A 00/01-9(1)

Legislative Council

Agenda
Wednesday 22 November 2000 at 2:30 pm

I. Tabling of Papers

Subsidiary Legislation / Instruments L.N. No.
Human Reproductive Technology Ordinance (Cap. 561) (Commencement) Notice 2000 327/2000


Other Papers
1. No.30 - The Hong Kong Industrial Estates Corporation Annual Report 1999-2000
(to be presented by Secretary for Commerce and Industry)
2. No.31 - Hong Kong Industrial Technology Centre Corporation Annual Report 1999-2000
(to be presented by Secretary for Commerce and Industry)
3. No.32 - Hong Kong Productivity Council Annual Report 1999/2000
(to be presented by Secretary for Commerce and Industry)
4. No.33 - Hong Kong Sports Development Board Annual Report 1999-2000
(to be presented by Hon Bernard CHAN)


II. Questions

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

Regarding the issuance of permits some time ago to the contractor of Container Terminal 9 for transferring highly contaminated dredged mud for dumping in Mainland waters, and the related question raised in the Council on 18 October this year, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of the reasons for not referring that cross-boundary dumping operation to the Hong Kong-Guangdong Environmental Protection Liaison Group for discussion before the Environmental Protection Department ("EPD") issued the relevant permit;

    (b) given that the dumping permit was issued to the contractor concerned by the Nanhai Branch Office of the State Oceanic Administration ("SOA") in the Mainland, of the reasons for EPD's naming the SOA as the issuing authority of the permit in two press releases issued in September this year, and of EPD's main contact unit in the Mainland for this kind of cross-boundary dumping operations; and

    (c) whether it has assessed if EPD has dealt with the entire incident in a proper and responsible manner?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

2. Hon Fred LI to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the issuance of pricing guidelines by individual trade associations on the goods sold and services provided by their members, will the Government inform this Council whether:

    (a) it knows the trade associations which have issued such guidelines in the past year;

    (b) the Competition Policy Advisory Group has conducted any study and research to find out if such practice is price manipulation and violates the principle of fair competition; if so, of the details of the study and research; and

    (c) it will consider enacting laws to prohibit such practice?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Economic Services

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

Regarding the problem of drug addiction and abuse of psychotropic substances among adolescents ("drug abusers"), will the Government inform this Council of:

    (a) the latest figures on the numbers of reported drug abusers aged 21 or below, broken down by age groups each of three years, and the respective increase or decrease in these figures in each of the past three years;

    (b) the resources it has deployed to solve the drug abuse problem, including the number of outreaching social workers employed with Government subsidy specifically for counselling youths at risk; and

    (c) the measures in place to prevent adolescents from being induced to take drugs in rave parties or public places?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

4. Hon LEUNG Fu-wah to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council of the reasons for prohibiting red minibuses from using expressways for many years and whether it plans to relax this stipulation; if so, of the implementation date; if not, the reasons for it?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Transport

5. Hon Michael MAK to ask: (Translation)

It was reported that about 50 police officers had been deployed to monitor a public meeting attended by fewer than 20 students in Central District. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the basis for determining the rank and number of police officers to be deployed to maintain law and order for public meetings and public processions?

Public Officer to reply:Secretary for Economic Services

6. Hon Emily LAU to ask:(Translation)

The Board of Enquiry set up to investigate the disturbance at the Hei Ling Chau Addiction Treatment Centre has recommended disciplinary actions against seven officers of the Correctional Services Department. However, the Administration advised the Panel on Security of this Council this month that those officers' names would not be made public. Regarding the government departments' practice of not making known the names of civil servants subject to disciplinary actions, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council:

    (a) of the reasons for adopting such a practice;

    (b) given that professional bodies will make known names of their members who are subject to disciplinary actions, of the rationale for government departments not adopting the same practice; and

    (c) whether they have assessed if such practice has deviated from the Government's objective of enhancing the accountability of civil servants?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Civil Service

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

In view of the increasing number of youngsters taking part in rave parties, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of a breakdown of the crimes involving rave parties in the past year;

    (b) of the existing channels through which youngsters are advised not to involve in illegal acts when taking part in such parties; and

    (c) whether it plans to prohibit rave parties at venues very close to residential premises; if so, of the relevant details; if not, the reasons for it?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

