A 02/03-1

Legislative Council

Agenda

Wednesday 9 October 2002 at 2:30pm

I. Tabling of Papers

Subsidiary Legislation / InstrumentsL.N. No.
1.Trainee Solicitors (Amendment) Rules 2002128/2002
2.Admission and Registration (Amendment) Rules 2002136/2002
3.United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Ordinance (27 of 2002) (Commencement) Notice 2002137/2002
4.China Ferry Terminal Restricted Area Boundaries Notice138/2002
5.Land Registration (Amendment) Ordinance 2002 (20 of 2002) (Commencement) Notice 2002139/2002
6.Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (Switzerland) Order (Cap. 525 sub. leg.) (Commencement) Notice 2002140/2002


Other Paper

No. 1-The Legislative Council Commission Annual Report 2001-2002
(to be presented by Chairman of The Legislative Council Commission)


II. Questions

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

It is reported that hollow wooden doors are currently used in about 380 000 old public rental housing ("PRH") flats and such wooden doors do not comply with the requirement under the existing Buildings Ordinance that entrance doors of residential flats must be able to resist fire for at least half an hour. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)whether the authorities concerned will consider replacing the hollow wooden doors of these old PRH flats with solid ones that are able to resist fire for at least half an hour in order to comply with the requirement under the Buildings Ordinance; if so, of the respective timetables for replacing the wooden doors for relevant estates; if not, the reasons for that and whether they relate to technical difficulties; and

    (b)whether the authorities concerned have assessed the effectiveness of replacing hollow wooden doors with solid ones in upgrading the fire fighting system and enhancing the fire safety of public housing; if so, of the outcome?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands

2. Dr Hon YEUNG Sum to ask: (Translation)

It was reported that, in a letter to all directors of bureaux in August this year, the Financial Secretary had demanded that they reduce the original estimates of operating expenditure for 2003-04 of the government departments under their portfolios by a uniform 1.8%, and a further reduction of 1% in each of the following three financial years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the original estimates of expenditure and the revised ones after the 1.8% reduction in respect of each government department, and of the impact on the projection of revenue and expenditure contained in the Medium Range Forecast 2003-04 to 2006-07 in Appendix A to the 2002-03 Budget;

    (b)why the Financial Secretary has made such a demand, and the basis on which the above two rates of reduction has been determined; and why such expenditure reductions were not mentioned in the above Budget; and

    (c)why the Financial Secretary has neither consulted this Council before making the above demand nor explained the matter to this Council afterwards?
Public Officer to reply : Financial Secretary

3. Hon Emily LAU to ask: (Translation)

The Administration sent a delegation to attend the World Summit on Sustainable Development (commonly known as the "Earth Summit") held by the United Nations in Johannesburg, South Africa from late August to early September. Regarding the implementation of the principle of "sustainable development", will the Executive Authorities inform this Council:
    (a)whether they have identified policy areas for follow-up in the light of the Earth Summit, and of the measures they will take to implement the principle of "sustainable development";

    (b)given the Chief Executive's undertaking in the 1999 Policy Address to set up a Council for Sustainable Development which reports directly to him, of the progress achieved so far in this respect; and

    (c)whether it will set up a team to be chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration or the Financial Secretary to coordinate the implementation of the principle of "sustainable development" by various policy bureaux during policy formulation?
Public Officer to reply : Chief Secretary for Administration

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

In his speech at the Swearing-in Ceremony on 1 July this year, the Chief Executive mentioned that there were currently some 90 000 young people in Hong Kong who were unemployed and unable to pursue further studies. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:
    (a)the source of this figure; and

    (b)the categories to which these young people belong according to the categories under "economically active population" and "economically inactive population" as defined by the Census and Statistics Department?
Public Officers to reply:Secretary for Home Affairs
Secretary for Economic Development and Labour
Secretary for Education and Manpower

5. Hon Michael MAK to ask: (Translation)

In August this year, the Hospital Authority ("HA") implemented the Patients' Choice Items Scheme in the seven hospitals of the New Territories East Cluster. Under the Scheme, only drugs classified as "clinically essential" will be provided to patients free of charge whereas patients may choose to purchase, at their own expense, drugs classified as "non-essential". In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:
    (a)it knows which of the drugs now classified as "non-essential" used to be provided to patients free of charge before implementation of the above Scheme, and the diseases to be treated with these drugs;

    (b)the Administration has stepped up its supervision on the sale of drugs classified as "non-essential" at drugstores after the implementation of the Scheme; and

    (c)it knows if HA intends to extend the Scheme to all public hospitals; if so, of the implementation timetable, and the estimated annual savings in expenditure on drugs?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food

