A 02/03-27

Legislative Council

Agenda

Wednesday 14 May 2003 at 2:30 pm

I. Tabling of Papers
Subsidiary Legislation / InstrumentsL.N. No.
1.Fire Services (Fire Hazard Abatement) Regulation113/2003
2.Statutes of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Amendment) Statute 2003114/2003
3.Occupational Safety and Health (Display Screen Equipment) Regulation (Cap. 509 sub. leg. B) (Commencement) Notice 2003115/2003


Other Papers

1.No.81-Audited Statement of Accounts of the Quality Education Fund together with the Director of Audit's Report for the year ended 31 August 2002

(to be presented by Secretary for Education and Manpower)

2.No.82-Securities and Futures Commission Annual Report 2002-2003

(to be presented by Financial Secretary)

3.Report of the Bills Committee on Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2002

(to be presented by Hon LAU Ping-cheung, Chairman of the Bills Committee)


II. Questions

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

It has been reported that the Government plans to launch a scheme under which one teaching post will be shared by two teachers or two teaching posts by three teachers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the details and target participants of the scheme, and the present number of teachers who have volunteered to join the scheme;

    (b)whether it will implement similar schemes for civil servants (including civil servants on agreement terms and Government employees on short-term agreements, etc) and staff of Government-funded public bodies; if it will, of the justifications for the implementation of such schemes; and

    (c)of the estimated number of persons who will be affected by the schemes mentioned in (a) and (b) and the savings on public funds to be achieved through the implementation of such schemes?
Public Officer to reply:Secretary for Education and Manpower
Secretary for the Civil Service


2. Hon Fred LI to ask: (Translation)

The Office of the Telecommunications Authority ("OFTA") launched a voluntary labelling scheme for hand-held mobile phones on 1 January this year, under which suppliers and manufacturers are permitted to affix a prescribed label to the mobile phones which have been certified by OFTA as complying with the radio-frequency radiation safety standard to differentiate them from others. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:
    (a)the countries or territories which have adopted similar labelling schemes; the details of such schemes and whether they are implemented on a voluntary basis;

    (b)among the mobile phones being marketed in Hong Kong, the number of models affixed with the above-mentioned label, and the total market share of such models; and

    (c)OFTA's measures to encourage more mobile phone suppliers or manufacturers to participate in the above-mentioned scheme, and whether it will consider making the scheme compulsory?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology

3. Hon James TIEN to ask: (Translation)

It is learnt that at present there is no legislation to directly regulate the intensity of light emitted by advertisement signboards. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the number of locations in Hong Kong where the advertisement signboards have been subject to complaints by residents and motorists claiming that they were disturbed by the light the signboards emitted;

    (b)how it handled the complaints mentioned in item (a); and

    (c)whether or not it plans to introduce legislation to regulate the intensity of light emitted by advertisement signboards; if not, of the reasons for that?
Public Officers to reply: Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works
Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands


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

It is reported that there are 11 cases of dengue fever in Hong Kong in the first four months of this year, which are 2.7 times of the cases in the corresponding period last year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)as the authorities have now concentrated their efforts on tackling and containing the spread of atypical pneumonia, whether they have separately set up a task force to prevent an extensive outbreak of dengue fever in the territory;

    (b)whether the measures taken to prevent an extensive outbreak of dengue fever in the territory include issuing guidelines to various private housing estates and schools on the points to note in relation to mosquito eradication and personal precautions against the disease; and

    (c)regarding the 44 and 11 dengue fever cases reported in the past year and the first four months of this year respectively, of the districts in which the patients involved lived and the other details of these cases?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food

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

In May 2000, the LegCo All Party Clean Air Alliance proposed that legislation be introduced to require motorists to switch off the engines of their vehicles while waiting. The authorities did not accept the proposal, but indicated that they would adopt an advisory approach to encourage motorists to switch off the engines while waiting. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the measures taken in the past three years to advise motorists to switch off vehicle engines while waiting, and the effectiveness of such measures;

    (b)whether it has conducted studies on the extent to which the air quality will improve by implementing the requirement to switch off vehicle engines while waiting; if so, of the findings; and

    (c)whether it will re-consider introducing legislation to require motorists to switch off vehicle engines while waiting; if so, of the details; if not, the justifications for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

