A 00/01-27(1)

Legislative Council

Agenda

Wednesday 9 May 2001 at 2:30 pm

I. Tabling of Papers

Subsidiary Legislation / Instruments		L.N. No.
1.	Specification of Public Office	93/2001
2.	Protection of Children and Juveniles (Places of Refuge) (Amendment) Order 2001	94/2001
3.	Places of Detention (Juvenile Offenders) Appointment (Consolidation) (Amendment) Order 2001	95/2001
4.	Remand Home (Amendment) Rules 2001	96/2001

II. Questions

1. Hon CHAN Yuen-han to ask: (Translation)

At present, for couples living in public rental housing ("PRH") or subsidized home ownership flats who are undergoing divorce proceedings, the party living with his or her children can apply to the Social Welfare Department for a Conditional Tenancy ("CT") so that the Housing Department may allocate another PRH flat to him or her as temporary accommodation. Upon conclusion of the divorce proceedings, the party having custody of the children is normally granted the tenancy of the original PRH flat, whereas the displaced party will not be allocated another PRH flat, unless he or she also has custody of some of the children. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	of the respective numbers of applications for CTs and approved cases in each of the past three financial years, and the average time required for vetting and approving each case; the respective numbers of cases in which the party who moved out from the original flats after conclusion of divorce proceedings and had custody of children applied for and were allocated separate PRH flats in each of the past three financial years, and the average time required for vetting and approving each case;
(b)	of the reasons for requiring that the party displaced from the original PRH flat after divorce has to have custody of some of the children if another PRH flat is to be allocated; and
(c)	whether it will review the policy concerned and consider, for example, allocating separate PRH flats to displaced singletons or battered women, and expediting the allocation procedure?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Housing

2. Hon Ambrose LAU to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council of the measures in place to assist local professionals who intend to set up their offices in the Mainland or engage in joint ventures with their Mainland counterparts in obtaining accreditation of their professional qualifications and business licences etc. from the relevant Mainland authorities?

Public Officer to reply	:	Secretary for Commerce and Industry Secretary for Works

3. Hon WONG Yung-kan to ask: (Translation)

On the 6th of March, a cylinder containing a chemical, picric acid, was found abandoned for years in the Marine Science Laboratory of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The scene was cordoned off for instant detonation of the chemical which was highly explosive. With regard to the handling of dangerous chemicals by tertiary institutions, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	of the respective numbers of accidents involving dangerous chemicals in tertiary institutions and the resultant casualties in the past three years;
(b)	whether it knows the amounts of various types of dangerous chemicals currently kept in different tertiary institutions and, among these chemicals, the amounts of those which are explosive; and
(c)	of the measures in place to monitor the handling of dangerous chemicals by tertiary institutions?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

4. Hon IP Kwok-him to ask: (Translation)

As customers who buy stored-value mobile phone cards are not required to provide their personal particulars, lawless elements take advantage of such cards to make calls without being tracked down by law enforcement agencies. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

(a)	it has conducted a risk assessment to ascertain if stored-value mobile phone cards will encourage illegal activities and the impacts of such cards on the overall law and order; if so, whether it will release the findings; if not, of the reasons for that; and
(b)	it plans to require shops to register the personal particulars of persons who buy stored-value mobile phone cards; if not, of the reasons for that?

Public Officers to reply	:	Secretary for Security Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting

5. Ir Dr Hon HO Chung-tai to ask: (Translation)

The Government has pledged to invest $235 billion in infrastructural projects within the five years from 1997 to 2001. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	of the description, the latest estimated expenditure, the committed expenditure and the current progress of each infrastructural project under the above programme;
(b)	whether it has considered using the savings in estimated project expenditure arising from the reduction in the costs of infrastructural projects in the past few years for investing in new infrastructural projects; and
(c)	as the MTR Corporation Limited can now raise funds by issuing shares, thereby reducing the Government's financial commitment in railway projects, whether it has considered using the resultant savings in estimated project expenditure for investing in new infrastructural projects?

Public Officer to reply	:	Secretary for Works Secretary for the Treasury

6. Hon LAU Ping-cheung to ask: (Translation)

The population of Hong Kong is estimated to rise from 6.87 million at the end of last year to 8.3 million by the year 2011, representing an increase of 1.43 million. To cope with the housing demand arising from the population growth, planning and development studies on the North East and North West New Territories as well as other areas were initiated a few years ago. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	apart from Hung Shui Kiu, Kwu Tung North and Fanling North, which were selected in 1999 for priority development to accommodate a population of 340 000, of the estimated population capacity of each of the other proposed new development areas in 2011;
(b)	of the progress of and the timetable for the planning work and the provision of major ancillary facilities for each proposed new development area; and
(c)	whether it has assessed if the current planning progress can tie in with the territory's population growth; if the assessment result is in the affirmative, of the basis of the assessment?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning and Lands

*7. Hon Mrs Selina CHOW to ask: (Translation)

