For information
on 13 May 1999

Legislative Council Panel on Security
Progress of Year 2000 Compliance Work in Departments and Related Organisations under the purview of the Security Bureau

Purpose

This paper reports on the progress of Year 2000 (Y2K) compliance work in Government departments and related organisations under the purview of the Security Bureau. These include the Security Bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Fire Services Department, the Immigration Department, the Correctional Services Department, the Government Flying Service, the Civil Aid Service and the Auxiliary Medical Service. Related organisations cover the Independent Police Complaints Council, security and guarding service agents and fire service contractors.

Background

2. The Security Bureau and seven departments under its policy purview have generally completed identification of those systems which may be affected by the Y2K problem. Compliance work on the identified systems has been carried out under the central coordination by the Information Technology & Broadcasting Bureau (ITBB). Furthermore, the Information Technology Services Department, the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department and the Office of Telecommunications Authority have been providing expert advice and direct supervision for rectification work conducted by outside contractors.

3. This paper updates the Y2K compliance status of the mission-critical systems Note covered in the ITBB's report to the Legislative Council in March 1999. A breakdown of the compliance position of the systems in the Security Bureau and its departments as at end April 1999 is at Annex. Further details are set out in ensuing paragraphs.

Security Bureau

4. Rectification work has been completed and all systems in the Security Bureau are rendered Y2K compliant.

Hong Kong Police Force

5. The Police completed a study in 1997 to assess the implications of Y2K on their computer systems. The Finance Committee approved in March 1998 some $33 million for the Y2K rectification work.

6. Y2K compliance work on all but seven computer systems has been completed. Among the seven outstanding systems, rectification of six is 85% - 90% complete and the remaining one is 50% to completion.

7. Rectification work on six non-compliant embedded systems and one line communication system is on-going.

8. Y2K compliance work in the Police is progressing to schedule. They are confident that all outstanding work will be completed by June 1999.

9. The Police are also preparing a comprehensive contingency plan to ensure that law and order will be maintained at all times even if there were major disruptions in areas outside the Department's control. The contingency plan will be ready before August 1999 and drills will be arranged as appropriate.

Fire Services Department

10. Except for one system, the Fire Services Department has completed all of its Y2K compliance work. The outstanding system should achieve full compliance by June 1999.

11. The Department is also preparing a contingency plan to cope with possible upsurge of emergency calls during the rollover to Y2K critical dates. The plan will be ready and tested in July and August 1999.

Immigration Department

12. Rectification work is continuing on eight computer systems, one embedded system and five line communication systems with a view to achieving Y2K compliance by June 1999.

13. Notwithstanding the above, the Immigration Department is prepared for comprehensive contingency measures in the event of unforeseen Y2K-induced failures in its systems during the rollover to Y2K critical dates. These measures have been tested and proved to be effective.

Correctional Services Department

14. Rectification work on one identified non-compliant computer system and 13 embedded systems is expected to complete by June 1999. Compliance work for the line communication systems has been completed.

15. The Correctional Services Department is preparing a departmental contingency plan to ensure continued effective services even if there were disruptions at sources outside the Department's control. The plan should be ready before August 1999.

Government Flying Service

16. Y2K compliance work in the Government Flying Service has been completed generally except for one computer system and two embedded systems. Rectification work on the outstanding computer system will be completed by June 1999. As for the two embedded systems, their Y2K compliance status is being confirmed with the principal supplier, although individual manufacturers have verified that their respective parts should be Y2K compliant. In the interim, the Government Flying Service has formulated a contingency plan in the event the embedded systems were found to be non-compliant.

17. A departmental contingency plan to ensure operational continuity of flying service is being developed and will be completed by September 1999.

Civil Aid Service

18. Y2K compliance work in the Civil Aid Service has been completed. A contingency plan is being prepared to ensure the provision of support service for Government operations during the rollover to Y2K critical dates as required. The plan will be finalised by July 1999.

Auxiliary Medical Service

19. The Auxiliary Medical Service has completed all its Y2K compliance work. It is also preparing a contingency plan to ensure continuity of its service during the rollover to Y2K critical dates. The plan will be ready and tested by July 1999.

Independent Police Complaints Council

20. The only mission critical system in the Independent Police Complaints Council has been confirmed as Y2K compliant.

Progress in Other Related Organisations

Fire Prevention and Detection Services Industry

21. The Fire Services Department has written to over 6,800 owners incorporations, building management companies, authorised agents of Automatic Fire Alarm System and Class 1 Fire Services Installation Contractors, and asked them to conduct Y2K compliance tests on their automatic fire detection and alarm systems.

22. The Department will closely monitor responses from these organisations.

Security and Guarding Services Industry

23. The Police Crime Prevention Bureau has written to 18 licensed Alarm Receiving Centres covering 24,000 alarms to request them to confirm the Y2K compliance status of their systems. So far 70% of the licensed centres covering 80% of the alarms have responded. They all confirmed that their systems were either compliant or rectified for Y2K.

24. Access control system is the other system which may be affected by the Y2K problem. Although access control system is not regulated or registered, the Crime Prevention Bureau has written to the major security and building management companies to remind them of the need to confirm the Y2K compliance status of their systems and carry out rectification work as required. Except for the more advanced access control systems which form part of a central computerised building management system, most control systems in residential buildings should not have Y2K problem as they are not controlled by time factor.

25. The Security and Guarding Services Industry Authority has also sent out an advisory note to over 600 licensed service providers and security installation contractors to remind them of the need to render their computer systems Y2K compliant and to offer assistance as may be required.

Security Bureau
May 1999

Annex

Y2K compliance positionof mission-critical systems in Security Bureau and departments under its purview
(Position as at end April 1999)

Government bureau/ department	No. of compliant systems	No. of non- compliant systems/ rectification in progress	Compliance status being verified	Total
Security Bureau	18	0	0	18
Hong Kong Police Force	359	14	0	373
Fire Services Department	173	1	0	174
Immigration Department	109	14	0	123
Correctional Services Department	126	14	0	140
Government Flying Service	12	1	2	15
Civil Aid Service	4	0	0	4
Auxiliary Medical Service	3	0	0	3
Independent Police Complaints Council	1	0	0	1