A 05/06-19

Legislative Council

Agenda

Wednesday 1 March 2006 at 11:00 am



I. Tabling of Papers

Subsidiary Legislation / InstrumentsL.N. No.
1.Merchant Shipping (Limitation of Shipowners Liability) (Rate of Interest) (Amendment) Order 200627/2006
2.Village Representative Election Ordinance (Amendment of Schedules) Order 200628/2006
3.Import and Export Ordinance (Specification of Ending Date under Section 42) Notice 200629/2006
4.Import and Export (Registration) Regulations (Specification of Ending Date under Regulation 15) Notice 200630/2006
5.Import and Export (General) Regulations (Specification of Ending Date under Regulation 6DAH) Notice 200631/2006
6.Reserved Commodities (Control of Imports, Exports and Reserve Stocks) Regulations (Specification of Ending Date under Regulation 26) Notice 200632/2006

Other Papers

1. No.71-Consumer Council Annual Report 2004-2005
(to be presented by Secretary for Economic Development and Labour)

2. No.72-The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Annual Report 2004-2005 and the Financial Statements and Auditor's Report for the year ended 30 June 2005
(to be presented by Secretary for Home Affairs)

3. No.73 -Summary and Revenue Analysis by Head, General Revenue Account, Estimates for the year ending 31 March 2007
(to be presented by Financial Secretary)

4. Report of the Bills Committee on Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Bill
(to be presented by Hon CHOY So-yuk, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

5. Report of the Bills Committee on Revenue (Profits Tax Exemption for Offshore Funds) Bill 2005
(to be presented by Hon James TIEN, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

II. Questions

1. Hon Albert HO to ask: (Translation)

It has been reported that in November last year, Pacific Century Insurance Holdings Limited, a listed company, announced profits of about $105 million for the first three quarters as at end of September last year. Following the suspension of trading of its shares in January this year, the company announced that, as it had not applied the new accounting standards, it had made an error in reporting its profits, and the actual profits should be $8.01 million, representing a drastic reduction of 92% as compared to the amount previously announced. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the total number of cases in the past three years involving announcements of incorrect or misleading price sensitive information by companies listed in Hong Kong with subsequent amendments made; the investigations carried out by the authorities in respect of these cases and the number of cases in which the listed companies concerned were penalized or prosecuted by monitoring bodies;

    (b)whether it has assessed the impact of the above cases on the reputation of Hong Kong as an international financial centre as well as the interests of investors; if it has, of the assessment results; and

    (c)how it will prevent the recurrence of similar cases and whether it will consider amending the relevant legislation, with a view to strengthening controls (such as imposing heavier penalties, introducing a fine system and allowing investors to claim compensation) and providing for "the investors' right of derivative action", so as to allow minority shareholders to take legal actions on behalf of listed companies against the management and defaulters concerned?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

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

It has been reported that, in recent months, the Government is expediting the study on implementing central slaughtering of poultry in Hong Kong. Regarding central slaughtering of poultry and its impact on the poultry farming, wholesaling and retailing trades, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)whether it has abolished the plan to set up a regional poultry abattoir in the Western Wholesale Food Market; if so, of the reasons for that; if not, why it has proceeded to study the implementation of central slaughtering before the outcome of the regional poultry abattoir pilot scheme is available;

    (b)whether it has set a timetable for the total ban on the trades engaged in the sale of live poultry; if it has, when the sale of live chickens will be totally banned, and whether it has set a timetable for closing down all chicken farms; and

    (c)given that the authorities have indicated that they will only enforce a mandatory ban on the whole live poultry industry if two or more cases of avian influenza have been found in poultry farms, wholesale markets or retail markets, of the reasons for expediting now the study on the proposal regarding central slaughtering of poultry, and whether or not they will, before deciding whether to implement central slaughtering, assess its impact; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food

3. Hon Martin LEE to ask: (Translation)

When attending a radio programme last month, the Chief Executive ("CE") said that while it was provided in the Basic Law that the legislature had the function of monitoring the Executive Authorities, he "hoped that its monitoring would not overstep the line and become a case of acting primarily out of political rather than practical considerations". In reply to a question last month on CE's above remarks, the Administration did not provide any specific example to show that this Council, in monitoring the Government's operation, had acted ultra vires and primarily out of political considerations. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:
    (a)the specific meaning of the expression "overstep the line" used by CE; and

    (b)the specific examples which show that the Legislative Council, in monitoring the Government's operation, has "overstepped the line" and gone beyond the functions conferred on it by the Basic Law?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Constitutional Affairs

4. Hon Emily LAU to ask: (Translation)

On the 9th of last month, the Court of First Instance of the High Court ruled that the Law Enforcement (Covert Surveillance Procedures) Order, made by the Chief Executive on 30 July last year, was inconsistent with the provisions of Article 30 of the Basic Law, and that section 33 of the Telecommunications Ordinance was also inconsistent with the relevant provisions of the Basic Law and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. However, the court suspended the above judgement for six months to avoid a legal vacuum arising before new legislation was put in place. The authorities indicated that they would expedite the enactment of the new legislation on interception of communications and covert surveillance. In this connection, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council:
    (a)of the respective numbers of interception of communications and covert surveillance operations carried out by each law enforcement agency last year;