As there are always a lot of people queuing at the Lo Wu Terminal and the adjacent Lo Wu Bridge for immigration clearance, which makes the two places extremely crowded, hot and stuffy, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	whether it has examined the possibility of using, apart from the existing Arrival and Departure Halls of the Terminal, other areas in the Terminal for queuing and immigration clearance during peak periods; if it has not, of the reasons for that; and
(b)	of the progress in implementing the plan to install air-conditioning systems at the Lo Wu Bridge?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*8. Hon David CHU to ask: (Translation)

Regarding efforts to combat lawless elements' activities in smuggling Mainlanders to foreign countries via Hong Kong, will the Government inform this Council of:

(a)	the number of such migrant smugglers arrested, as well as the number of Mainlanders intercepted on their way to sneak into foreign countries, in each of the past three years; and
(b)	the measures in place to prevent such smugglers from using Hong Kong as a place for laundering the profits they reap from such unlawful activities?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*9. Hon Albert HO to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council of the average waiting time currently for the allocation of public rental housing ("PRH") units to each of the four categories of households listed below:

(a)	singletons aged below 60;
(b)	households comprising only elderly persons aged 60 or above;
(c)	households comprising elderly and non-elderly persons; and
(d)	households comprising two or more non-elderly persons,
together with a breakdown of these figures by the geographical districts for allocation of PRH units?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Housing

*10. Ir Dr Hon HO Chung-tai to ask: (Translation)

The Hong Kong Tourism Board is holding a tourism promotional campaign on the theme of "City of Life: Hong Kong is it!" to promote Hong Kong's cultural, sports and local festive events overseas. However, recently there has been wide media coverage on the infestation of rats in Kowloon City where many restaurants are located. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	of the number and average frequency of anti-rat operations carried out by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to prevent rat infestation in the district over the past three years;
(b)	of the support given to restaurants within the district in the eradication of rats; and
(c)	whether various tourist spots are inspected regularly to ensure a rat-free environment?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

*11. Hon Eric LI to ask: (Translation)

When presenting the Legislative Council (Amendment) Bill 1999 to this Council, the Administration put forward a proposal to introduce "advance polling" arrangements, which was subsequently withdrawn. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	whether it plans to introduce advance polling arrangements in the next Legislative Council general election; and
(b)	of the feasible proposals for advance polling being considered and the timing for presenting them to this Council?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Constitutional Affairs

*12. Hon TAM Yiu-chung to ask: (Translation)

Some members of the public have complained to me about the absence of a standard pool in Tin Shui Wai Swimming Pool and that, due to the large number of users, they often have to wait for a long time before they can be admitted to the Pool. Also, as the opening hours of the venue are divided into sessions, swimmers usually have less than an hour to swim after queuing up for admission for a long time. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	of the Pool's capacity for swimmers at any one time;
(b)	of the average daily attendance of the Pool in the previous swimming season;
(c)	whether it has worked out the average waiting time for admission to the Pool; if it has, of the data for the previous swimming season;
(d)	of the reasons for not providing a standard pool there; and
(e)	whether it will consider providing a standard pool there or in the Yuen Long district, and reducing the number of sessions; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

*13. Hon CHOY So-yuk to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the incident in which a rare big old date palm near the former Marine Police Headquarters in Tsimshatsui was felled recently, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	of the department and the rank of the official who made the decision to fell the tree, as well as the justifications for doing so and the process leading to the decision; and
(b)	if the tree was felled not on the instruction of any government department, whether it will conduct an investigation into the incident and take appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

*14. Hon LAW Chi-kwong to ask: (Translation)

At present, public hospitals require patients to purchase expensive drugs, surgical implants and prostheses, as well as medical equipment and supplies such as consumables for home use, while patients with financial difficulties can apply for assistance from the Samaritan Fund ("the Fund"). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:

(a)	the mechanism and criteria adopted by public hospitals in determining the medical expenses that should be borne by patients;
(b)	the respective numbers of patients who had to purchase for themselves cardiac pacemakers and intraocular lenses last year and, among these patients, the respective numbers of those who applied for and those who received financial assistance from the Fund; whether the relevant authorities will consider providing these two surgical implants for patients; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c)	the list of drugs that have to be purchased by patients themselves at present and the diseases that these drugs are used for treatment; the names of the drugs that have been added to and deleted from the list respectively over the past three years, and the factors that the authorities take into account in deciding to add a particular type of drug to the list?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*15. Hon CHEUNG Man-kwong to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the choice of banks for providing services to Government bureaux and departments, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	of the banks currently providing services to various policy bureaux and departments and the services provided; the reasons for choosing them; and the commencement dates of the existing service agreements, if any;
(b)	whether the departments conduct regular reviews on whether the services provided by those banks are satisfactory and the fees charged are good value for money; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c)	as certain services are provided by only one or a few banks at present, will the Government consider allowing more banks to provide services, for securing more diversified services at more competitive prices; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Treasury

