A 00/01-6(1)

Legislative Council

Agenda
Wednesday 1 November 2000 at 2:30 pm

I. Tabling of Papers

Subsidiary Legislation / Instruments	L.N. No.
Amusement Rides (Safety) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2000	287/2000

Other Papers

1. No.21	-	Occupational Deafness Compensation Board Annual Report 1999-2000
(to be presented by Secretary for Education and Manpower)
2. No.22	-	Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund Board Annual Report 1999
(to be presented by Secretary for Education and Manpower)
3. No.23	-	Environment and Conservation Fund Trustee Report 1999-2000
(to be presented by Secretary for the Environment and Food)
4. No.24	-	Report by the Trustee of the Prisoners' Education Trust Fund for the period from 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000
(to be presented by Secretary for Security)

II. Questions for Written Replies

1. Hon Mrs Sophie LEUNG to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the Administration's encouragement of all government departments to adopt the "green purchasing" policy as far as practicable, will the Government inform this Council of the progress and achievements of various government departments in implementing the policy over the past three years?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for the Treasury

2. Hon Emily LAU to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the implementation of the Mandatory Provident Fund ("MPF") System, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council whether they know:

(a)	the number of complaints the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority ("MPFA") has received so far regarding the joining of MPF schemes, together with a breakdown of such complaints by subject matter;
(b)	the follow-up actions the MPFA has taken in respect of such complaints; and
(c)	the plans the MPFA has to dispel the public's doubts about the MPF System, including the level of management fees charged by various schemes and the retirement protection the schemes can provide?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Financial Services

3. Hon Eric LI to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	of the human, financial and other resources deployed over the past year for assisting various local professional bodies in exploring development opportunities outside Hong Kong; and
(b)	whether, in the light of the imminent accession of China to the World Trade Organization, it plans to designate a bureau to provide support to various professional sectors in exploring business opportunities in the Mainland; if so, of the manner of the support and the budgeted resources in the coming year; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Commerce and Industry

4. Hon YEUNG Yiu-chung to ask: (Translation)

The Chief Executive indicated in his 2000 Policy Address that $200 million would be allocated from the Quality Education Fund for public sector secondary schools to purchase notebook computers for needy students to borrow. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	of the criteria used in determining the allocation amount;
(b)	how the fund will be allocated among various public sector secondary schools;
(c)	of the estimated number of students benefiting from the plan;
(d)	whether it has set the specifications for the notebook computers; if so, of the details; and
(e)	of the party who will bear the maintenance responsibility and costs for these computers?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Education and Manpower

5. Hon Howard YOUNG to ask:

Regarding the abuse of redress channels relating to discriminatory acts, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	if it knows the number of complaints received by the Equal Opportunities Commission ("EOC") over the past 24 months and, among them, the number of those found to be frivolous, vexatious, misconceived or lacking in substance; and
(b)	of the respective mechanisms the Government and the EOC have put in place to guard against abuse of the redress channels?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

6. Hon Albert CHAN to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council of:

(a)	the current respective numbers of households in public rental housing ("PRH") estates which have a living area below 4.5 square metres per person and between 4.5 square metres and 5.49 square metres per person, with a breakdown by management regions;
(b)	the measures it has adopted to solve the problem of overcrowding in PRH estates; and
(c)	the anticipated time when sufficient PRH flats will be available for relieving overcrowded households in PRH estates?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Housing

7. Hon LAU Kong-wah to ask: (Translation)

At present, only full-time students aged 25 or below are eligible for student concessionary fares offered by the MTR Corporation Limited ("MTRCL"). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:

(a)	the rationale behind the MTRCL's imposition of the above age threshold;
(b)	the current number of full-time students aged above 25 and their percentage in the total number of full-time students; whether the MTRCL has estimated the fare revenue foregone each year if concessionary fares are offered to these students as well; and
(c)	if the MTRCL will abolish the age threshold; if so, the effective date; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