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

Will the Government inform this Council of:

    (a) the number, names, exhibition themes and total exhibition area of the museums managed by the Administration and open to the public; and of the relevant information on the museums managed by non-governmental organizations;

    (b) the respective numbers of remunerated and voluntary docents engaged by each museum, as well as the respective numbers of guided tours that remunerated and voluntary docents can conduct each year;

    (c) the number of guided tours organized by each museum in the past 12 months, and the respective numbers of secondary school students, primary school students and members of the public who joined those tours;

    (d) the percentage of secondary and primary school students who joined the guided museum tours in the past 12 months among all such students in Hong Kong, as well as the average waiting time needed before a guided museum tour can be arranged for them; and

    (e) the promotion programmes in place to encourage secondary and primary schools to visit the museums, as well as the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's plans for increasing the manpower resources and the number of museums, so as to tie in with the "life-wide learning" principle put forward by the Education Commission in the Reform Proposals for the Education System in Hong Kong?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

*9. Hon Emily LAU to ask: (Translation)

It has been reported that according to the findings of a survey, about 70% of the local residents aged 19 to 39 are short-sighted. In this connection, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council whether:

    (a) they know the present number of local residents who are short-sighted and their percentage in the total population of Hong Kong, and how this percentage compares to those in other countries and places;

    (b) they have conducted any study to ascertain the factors contributing to such a high percentage of short-sighted persons in the local population; if so, of the details of such a study; and

    (c) they plan to allocate more resources to educate the public (especially young persons) on how to avoid becoming short-sighted?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*10. Hon HUI Cheung-ching to ask: (Translation)

It has been reported that Guangzhou New Baiyun International Airport (the new airport), which will be partially completed for use in 2003, is expected to become one of the three major aviation hubs in China. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) whether it has assessed the impact of the commissioning of the above airport on the passenger and freight transport business of Hong Kong International Airport ("HKIA"); if it has, of the details; and

    (b) of the measures to enhance the competitiveness of HKIA in Southeast Asia; and whether it knows if the Airport Authority has other measures to achieve this objective?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Economic Services

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

Will the Government inform this Council of the respective numbers of cases at present in the categories of "singleton elders", "families comprising only two elders aged 60 or above", and "elders living with non-elderly family members" under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme; and in respect of each of the above categories, the number of elders in each of the age groups of 60 to 64, 65 to 69, 70 to 74 and 75 or above?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Health and Welfare

*12. Hon WONG Sing-chi to ask: (Translation)

With regard to the employment of persons with physical disabilities and suffering from chronic illness ("disabled persons"), will the Government inform this Council of:

    (a) the respective numbers of disabled persons in the various disability categories;

    (b) the size of the labour force of the disabled persons, their respective labour force participation, underemployment and unemployment rates; and

    (c) the current number of disabled persons employed by the Government and their percentage in the total number of Government employees; and whether it knows the relevant figures for various public organizations and private enterprises?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*13. Hon James TO to ask:

In accordance with the Public Order Ordinance (Cap. 245), organizers of public meetings and public processions are required to notify the Commissioner of Police at least seven days in advance. However, the Commissioner may accept shorter notice if he is satisfied that earlier notice could not have been given. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:

    (a) the annual number of cases since 1995 in which the Commissioner has been given shorter notice and, among them, the respective numbers of cases in which the Commissioner has accepted and not accepted shorter notice;

    (b) a breakdown of the figures in (a) above by the number of days the notice fell short of; and

    (c) the respective reasons for the Commissioner accepting and not accepting shorter notice?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*14. Hon Michael MAK to ask:

Will the Government inform this Council of the additional medical and nursing staff required, broken down by grades and ranks, for achieving the following targets as stated in the Policy Objectives published this year:

    (a) to initiate a new adolescent health programme;

    (b) to develop a cervical screening programme for women;

    (c) to develop a programme for men's health;

    (d) to increase the number of community psychiatric teams from five to eight; and

    (e) to increase visits to and contacts with discharged patients through additional outreach community workers?
Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Health and Welfare

*15. Ir Dr Hon HO Chung-tai to ask: (Translation) Regarding the theft of credit cards in Chinese restaurants and other eating places, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) whether it has formulated measures to combat such crimes; if so, of the details; and