6. Hon Audrey EU to ask: (Translation)

It is learnt that, in the recruitment of teachers, some aided schools specify the acceptance of particular religious beliefs as one of the conditions for appointment or give preference to job seekers who share the same religious belief with the schools' sponsoring bodies. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:
    (a)the relevant authorities received complaints against the above practice in the past five years; if so, of the number of such complaints received and, among them, the number found substantiated; and

    (b)it has taken measures to prohibit aided schools from discriminating against people with different religious beliefs in the recruitment of teachers; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officers to reply :Secretary for Education and Manpower
Secretary for Home Affairs

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

It has been reported that results of laboratory sample tests revealed a high bacterial level on the surface of handrails in the interior of public transport, posing a health hazard to the passengers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:
    (a)it has conducted sample tests on the quantity of bacteria on the surface of handrails and seats inside train compartments of the two railways and tram cars in the past three years; if so, of the test results; if not, whether it plans to conduct such tests on a regular basis;

    (b)it knows if the two railway operators and the tram service provider have arranged periodic vehicle disinfection; if they have, of the details of such arrangements; if not, whether these transport operators will be requested to make the arrangements; and

    (c)it has issued guidelines on vehicle disinfection to bus companies and minibus operators; if so, of the details?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

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

A member of the public has told me that, although locally-produced floor tiles are of a quality comparable to that of imported ones, imported floor tiles which more than double the price of locally-produced floor tiles have been selected for use in some government projects. Regarding the selection and procurement by the Administration of building materials for public works projects, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the criteria adopted by government departments for selecting and procuring building materials; and

    (b)whether there are statistics showing the relative proportions of various types of imported and locally-produced building materials used in the past two years in public works projects awarded by government departments?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

*9. Hon James TO to ask: (Translation)

It is learnt that the Mainland authorities have implemented a system of "standardized application procedures", "standardized assessment criteria", "standardized assessment progress" and "standardized charges" in processing applications by Hong Kong people's spouses in the Mainland for One-way Exit Permits ("OEPs") for settlement in Hong Kong, and have been issuing OEPs successively to applicants in descending order by the points they have scored in their applications according to a prescribed formula. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)whether it knows

    (i)the details of the "standardized application procedures", "standardized assessment criteria" and "standardized charges";

    (ii)the provinces in which the authorities currently require applicants for OEPs on grounds of reunion with spouses to have lived separately from their spouses for over a specified period before they are allowed to submit applications, and of such specified periods;

    (iii)the provinces in which the authorities also accept applications for OEPs when they process marriage registration; and

    (iv)the respective national and provincial numbers of applications for OEPs on grounds of reunion with spouses that are pending and, among them, the respective numbers of cases with 182.4 to 328.4 points and 182.3 points or below; and

    (b)as it is learnt that persons entering Hong Kong from the Mainland for reunion with their spouses are only required to reveal whether they have been "separated for 10 years or more" or "separated for less than 10 years" upon arrival, and given that the length of separation of these persons is decreasing, will the Administration require them to provide more precise information in this regard, such as less than five years, five to ten years and more than ten years?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

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

Will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the number of patients referred from Yan Oi Chest Clinic in Tuen Mun to the tuberculosis and chest services of hospitals outside the district for treatment over the past three years; and

    (b)whether it knows if the authorities concerned will consider setting up tuberculosis and chest services in Tuen Mun Hospital to provide relevant specialist care services for residents in New Territories West?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food

*11. Hon LEUNG Yiu-chung to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the transport fare concessions given to the disabled, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the details of the transport fare concessions offered by public transport companies to the disabled;

    (b)whether it has formulated policies to encourage public transport companies to offer transport fare concessions to the disabled; if it has, of the details; if it has not, the reasons for that; and

    (c)whether it knows if there are similar policies formulated by governments of other countries and territories; if so, of the details of such policies and concessions; and whether it will make reference to such policies and introduce them into Hong Kong; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

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

In order to enhance students' English language proficiency, the Native-speaking English Teacher ("NET") Scheme and the Native-speaking English Teacher and English Language Teaching Assistant ("ELTA") Scheme have been respectively introduced in all public sector primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the differences in job duties, educational qualifications and working experience required of NETs and ELTAs in primary schools;

    (b)for the 2001-02 and 2002-03 school years, of the respective total numbers of NETs in primary and secondary schools, as well as the respective average numbers of these teachers per school; and

    (c)whether it has plans to allocate additional resources for recruiting more NETs and ELTAs; if not, of the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

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

Regarding the stipulations on lighting for swimming pools at night-time, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)how the current stipulations on lighting at night-time in the licensing conditions for swimming pools compare with those in place before the commencement of the Provision of Municipal Services (Reorganization) Ordinance (Cap. 552);