8. Hon Albert CHAN to ask: (Translation)

I have received complaints from residents of Tin Shui Wai alleging that a nullah in the district often emits stenches caused by the discharge of untreated pig excretion into it from nearby pig farms. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	of the number of complaints about stenches from nullahs in the Tin Shui Wai district received in the last six months; whether it has investigated the source of the stenches and the follow-up actions it has taken;
(b)	of the respective numbers of pig farms and pigs involved in the discharge of untreated pig excretion; and
(c)	of the anticipated time when the problem will be solved?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

9. Hon Emily LAU to ask: (Translation)

Will the Executive Authorities inform this Council if they know whether the University of Hong Kong ("HKU") has granted termination compensation to the former Vice Chancellor of HKU who resigned in September this year; if it has,

(a)	of the reasons for granting termination compensation and the details of such compensation; and
(b)	whether it has been provided in the relevant employment contract that the Vice Chancellor can obtain compensation upon resignation; if so, of such compensation provisions and how the amount of compensation stipulated in the provisions compares to that actually paid?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

10. Hon Bernard CHAN to ask:

On 19 September, the Consumer Council named two local removal companies for trade malpractices. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	whether it knows the other forms of assistance that the Consumer Council and other relevant authorities can offer to the victims concerned; and
(b)	given that many patrons of transboundary removal services are expatriates, whether it has assessed if Hong Kong's international reputation has been tarnished by such malpractices; if the reputation has been tarnished, of the remedial actions it will take?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Economic Services

11. Hon Fred LI to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the problem of road traffic noises, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	of the progress made to date in exploring practicable measures to tackle the problem;
(b)	of the roads and road sections on which it has decided to construct noise barriers; and the estimated costs as well as the commencement and completion dates of these projects; and
(c)	in respect of those roads and road sections not suitable for constructing noise barriers, whether it has drawn up a time-table for consulting this Council on the specific measures to reduce the traffic noises; if so, of the details of the time-table and the specific measures?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for the Environment and Food

12. Hon Cyd HO to ask: (Translation)

The Chief Executive has stated in his 2000 Policy Address that the Government will "create new job opportunities in areas where more social investment is required" and that about 7 000 new jobs are expected to be available in such areas. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:

(a)	the numbers of posts for which recruitment exercises are to be conducted by the Government itself and through service contractors respectively;
(b)	a breakdown, by department, rank and entry salary, of the posts for which recruitment exercises are to be conducted by the Government itself; and
(c)	the average monthly salaries of the posts for which recruitment exercises are to be conducted through service contractors; whether it will stipulate in the relevant service contracts the remuneration and conditions of service for such posts, including their minimum salaries and maximum working hours; if not, the justifications for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

III. Bills

First Reading

1. Drug Trafficking and Organized Crimes (Amendment) Bill 2000

2. Drug Dependent Persons Treatment and Rehabilitation Centres (Licensing) Bill

3. Dangerous Goods (Amendment) Bill 2000

Second Reading (Debates to be adjourned)

1.	Drug Trafficking and Organized Crimes (Amendment) Bill 2000	:	Secretary for Security
2.	Drug Dependent Persons Treatment and Rehabilitation Centres (Licensing) Bill	:	Secretary for Security
3.	Dangerous Goods (Amendment) Bill 2000	:	Secretary for Security

IV. Motions

Proposed resolution under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance

Secretary for Health and Welfare to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the following Regulations, made by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board on 4 October 2000, be approved -

(a)	the Pharmacy and Poisons (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulation 2000; and
(b)	the Poisons List (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulation 2000.

(The two Regulations have been issued on 9 October 2000 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 40/00-01)

V. Members' Motions

Resumption of debate on the "Motion of Thanks"

Hon Mrs Selina CHOW: (Translation)

That this Council thanks the Chief Executive for his address.

Amendment to Hon Mrs Selina CHOW's motion

Hon LEE Cheuk-yan: (Translation)

To add ", and urges the Administration to: (a) take more positive measures to narrow the wealth gap and to help the poor to get rid of poverty; and (b) immediately review the political system with a view to achieving full democracy" after "That this Council thanks the Chief Executive for his address".

Public Officers to attend:
	Financial Secretary Secretary for Commerce and Industry Secretary for Education and Manpower Secretary for Economic Services Secretary for the Environment and Food Secretary for Housing Chief Secretary for Administration

Clerk to the Legislative Council