    (b) of the average and maximum levels of penalties imposed on persons convicted of stealing credit cards in eating places over the past three years, their average age at the time they committed the crime, the respective ages of the oldest and youngest offenders, and the average age of the children coached into abetting in the crimes?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*16. Hon LI Fung-ying to ask: (Translation)

At present, employers of foreign domestic helpers ("FDHs") employed under employment contracts effective from 1 January this year or after must have obtained approval from the Immigration Department before their FDHs can perform driving duties incidental to domestic duties. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of the current number of FDHs approved to perform driving duties; and how this number compares to the number of FDHs who performed driving duties last year;

    (b) of the current number of FDHs who are awaiting approval from the Immigration Department for performing driving duties; and

    (c) how the wages of FDHs with driving duties compare to those of FDHs with ordinary duties?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*17. Hon Andrew CHENG to ask: (Translation)

I have learnt that the Employees Retraining Board ("ERB") and the relevant training bodies have repeatedly rejected requests made by an employer for collaboration in organizing tailor-made training courses and in recruiting employees exercises. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:

    (a) the total number of similar requests received by the ERB and the relevant training bodies in the past three years and, among such requests, the respective numbers of those accepted and rejected, as well as the reasons for rejecting them; and

    (b) the criteria adopted by the ERB and the relevant training bodies for accepting or rejecting the above requests?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*18. Hon SIN Chung-kai to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the Intellectual Property (Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2000 passed by this Council on 27 June this year, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of the proposed commencement date of the Ordinance; and

    (b) whether it plans to publicize the stipulations of the Ordinance extensively before its implementation, so as to avoid members of the public breaching the law without knowing it; if so, of the details and the timetable of the publicity programme?
Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Commerce and Industry

*19. Hon Howard YOUNG to ask:

Will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of the estimated number of saplings that have been nurtured by it since 1998;

    (b) of the material and unit cost of the pots of these saplings;

    (c) how the used pots are disposed of when the saplings are planted; and

    (d) whether it has considered using more environment-friendly pots; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply: Secretary for the Environment and Food

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

Will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of a breakdown by categories of suspected child abuse cases reported to the Social Welfare Department in the past year, and the number of children involved in each category of such cases;

    (b) how these figures compare to those in the previous two years;

    (c) whether it has studied the family particulars in those child abuse cases; if so, of the findings;

    (d) of the details and effectiveness of the psychological counselling provided for the abused children, and the difficulties encountered; and

    (e) whether it has reviewed the adequacy of existing legislation in deterring child abuse?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*For written reply.

III. Bills

First Reading

Gambling (Amendment) Bill 2000

Second Reading (Debate to be adjourned)

Gambling (Amendment) Bill 2000 : Secretary for Home Affairs

IV. Members' Motions

1. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon James TIEN to move the following motion:

    RESOLVED that in relation to the -

    (a) Fixed Penalty (Criminal Proceedings) (Amendment) (No.3) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 283 of 2000; and
    (b) Resolution of the Legislative Council (L.N. 206 of 2000) (Commencement) Notice 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 286 of 2000,
    and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 25 October 2000, the period referred to in section 34(2) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap. 1) for amending subsidiary legislation be extended under section 34(4) of that Ordinance to the meeting of 29 November 2000.
2. Proposed resolution under Rule 78(1) of the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Hon Martin LEE to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that a select committee be appointed to inquire into the following:

    (a) the meetings and discussions held between the Chief Executive, Mr. Tung Chee Hwa, and Professor Cheng Yiu Chung, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, during which the polls conducted by Dr. Robert Chung on the popularity of the Chief Executive were mentioned, and related issues;
    (b) the circumstances surrounding the meetings between Mr. Andrew Lo and Professor Arthur Li, the Vice Chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and related issues;
    (c) the working relations and coordination between the Chief Executive, Mr. Tung Chee Hwa, and Mr. Andrew Lo in the latter's meetings with the former Vice Chancellor of University of Hong Kong and the Vice Chancellor of Chinese University of Hong Kong, and related issues;
    (d) the involvement of Mr. Andrew Lo and/or the Chief Executive and/or the Chief Executive's Office in cutting short the term of appointment of Mr. Tony Fung to the Council of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and related issues,
    and that in the performance of its duties the committee be authorized under section 9(2) of the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance (Cap. 382) to exercise the powers conferred by section 9(1) of that Ordinance.
Public Officer to attend : Chief Secretary for Administration