6. Hon Emily LAU to ask: (Translation)

Since the outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, there have been incessant cases of health care personnel of public hospitals being infected with the disease and their making telephone calls to radio programmes to complain about the shortage and poor quality of the protective gear (including clothing) the Hospital Authority ("HA") has supplied to them. In this connection, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council whether:
    (a)they know the dates on which HA placed orders for protective gear and the ordering details, the reasons for keeping a stock of protective gear for 14 days' consumption only, and whether HA has assessed if the stock level is sufficient to cope with contingencies; if an assessment has been made, of the results;

    (b)they know the difficulties HA has encountered in ordering protective gear, the measures HA has adopted to ensure that the goods supplied are up to standard, how it deals with the substandard goods; and the total quantity and value of the substandard goods; and

    (c)they have conducted a review to see if there are problems in HA's middle management and its mechanism for ordering materials, which have led to complaints by frontline staff about the inadequate supply of protective gear; if so, of the findings of the review; if not, whether and when such a review will be conducted?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food

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

With regard to expediting the planning work for projects on cultural, recreational and sports facilities, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)whether it will expedite the planning work for the Project on Local Open Space Areas 25, 25A, 25B, Tin Shui Wai, with a view to upgrading it to Category A of the Public Work Programme at an earlier date; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (b)of the measures to expedite the overall planning work for projects on cultural, recreational and sports facilities?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

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

It has been reported that the Government is examining the use of multi-purpose posts which incorporate the current features of traffic lights, street illumination and traffic signs, and is considering specifying building numbers on street name-plates to facilitate the public and tourists in locating their destinations. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the anticipated earliest possible time when the multi-purpose posts can be installed and whether they will first be installed in certain districts on a trial basis; and

    (b)of the estimated costs of installing the multi-purpose posts throughout the territory?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

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

Since the upward adjustment of the termination rate of Hong Kong - Philippines long distance calls on 1 February 2003, some external telecommunications services ("ETS") operators have complained against an ETS operator for dumping its pre-paid stored value phonecard service for Hong Kong - Philippines long distance calls to customers at a price below the normal service costs which include termination rate, local access fees and universal service contribution fees. This practice has seriously affected competition in the Hong Kong - Philippines ETS market. Moreover, the affiliates of some ETS operators are fixed telecommunications network services ("FTNS") operators which can lower their operating costs by off-setting the termination rate with telecommunications services operators in other territories. These ETS operators can thus enjoy a lower cost because they do not have to pay the termination rate, and the competition in the ETS market as a whole is affected. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)whether it has assessed if the dumping practice of providing customers with telecommunications services at a price lower than the normal service costs is an "anti-competitive practice" under section 7K of the Telecommunications Ordinance (Cap. 106); if it has, of the assessment results;

    (b)whether it plans to review and revise the existing policies on pro-competitive practices, such as adding provisions on "anti-dumping practices" in the legislation concerned; and

    (c)of the policies or measures currently in place to regulate FTNS operators' disposal of the savings on operating costs generated from the off-setting of the termination rate with telecommunications services operators in other territories?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology

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

It has been reported that the Government has rejected applications for hiring the Hong Kong Stadium for staging performances for fear that the emission of excessive noises would affect the residential neighbourhood; this is one of the reasons for the under-utilization of the Stadium. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the details of large-scale activities, other than ball games, staged at the Stadium in the past three years;

    (b)of the number of applications received in the past three years for holding concerts at the Stadium, the number of such applications rejected because of noise problem and the amount of hire charges foregone as a result; and

    (c)whether it has explored measures to reduce the noise emission level of activities staged at the Stadium; if so, of the results of the study?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

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

The Administration indicated in October last year that it was studying with a franchised bus company whether some loss-making bus routes could be served by green minibuses. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the progress of the study, including the routes being considered;

    (b)whether the study covers a study on the effects on road usage, fares and passenger waiting time if the relevant routes are operated by green minibuses; and

    (c)whether the authorities will consult the residents of the affected districts before making a decision in this regard; if it will, how the consultation will be conducted?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

*12. Hon Henry WU to ask: (Translation)