    (b)whether licensees of swimming pools were allowed a grace period for improving their lighting facilities to comply with the requirements upon the commencement of the above-mentioned legislation; if so, of the expiration date of the grace period, and the number of swimming pools not granted a licence for reason of non-compliance with the requirements upon the expiration of the grace period; and

    (c)whether it will review the lighting requirements applicable respectively to "public swimming pools" which are managed by the authority, and to swimming pools which require licences, and of the differences between them?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food

*14. Hon MA Fung-kwok to ask: (Translation)

The Government implemented the Scrapping Incentive Scheme in June 1996, by offering concession on the First Registration Tax for motor vehicles, to encourage the owners of private cars aged ten years or more to scrap their old cars, and the Scheme expired on the 30th of last month. It was reported that the implementation period of the Scheme had been extended twice. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the number of old private cars scrapped under the Scheme and the total amount of tax concession granted each year since the implementation of the Scheme;

    (b)whether it has reviewed if the Scheme can achieve its original objective; and

    (c)of the reasons for deciding not to further extend the implementation period of the Scheme?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

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

It is noted that excavation works are frequent along the cycling tracks and pavements on both sides of Sha Tin Hoi, particularly near Kam Tai Court, the sewage treatment plant and the piers near Ma Liu Shui, causing much inconvenience to cyclists and residents nearby. Furthermore, the resurfaced tracks and pavements after the works are often uneven and full of puddles. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the numbers of traffic accidents involving cyclists, broken down by causes, that took place at the above sites and the resultant casualties in each of the past three years;

    (b)of the commencement and completion dates, the government departments responsible for vetting and approving the works and the utility undertakers responsible for the works in each of the past three years with respect to each of the excavation works at the above sites;

    (c)whether it has evaluated the adequacy of the government departments' efforts in monitoring the road resurfacing works and inspecting the resurfaced roads before their acceptance; if the outcome of evaluation is in the affirmative, of an explanation for the prevalence of uneven road surfaces; and

    (d)of the government departments currently responsible for vetting, approving, and monitoring the excavation works at the above sites, as well as those in charge of inspecting the resurfaced roads before their acceptance; whether it will review the division of duties among the departments concerned with regard to such responsibilities and assign one department to take charge of the duties instead?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

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

Will the Government inform this Council of:
    (a)the numbers of students enrolled in village schools in the territory and, among them, the numbers of cross-boundary students from the Mainland who attended schools in Hong Kong in each of the past five years;

    (b)the general situation of village schools at present, including the number of teachers, teacher-student ratio, number of students per class, school facilities, expenditure, operating cost analysis and school performance etc.; and

    (c)the policy for village school development, and whether adjustment will be made to this policy in the future; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*17. Hon Kenneth TING to ask: (Translation)

It has been reported that the respective research reports released by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and Bank of China International in September this year pointed out that the Hong Kong economy would turn down again next year and predicted that the pressure of deflation would persist in the next five years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it has reviewed the local economic policy in the light of the findings and the main points of the reports; if it has, of the measures to be taken to improve the local economy; if not, whether a review will be conducted expeditiously?

Public Officer to reply : Financial Secretary

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

At present, the conference facilities of the 18 District Councils ("DCs") vary from one another. While some conference rooms are well-equipped with spacious seating and comfortable environments, some others have outdated facilities with cramped seating. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:
    (a)it will consider drawing up a set of standards for conference facilities of the DCs, which sets out the basic conference facilities, the office equipment required, the space that should be made available to each DC member, as well as the number of seats for the public, etc; and

    (b)it has plans to improve those conference rooms with comparatively poor facilities, for example, by procuring the necessary equipment or expanding the conference rooms; if so, of the timetable for improving such conference rooms; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

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

Mainland people who pay "business visits" to Hong Kong are required to obtain an Exit-entry Permit for Travelling to Hong Kong and Macao and a business visit endorsement valid for single, double or multiple-journey from the relevant Public Security Bureau Office. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the number of Mainland people who paid "business visits" to Hong Kong over the past five years, broken down by the number of visits allowed to be made in the business visit endorsement;

    (b)whether it knows the period of validity of a business visit endorsement for multiple-journey; whether the number of visits to Hong Kong allowed to be made is stated therein; if so, of the maximum and average numbers of visits;

    (c)whether it knows the procedures for the authority concerned to renew a business visit endorsement for multiple-journey upon its expiry;

    (d)whether it has verified if Mainland people visiting Hong Kong on business visit endorsements are engaged in the businesses stated therein; and

    (e)in taking actions to combat illegal employment, whether it has discovered any cases in which illegal workers were found to be Mainland people visiting Hong Kong on business visit endorsements; if so, of the number of such illegal workers over the past five years, broken down by the trades in which they were employed?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

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

At the end of July this year, the Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission ("EOC") was re-appointed for one year. Regarding the Chairperson's discharge of her duties as well as the term of office and ranking of the post, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council whether:
    (a)they have assessed the ability of the Chairperson of the EOC to formulate long-term objectives and specific plans in planning the EOC's work due to her re-appointment for only one year; if an assessment has been made, of the outcome;

    (b)they will consider setting a reasonable and fixed term of office (e.g. five years) for the Chairperson of the EOC; if not, of the reasons for that; and

    (c)they are considering lowering the ranking of the Chairperson of the EOC; if so, of the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

*For written reply.