3. Increasing the support to District Council members

Hon IP Kwok-him: (Translation)

That, as District Council (DC) members are representatives of public opinion with extensive contacts at the grassroots level, this Council urges the Government to adopt the following measures to increase the support to DC members:

    (a) creating a post at the rank of Assistant Director in every executive department to directly assist DC members in handling complaints;

    (b) requiring the heads of bureaux and executive departments to meet DC members on a regular basis, so as to enable DC members to understand the Government's blueprint for governing Hong Kong;

    (c) perfecting the mechanism for DC members to be involved in and give views on major projects to be implemented in their respective districts prior to the submission of these projects to the Legislative Council for funding approval;

    (d) setting up a mechanism for the Government to consult DC members when planning the scope, design and construction programme of the projects to be implemented in their respective districts;

    (e) appointing DC members to the committees responsible for managing public facilities in their respective districts, so as to enhance their role in district management;

    (f) appointing the 519 DC members to the Government's advisory structure;

    (g) increasing to $20,000 the monthly accountable allowance for DC members;

    (h) granting DC members a one-off accountable allowance of $50,000 for setting up their offices;

    (i) including DC members in the precedence list of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; and

    (j) increasing the support provided by district offices to DCs, including providing additional manpower and office facilities.

Amendments to Hon IP Kwok-him's motion

(i) Hon Andrew CHENG: (Translation)

To delete "creating a post at the rank of Assistant Director in" and substitute with "designating relevant officers of"; to delete "to directly assist DC members in handling complaints" and substitute with "including those at the directorate level, to attend DC meetings"; to delete "requiring the heads of bureaux and executive departments to meet DC members on a regular basis, so as to enable DC members to understand the Government's blueprint for governing Hong Kong;" and substitute with "making an agreement with DCs and drawing up internal guidelines to specify the types of policies and consultation papers requiring consultation with DCs as well as the types of policies and works at the district level requiring the consent of DCs before implementation; (c) providing additional funding to DCs so that they have more resources to launch or sponsor community building activities and to embark on community building and environmental improvement projects;"; to delete "(c)" and substitute with "(d)"; to delete "(d)" and substitute with "(e)"; to delete "(e)" and substitute with "(f)"; to delete "(f)" and substitute with "(g)"; to delete "the 519" and substitute with "more"; to add "and devising appropriate criteria for such appointments with a view to catering for different opinions in the community" after "DC members to the Government's advisory structure"; to delete "(g)" and substitute with "(h)"; to add "and establishing an independent committee to review matters relating to the revision of DC members' allowance" after "the monthly accountable allowance for DC members"; to delete "(h)" and substitute with "(i)"; to add "and an accountable allowance for winding up their offices" after "setting up their offices"; to delete "(i)" and substitute with "(j)"; to delete "(j)" and substitute with "(k)"; and to add "turning expeditiously the existing DC secretariats into independent ones and" after "district offices to DCs, including".

(ii) Hon Albert HO: (Translation)

To add "(e) studying expeditiously the possibility of entrusting to DCs the functions of the two former municipal councils in respect of district affairs;" after "implemented in their respective districts;"; to delete "(e)" and substitute with "(f)"; to delete "(f)" and substitute with "(g)"; to delete "(g)" and substitute with "(h)"; to delete "(h)" and substitute with "(i)"; to delete "(i)" and substitute with "(j)"; to delete "(j)" and substitute with "(k)".
(iii) Hon Frederick FUNG: (Translation)

To delete "appointing DC members" and substitute with "establishing a mechanism for DC members to elect or nominate members from among themselves"; to delete "appointing the 519 DC members" and substitute with "establishing a mechanism for DC members to elect or nominate members from among themselves for appointment by the Government"; to add ", and building additional items into the accountable allowance to meet actual needs" after "the monthly accountable allowance for DC members"; and to add "setting up independent secretariats for DCs and" after "(j)".
Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Home Affairs

Clerk to the Legislative Council