OK,
I know I'm a controller and you're a pilot.If you have a lot of aircraft asking what the delay is,and you're running around scribbling red writing on strips,you don't have time to give a detailed blow by blow,up to the second reason for delay etc.Don't forget many pilot's standard of English isn't that good,and they don't understand non standard R/T.Also dead R/T time is taken up with co-ordination,and sometimes having to leave the position to figure out all this dross.
I think that many controllers faced with this would slap on 1 hour delay,but I'm sure that will improve.
Or start up all and have 25mins wait at the hold,because it's flowed from the hold.I would do the latter,as it get you off blocks,and there is less chance of a missed slot.Not the HK way I can assure you.
This is where HKATC should be a little less helpful to other countries.Instead of trying to sort all this craziness on CDC,they should be concentrating on improving the movement rate at CLK.This is what happens elsewhere.