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We provide the following major services and facilities:

Food and Public Health Services

Environmental Hygiene Services

 

The performance standards, targets and achievements in respect of our services are shown as follows :

Food and Public Health Services

Food Safety Control

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To issue approval for import of game, meat and poultry within 5 working days of application. 98% 100%
To issue approval for import of milk and milk products within 12 working days of application. 98% 100%
To issue approval for import of frozen confections within 12 working days of application. 98% 100%
To initiate investigation within 24 hours of reports of food unfit for human consumption. 100% 100%
To initiate investigation within 3 working days of complaints about food labelling. 100% 100%

Certification of Food for Export and Re-export

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To issue export or re-export food health certificates within 12 working days of application. 98% 100%
To issue veterinary health certificates for exported food containing animal products within 2 working days of application. 100% 100%

Control and Testing of Live Food Animals

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To inspect vehicles carrying poultry at Man Kam To. 100% of vehicles 100% of vehicles
To test pigs for beta-agonists. 98% of lots 100% of lots

Pest Control

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To initiate pest control measures within 24 hours upon receiving reports of vector-borne diseases. 100% 100%
To deal with complaints on wasps/bees infestation within 6 working days. 100% 100%

 

Environmental Hygiene Services

Licensing Services

Licensing Services

We aim to provide an efficient and courteous service to all applicants for licences. However, it should be noted that reaching the performance targets set out below requires the joint efforts of various government departments and licence applicants. For example, the Buildings Department and Fire Services Department have important roles to play in the processing of licence applications on the aspects of building and fire safety respectively.

Licensing Services - Restaurant (Full Licence)

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To arrange Application Vetting Panel (AVP) meeting with the applicant within 20 working days of acceptance of the licence application for further processing. 99% 100%
To issue Letter of Requirements at the AVP meeting upon confirming the premises are suitable for licensing. 98% 100%
To conduct final verification inspection within 8 working days of receipt of notification of compliance with the licensing requirements from the applicant. 95% 100%
To issue Full Licence within 7 working days upon confirmation of compliance with all licensing requirements. 99% 100%
To return layout plans that fail preliminary screening to the applicant within 10 working days after receipt of proposed layout plans. 95% 100%

Licensing Services - Restaurant (Provisional Licence)

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To arrange Application Vetting Panel (AVP) meeting with the applicant within 20 working days of acceptance of the licence application for further processing. 99% 100%
To issue Letter of Requirements at the AVP meeting upon confirming the premises are suitable for licensing. 98% 100%
To issue Provisional Licence within 7 working days of receipt of acceptable Certificates of Compliance with licensing requirements from the applicant. 98% 100%
To issue Provisional Licence within one working day upon receipt of acceptable Certificates of Compliance with licensing requirements from the applicant if the documents are submitted to the Licence Issuing Office. 99% 100%

Licensing Services - Liquor Licence

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To issue Liquor Licence / Club Liquor Licence within 5 working days upon approval granted by the Liquor Licensing Board and production of a valid restaurant licence/certificate of compliance for clubs. 99% 100%

Licensing Services - Non-restaurant Food Business Licence

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To conduct inspection to the premises within 7 working days of acceptance of the licence application for further processing. 95% 100%
To issue Letter of Requirements within 7 working days of receipt of confirmation from the departments concerned that the premises are suitable for licensing. 95% 100%
To conduct final verification inspection within 8 working days of receipt of notification of compliance with the licensing requirements from the applicant. 95% 100%
To issue Full Licence within 7 working days upon confirmation of compliance with all licensing requirements. 99% 100%
To issue Provisional Licence within 7 working days upon receipt of acceptable Certificates of Compliance with licensing requirements from the applicant. 98% See Note 1
To issue Provisional Licence within one working day upon receipt of acceptable Certificates of Compliance with licensing requirements from the applicant if the documents are submitted to Licence Issuing Office. 99% 100%

Licensing Services - Trade Licences

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To conduct inspection to the premises within 7 working days of acceptance of the licence application for further processing. 95% 100%
To issue Letter of Requirements within 7 working days of receipt of confirmation from the departments concerned that the premises are suitable for licensing. 99% 100%
To conduct final verification inspection within 8 working days of receipt of notification of compliance with the licensing requirements from the applicant. 95% 100%
To issue Licence within 7 working days upon confirmation of compliance with all licensing requirements. 99% 100%

Licensing Services - Outside Seating Accommodation (OSA)

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To issue Letter of Requirements within 6 working days upon confirmation by concerned departments that the premises are suitable for licensing as OSA. 95% 100%
To conduct final verification inspection within 8 working days of receipt of notification of compliance with licensing requirements from the applicant. 95% 100%
To issue OSA approval within 7 working days after confirmation of compliance with all licensing requirements. 99% 100%