In November 2000, the Government established a Process Review Panel ("PRP") to review the Securities and Futures Commission's ("SFC") internal operations, including its procedures for conducting investigations and disciplinary actions against intermediaries, with the objects of ensuring that SFC acts fairly and consistently in all cases and enhancing the accountability and transparency of SFC's work. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the work carried out and the number of meetings conducted by PRP since its establishment, together with a table listing the details and results of the issues it has handled? Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

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

The Planning Department commissioned consultants in 2001 to carry out the Focus Study on Aberdeen Harbour, with a view to establishing a coherent and robust planning framework for optimizing development potentials within the Aberdeen Harbour area. During the study period, the consultants had consulted various organizations and individuals, including the District Council(s) concerned. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:
    (a)it will expeditiously brief the relevant District Council(s) on the proposed planning framework formulated on the basis of the study results; and

    (b)it has any plan to implement the proposed planning framework; if so, of the implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands

*14. Hon Henry WU to ask: (Translation)

In October 2000, the then Secretary for Financial Services advised the Panel on Financial Affairs of this Council that the Steering Committee on the Enhancement of Financial Infrastructure would be convened with a view to implementing straight-through processing of securities transactions whereby investors can place and match orders directly, and introducing a scriptless securities market as soon as possible. He expected to implement these initiatives in three years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the progress in implementing such initiatives and whether it has assessed if it is feasible to implement them in Hong Kong; if the assessment result is in the affirmative, of the details of the assessment and the timetable for implementation; if not, the reasons for that? Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

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

On the 10th of last month, the Chief Executive indicated that he was prepared to invite overseas medical experts to come to Hong Kong to assist in combating the disease of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. In this connection, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council of:
    (a)the respective names and qualifications of the overseas experts, apart from those from the World Health Organization, who have been invited to visit Hong Kong, the countries they come from and the organizations they belong to, as well as the dates on which such invitations were issued;

    (b)the assistance and advice provided to the authorities by these experts; and

    (c)a breakdown of the expenditure involved?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food

*16. Hon Fred LI to ask: (Translation)

According to the Operating Agreement signed between the Government and the MTR Corporation Limited ("MTRCL"), the latter "shall maintain more than one source of electric supply to all parts of the railway". In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:
    (a)the ratio of electricity purchased from the two power companies;

    (b)the monthly average electricity tariff paid by MTRCL; and

    (c)if the MTRCL has adopted measures to reduce electricity consumption so as to achieve savings?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

*17. Dr Hon LUI Ming-wah to ask: (Translation)

Regarding its purchase and use of locally manufactured products, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)given its large fleet of approximately 7 000 vehicles which are managed and used by various government departments at present, whether the authorities have purchased and used the locally designed and manufactured global positioning systems in the management of the Government's fleet of vehicles; if so, of the effectiveness of these products; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (b)whether it will purchase and use more locally manufactured products with a view to supporting the local manufacturing industry and promoting the development of the local economy?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

*For written reply.

III. Bills

First Reading

Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2003

Second Reading (Debate to be adjourned)

Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2003 : Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology

Second Reading (Debate to resume), Committee Stage and Third Reading

Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2002 : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

IV. Members' Motions
  1. Calling for the resignation of the Chief Executive, Mr TUNG Chee-hwa


    2. Hon Albert CHAN: (Translation)

    That this Council calls for the resignation of the Chief Executive, Mr TUNG Chee-hwa.

    Public Officer to attend:Chief Secretary for Administration
    Financial Secretary
    Secretary for Justice
    Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology
    Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands
    Secretary for Education and Manpower
    Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food
    Secretary for the Civil Service
    Secretary for Home Affairs
    Secretary for Security
    Secretary for Economic Development and Labour
    Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
    Secretary for Constitutional Affairs

  2. Exploring new areas of co-operation between Hong Kong and Guangdong


    3. Hon Ambrose LAU: (Translation)

    That, as the Chief Executive has stated in this year's Policy Address that Hong Kong and Guangdong should, with the common goal of achieving a major modernised economic region, raise and speed up the level of co-operation in exploring new areas of common interests where there is room for enhanced co-operation, this Council urges the Government to actively consult various industrial, commercial and professional sectors on the relevant subjects and expeditiously put forward feasible proposals and implementation timetables.

    Public Officer to attend : Chief Secretary for Administration



Clerk to the Legislative Council