protocols" sent on 15.09.2021
04:23:57 AM.

This is the only notification you will receive while this person is away.

Dear Allyson van de Pol,

Our department has received your application for access to information on
15.9.2021.  Your application is now under processing.  According to
paragraph 1.16 of the Code on Access to Information, our department will
inform you of the latest progress of the case separately on or before
5.10.2021.  In the meantime, please contact me at 2961 8818 if you have
any enquiry.

Yours sincerely,
Miss Jenny YEUNG
EO(PB)
Finance and Supplies Office
Department of Health

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Dear Allyson van de Pol,

Thank you for your email dated 15 September 2021.  

We would like to advise you that the overall expenditures on combating
COVID-19 including the items mentioned in your email are not available as
the fight against the epidemic is still going on.   The manpower
requirements arising from the COVID-19 pandemic will be absorbed by the
existing manpower in the relevant Government bureaux / departments and
supported by time-limited non-civil service contract/ post-retirement
service contract staff as necessary.  The manpower and expenditure
concerned are subsumed under the overall estimated establishment and
expenditure of relevant Government bureaux/ departments and cannot be
separately quantified.  

Yours sincerely,
Miss Jenny YEUNG
EO(PB)
Finance and Supplies Office
Department of Health

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Dear Allyson van de Pol,

Our department has received your application for access to information on
5.10.2021.  Your application is now under processing.  According to
paragraph 1.16 of the Code on Access to Information, our department will
inform you of the latest progress of the case separately on or before
25.10.2021.  In the meantime, please contact me at 2961 8818 if you have
any enquiry.

Yours sincerely,
Miss Jenny YEUNG
EO(PB)
Finance and Supplies Office
Department of Health

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Dear Allyson van de Pol,

I refer to your email dated 15.10.2021 as attached below.

Our reply dated 12.10.2021 in response to your email of of 5.10.2021 is
resent for your information.  According to paragraph 1.16 of the Code on
Access to Information, our department will inform you of the latest
progress of the case separately on or before 25.10.2021.  In the meantime,
please contact me at 2961 8818 if you have any enquiry.

Yours sincerely,
Miss Jenny YEUNG
EO(PB)
Finance and Supplies Office
Department of Health

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Dear Allyson van de Pol,

        I refer to your request for a review of our reply dated 5.10.2021,
which we acknowledged receipt on 12.10.2021.

2.        Please be informed that your request for review is still under
processing.  According to paragraph 1.18 and 1.25 of the Code on Access to
Information, our department will inform you of the review result
separately.  In the meantime, please contact me at 2961 8818 if you have
any enquiry.

Yours sincerely,
Miss Jenny YEUNG
EO(PB)
Finance and Supplies Office
Department of Health

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Dear Allyson van de Pol,

        I refer to your email of 5 October 2021 requesting an internal
review of our earlier decision in respect of your request made on 15
September 2021 pursuant to the Code on Access to Information (“the Code”).
  We have, in accordance with the established procedures and guidelines,
conducted an internal review and critically examined and considered your
request under the Code.  I am authorised to give a reply below.

2.        After review, we conclude that the information requested for
masks would be provided.  The total expenditures incurred by the
Department of Health on the procurement of masks, including N95
respirators, from January 2020 to end of September 2021 is around $8
million.  As regards Government quarantine facilities for COVID-19, please
note that according to the information provided by the Development Bureau,
the expenditure for construction of quarantine camps, excluding the
furniture and equipment cost, since the beginning of 2020 is around $2,700
million.

3.        As regards information relating to COVID-19 vaccinations, we are
unable to provide the requested information pursuant to paragraph 2.16 of
the Code since the disclosure of such information would harm the
competitive or financial position of any person.  

4.         We are also unable to provide the requested information on
COVID-19 PCR tests (including the testing at the Hong Kong International
Airport) according to paragraph 2.9(a) of the Code.  Since the fight
against the epidemic is still going on and PCR tests continue to be
conducted, disclosure of the amount spent on PCR tests would harm or
prejudice negotiations, commercial or contractual activities in the
procurement of service in conducting PCR tests.

5.        We hope you will appreciate that we have endeavoured to provide
all the information which are readily available and can be released.  If
you are not satisfied with the decision, you may lodge a complaint to The
Ombudsman. The Ombudsman’s address is –
        30/F, China Merchants Tower,
        Shun Tak Centre
        168-200 Connaught Road Central
        Hong Kong
        Telephone: 2629 0555
        Fax: 2882 8149

6.        Please contact me at 2961 8593 if you have any enquiry.

Yours sincerely,
Ms Sonia TAM
Senior Treasury Accountant(2)
Finance and Supplies Office
Department of Health

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Dear Allyson van de Pol,

Our department has received your application for access to information on
22.11.2021.  Your application is now under processing.  According to
paragraph 1.16 of the Code on Access to Information, our department will
inform you of the latest progress of the case separately on or before
10.12.2021.  In the meantime, please contact me at 2961 8818 if you have
any enquiry.

Yours sincerely,
Miss Jenny YEUNG
EO(PB)
Finance and Supplies Office
Department of Health

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Dear Allyson van de Pol,

Thank you for your further questions on 22 November 2021. Please find our
reply as below:

(1) The spending on these anti-epidemic measures are paid by the
Government.    

(2) The disclosure of commercially sensitive information such as the
spending on vaccines would harm the commercial confidences of tenderers or
of the Government.  
Yours sincerely,
Miss Jenny YEUNG
EO(PB)
Finance and Supplies Office
Department of Health

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