Licensing Services - Transfer of Food Licences

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To issue the letter of approval in principle within 9 working days from the date of application if no sufficient demerit points/warning letters are registered/to be registered against the licence under application for transfer as to warrant cancellation. 95% 100%
To issue the letter of refusal within 9 working days from the date of application if there are sufficient demerit points/warning letters registered against the licence as to warrant cancellation of the licence. 95% See Note 2
To issue the letter of response within 9 working days from the date of application for those applications which require to be held in abeyance pending further clarification. 95% 100%

Hygiene Services

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To inspect licensed food premises in accordance with the risk types of the premises. 95% 98%
To conduct immediate investigation on complaints with imminent threat to public health, for example, food poisoning cases or infectious diseases outbreaks. 95% 100%
To conduct investigation within 6 working days of complaints about environmental nuisance and pest infestation. 95% 99%
To contact the complainant within 6 working days upon receipt of a complaint about water seepage to arrange for investigation at the premises concerned. 95% 99%
To issue a nuisance notice within 7 working days upon verification of the investigation results on the source of the seepage nuisance. 95% 100%

Slaughterhouse Services

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To inspect the carcass and offal of every food animal immediately after being slaughtered in licensed slaughterhouses to ensure their fitness for human consumption. 99% 99%

Market Services

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To cleanse thoroughly the common parts of public markets 3 times a day. 100% 100%
To inspect cooked food stalls in public markets at least once every 4 weeks. 95% 99%
To form Market Management Consultative Committee in districts. 100% 100%
To inspect market stalls selling restricted food in public markets at least once every 8 weeks, or if warranted, as frequently as once every two weeks. 95% 100%
Market Services

Hawker Management Services

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To inspect licensed cooked food hawker stalls once fortnightly. 97% 100%
To inspect licensed fixed pitches in hawker permitted places daily and other fixed pitches once monthly. 97% 100%
To respond to complaints of illegal hawking in built-up areas within 30 minutes. 98% 98%
Hawker Management Services

Cleansing Services

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To sweep streets and empty litter bins at least 4 times daily in built-up areas and up to a frequency of 8 times daily in very busy locations or blackspots. 95% 100%
To wash streets on a need basis, at least once a week in busy areas, and at least 2 times weekly in problematic areas/blackspots. 97% 100%
To provide at least daily Refuse Collection Service (except on Lunar New Year's Day) 97% 100%
Cleansing Services

Toilet Services

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
To effect minor repairs normally within 24 hours of reporting. 95% 100%
To thoroughly cleanse public toilets at least twice daily. 95% 100%
To upkeep cleanliness of public toilets by providing toilet attendants to public toilets with high usage rate. 100% 100%

Dead Disposal Services

Performance Standard Target Actual
(2016)
Applicant may book a cremation session within the next 15 days from day of application. 99% 100%
To complete booking procedure for a cremation session within 15 minutes through the computerised system. 100% 100%
Ashes to be ready for collection within 4 days from the date of cremation. 98% 100%
Letters of approval for the allocation of niches to be issued within 3 working days of application. 98% 100%
The allocation of an individual niche to be made within 45 minutes, upon production of the letter of approval. 98% 100%
To allocate an individual coffin burial space to an eligible applicant on the day of receipt of application. 99% 100%
To allocate an individual urn burial space to an eligible applicant on the day of receipt of application 99% 100%

Note1: No application by post for issue of Provisional Licence was received during the period.
Note2: No letter of refusal was issued during the period.

Further Improvement

Our existing performance pledges are only the minimum level of performance targets that we aim at achieving. We will assess regularly our performance against these targets and, where appropriate, upgrade these targets to meet the rising expectations from our customers. We will do our best to provide efficient and courteous services.

Enquiry, Suggestion, Request and Complaint

We will do our best to fulfil our pledges. However, there might be occasions when, despite our best efforts, we are unable to meet the targets pledged. In such cases, you are entitled to a full and prompt explanation. We also welcome any enquiries, suggestions, requests or complaints in respect of our services. You may contact us through the following channels -

Telephone: 2868 0000 or 1823
Both are 24-hour hotlines handled by 1823
E-mail: enquiries@fehd.gov.hk
This email account is handled by 1823
Electronic form: The electronic form is handled by 1823 and is available at FEHD's website:
http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/comments/contact_us.html
Fax: 2869 0169
Address: Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Headquarters
44/F, Queensway Government Offices
66 Queensway, Hong Kong.