III. Bills

First Reading
  1. Village Representative Election Bill

  2. Electoral Provisions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2002
Second Reading (Debates to be adjourned)

1. Village Representative Election Bill: Secretary for Home Affairs

2. Electoral Provisions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2002:Secretary for Constitutional Affairs


IV. Members' Motions
  1. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

    Hon Mrs Selina CHOW to move the following motion:


    2. RESOLVED that in relation to the-

    (a)Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 1) Regulation 2002, published in the Gazette as Legal Notice No. 120 of 2002;

    (b)Places of Public Entertainment (Exemption) Order, published in the Gazette as Legal Notice No. 121 of 2002; and

    (c)Solicitors (Group Practice) Rules, published in the Gazette as Legal Notice No. 122 of 2002,


    and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 8 July 2002, the period for amending subsidiary legislation referred to in section 34(2) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap. 1) and deemed to be extended under section 34(3) of that Ordinance, be extended under section 34(4) of that Ordinance to the meeting of 6 November 2002.

  2. Proposed resolution under the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

    Hon Mrs Selina CHOW to move the motion


    3. (Contents of the motion are contained in the paper issued on 7 October 2002 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 28/02-03)

  3. Expediting the implementation of the Northern Link

    Dr Hon TANG Siu-tong:
    4.  (Translation)

    That, as the Government's proposed implementation programme for the Northern Link (linking the West Rail to Lok Ma Chau via San Tin) has failed to keep up with the rapid development of the North-West New Territories, this Council urges the Government to expedite the implementation of the Northern Link, so that the public can have direct access to the Lok Ma Chau boundary crossing by the West Rail.

    Amendment to Dr Hon TANG Siu-tong's motion
    Hon Albert CHAN:     (Translation)

    To add "; moreover, in order to ensure the cost-effectiveness of operating the Northern Link, the Government must expedite the implementation of the land and town development plans along the Northern Link" after "so that the public can have direct access to the Lok Ma Chau boundary crossing by the West Rail".

    Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

  4. Solving the problem of unemployment
    Hon TAM Yiu-chung:
    5. (Translation)

    That, in view of the high unemployment rate in Hong Kong, this Council urges the Government to expeditiously formulate an "economic development strategy that gives priority to employment", and to promptly adopt various measures to solve the serious problem of unemployment; the measures should include:

    (a)reviewing and abolishing outdated policies and restrictions which are detrimental to business operations and the setting up of businesses by members of the public, so as to improve the local business environment;

    (b)examining the adjustment of taxation and land policies with a view to attracting enterprises to invest in Hong Kong;

    (c)assisting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises and various industries in Hong Kong, and optimizing the brand name of "made in Hong Kong", so as to enhance the competitiveness of local products;

    (d)expediting the improvement and construction of various cross-border links to facilitate commercial activities between Guangdong Province and Hong Kong and attract more Mainland visitors;

    (e)promoting vigorously the development of the logistics industry, assisting the industry in enhancing the efficiency of the logistics services and extending the sources of cargo;

    (f)promoting the development of the local community economy and stepping up the clampdown on the employment of illegal workers;

    (g)expediting the implementation of various large-scale infrastructural and community facilities projects; and

    (h)allocating more training resources and encouraging enterprises to provide on-the-job training, so as to upgrade the skills of the working population at large and enhance the competitive advantage of Hong Kong.

    Amendment to Hon TAM Yiu-chung's motion
    Hon WONG Sing-chi:     (Translation)

    To add "(f) promoting the development of the waste recovery and recycling industry so as to create 'green collar' jobs;" after "assisting the industry in enhancing the efficiency of the logistics services and extending the sources of cargo; "; to delete "(f)" and substitute with "(g)"; to delete "promoting" and substitute with "providing a business environment in which small businesses are able to compete fairly with consortiums, so as to promote"; to delete "and" after "the development of the local community economy" and substitute with "; (h)"; to delete "(g)" and substitute with "(i)"; to delete "and (h)" and substitute with "(j)"; and to add "; and (k) increasing subsidized formal education places in the face of the high unemployment rate among young people, so as to raise their education level" after "so as to upgrade the skills of the working population at large and enhance the competitive advantage of Hong Kong;".

    Public Officer to attend : Financial Secretary
Clerk to the Legislative Council