The Tobacco Control Office will soon launch a series of publicity campaigns - including electronic media announcements, posters and outdoor billboard advertisements - to remind people that smoking is prohibited in playgrounds, sports grounds and parks.

In 2007, the Department of Health's Tobacco Control Office issued summones against 3,300 smoking offenders, 240 of whom had been found smoking inside parks.

In a written reply to the Legislative Council today, Secretary for Food & Health Dr York Chow said that publicity and education measures as well as legislation and law-enforcement initiatives are integral to the tobacco control strategy.

He emphasised that Leisure & Cultural Services Department staff patrol round the clock in popular parks and playgrounds. The department also sends staff to small parks to make regular patrols.

The department staff advise any offenders to stop smoking inside the park. If serious violations are found, the staff will refer the case to the Tobacco Control Office for prosecution action.

There are mor than 70 Tobacco Control Inspectors and the manpower will be kept under review in light of practical needs.

Mr Chow added that as smoking usually lasts for only a few minutes, the inspectors cannot arrive to take action immediately upon receipt of complaints, no matter how large the establishment is. The enforcement strategy is to make unannounced inspections, target black spots and conduct an investigation into all complaints received.

The Governement is drafting a bill on a fixed-penalty system for smoking offences. It will submit the bill to the Legislative Council in the first half of the year and implement the fixed-penalty system in 2009.

Subject to the bill's passage, Officers of other departments will also be empowered to take law-enforcement action against smoking offences at venues under their management.