*16. Hon Cyd HO to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the provision of medical and other support services to persons suffering from inherited retinal degenerative diseases, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	whether it has compiled statistics on the number of persons currently suffering from these eye diseases; if it has, of the number of such persons; if not, whether it will compile such statistics as soon as possible; if it will not, of the reasons for that;
(b)	of the details of the services currently provided by public medical institutions for such patients, including identification of defective genes, and rehabilitative and counselling services;
(c)	(i)	of the annual expenditures on the relevant medical services;
	(ii)	of the details of the subsidies and assistance it has made available to organizations which provide patients' mutual-help services; and
	(iii)	of the details of its efforts in public education and dissemination of information on these eye diseases;
	in the past three and this financial year; and
(d)	whether it will include such patients as a target group in the next Travel Characteristics Survey, so as to identify their special public transport needs?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*17. Hon Albert CHAN to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the cooked food bazaars managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department ("FEHD"), will the Government inform this Council:

(a)	of the respective numbers of hawkers and stallholders in the cooked food bazaars at present;
(b)	of the current monthly income of FEHD from hawker licence fees and the rentals paid by stallholders respectively in the cooked food bazaars, as well as the respective monthly expenditures on the management and maintenance of these cooked food bazaars;
(c)	whether it will consider terminating the operation of the cooked food bazaars; and
(d)	whether it has estimated the annual savings in expenditure after buying back the licences from all hawkers and the right to operate from stallholders in the cooked food bazaars?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

*18. Hon Emily LAU to ask:

Regarding teaching posts in government and aided primary schools, will the Administration inform this Council:

(a)	of the total number of graduate teacher ("GT") posts and its percentage in the overall teaching staff establishment of all government and aided primary schools in the school year 2000-01; and the number and percentage of such posts now substantively filled;
(b)	of the current number of schools with GT posts not filled or not substantively filled; the reasons for these posts not being filled; as well as the plans to fill all vacant GT posts expeditiously;
(c)	of the number of serving certificated masters/mistresses ("CM") who possess a recognized first degree or equivalent qualifications; and
(d)	whether there are plans to convert all CM posts to GT posts?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

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

Regarding law enforcement officers of the Mainland and of Hong Kong carrying out cross-border duties, will the Government inform this Council of:

(a)	the number of officers dispatched to Hong Kong by Mainland law enforcement units to investigate cases in the past three years, together with a breakdown, by law enforcement units, of the respective numbers of officers dispatched to Hong Kong and the average duration of their stay;
(b)	the assistance provided by the Administration to the Mainland law enforcement officers performing duties in Hong Kong in respect of such cases; and
(c)	the number of officers dispatched to the Mainland by law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong to investigate cases in the past three years, as well as the number and types of the cases involved?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*20. Hon Ambrose LAU to ask: (Translation)

It has been reported that some cleansing contractors engaged by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department were found to have stripped their employees of statutory rights and benefits and illegally employed Mainlanders who came to Hong Kong on Two-way Exit Permits ("TWPs"). In this regard, will the Government inform this Council of:

(a)

the respective numbers of complaints received by the authorities in the past three years against government cleansing contractors who had stripped their employees of statutory rights and benefits and employed TWP holders and, among these complaints, the number of substantiated cases as well as the respective numbers of cases in which the contractors were prosecuted and penalized in accordance with the conditions in the service contracts; and

(b)

the measures in place to prevent these contractors from stripping their employees of statutory rights and benefits and employing illegal workers?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

*For written reply.

III. Bills

First Reading

Boilers and Pressure Vessels (Amendment) Bill 2001

Second Reading (Debate to be adjourned)

Boilers and Pressure Vessels (Amendment) Bill 2001 : Secretary for Education and Manpower

IV. Members' Motions

1. Mechanism for handling complaints concerning medical incidents

Hon Andrew CHENG:

(Translation)

That, as the credibility of the existing mechanism for handling complaints concerning medical incidents is being questioned by various sectors of the community, and the public have no confidence in the ability of the mechanism to handle complaints in a fair and independent manner, this Council urges the Government to immediately take measures to improve the existing mechanism, including reforming the Medical Council of Hong Kong's composition, operation and procedures for handling complaints; this Council also urges the Government to set up an independent mechanism for handling complaints concerning medical incidents.

Amendment to Hon Andrew CHENG's motion
Hon Howard YOUNG: (Translation)

To add "in the wake of the 'mobile phone doctor' incident" after "various sectors of the community"; and to delete "set up an independent" after "this Council also urges the Government to" and substitute with "expeditiously complete the work on reforming the". Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Health and Welfare

2. Landscaped development and greening policy

Hon LAU Ping-cheung:

(Translation)

That this Council urges the Government to immediately review the distribution of the natural and landscape resources in Hong Kong for the purpose of formulating a territory-wide landscaped development and greening policy, and to designate a policy bureau to monitor and co-ordinate the effective implementation of the policy by various government departments in carrying out town planning and infrastructural projects, in order to achieve the goal of sustainable development; at the same time, the Government should improve the existing conditions of the urban areas through re-planning and other measures so as to enhance the quality of the living environment. Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Planning and Lands

Clerk to the Legislative Council