    (b)whether they plan to consult the public in the form of a white bill; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (c)whether they have assessed if the legality of the interception of communications and covert surveillance operations by law enforcement agencies will again be subject to legal challenges prior to the enactment of the new legislation; if an assessment has been made, of the results?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

5. Hon CHAN Kam-lam to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the respective current numbers of squatter huts in the territory and residents therein;

    (b)whether it plans to clear all squatter huts in Hong Kong; if so, of the details of the clearance timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (c)whether it plans to conduct a comprehensive review of the existing policy on squatter control?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands

6. Hon TAM Heung-man to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the monitoring of travel agents, will the Government inform this Council whether:
    (a)current legislation requires travel agents to take out indemnity insurance; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (b)the authorities will stipulate that the licensee of a travel agent wound up by court order shall not act as a licensee within a certain period of time, so as to avoid travel agents evading their responsibilities to pay compensation by closing down their businesses; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (c)the authorities will stipulate that the licensee of a travel agent shall have certain experience in the management and operation of a travel agent and shall undergo continuing professional education on a regular basis, in order to improve the quality of tourism services; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Economic Development and Labour

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

Some residents of Hoi Lai Estate in Lai Chi Kok complained to me about the frequent emission of stenches from the nearby West Kowloon Refuse Transfer Station ("WKTS"). Despite some photos provided by a staff member of the WKTS operator showing the deplorable environment inside WKTS, the Environmental Protection Department ("EPD") has claimed that it is an isolated case only. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the number of complaints about environmental nuisances caused by refuse transfer stations ("RTSs") received by EPD in each of the past three years, together with a breakdown by the subject matter of the complaints; the number of complaints about which investigation was completed each year in the same period, and the respective numbers of them which were found substantiated or otherwise, as well as the justifications for finding the complaints unsubstantiated;

    (b)whether EPD has issued to RTS operators guidelines on how to prevent causing environmental nuisances, and of the mechanism in place to ensure RTS operators' compliance with these guidelines; and

    (c)of the standards adopted by EPD for determining the acceptable levels of environmental nuisances caused by RTSs; whether it has assessed if there is substantial discrepancy between such acceptable levels and the levels deemed acceptable by the residents, and whether these standards will be reviewed?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

*8. Dr Hon YEUNG Sum to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the implementation of the measures proposed by the Government in mid-2001 to enhance the role and functions of the District Councils ("DCs"), will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the details of the suggestions put forward by each DC over the past three years regarding the use and management of district leisure facilities (such as games halls and swimming pools) as well as district municipal facilities and services; the respective numbers of such suggestions that were accepted and rejected by the relevant government departments and the reasons for rejection;

    (b)of the numbers of times government departments in various districts invited, over the past three years, the relevant DCs to comment on the performance and standards of municipal services provided by private contractors in the districts concerned and the respective numbers of contractors whose contracts were renewed or discontinued by the authorities after considering DCs' comments;

    (c)among the Legislative Council Briefs issued by various government bureaux in the past three years, of the number of briefs whose electronic copies were provided to the DC secretariats for DC Members' information;

    (d)of the respective numbers of meetings that have been held, since the commencement of the office of DC members of the current term, by Directors of Bureaux and Heads of Government Departments with these DC members, as well as the numbers of DC meetings these government officials have attended;

    (e)among the existing Steering Committees for Rural Public Works and Urban Minor Works Projects and the 18 District teams, of the numbers of such committees/teams that are chaired by DC chairmen and DC members respectively;

    (f)of the number of members of the various consultative committees in each of the 18 districts of the territory, the percentages of DC members in the membership of the committees concerned, and the committees which are chaired by DC members; and

    (g)as the authorities have allocated an additional $12 million to the Home Affairs Department ("HAD") in 2001 to strengthen support to the DC secretariats and HAD's Works Section, of the details of the funds that have been spent so far?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

*9. Dr Hon Fernando CHEUNG to ask: (Translation)

The Social Welfare Department ("SWD") has indicated that a 24-hour emergency service is currently available to families facing crisis. Where outreaching service by a social worker outside office hours is required, the staff of SWD and those manning the telephone hotline can enlist support from SWD's social workers on the respective Child Abuse, Battered Spouse or Psychiatric Emergency duty rosters. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:
    (a)the details of the current operation of the above hotline (such as the number of social workers manning the hotline and their roster arrangements) and how it ensures that help-seekers are given assistance as soon as possible; and

    (b)the commencement date of the 24-hour emergency service and the number of cases handled by the authorities in each month of the past five years, with a breakdown by client's sex, age, district of residence and case type?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food

*10. Hon KWONG Chi-kin to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the storage, recovery and recycling of abandoned electronic products, and tightening the relevant import and export laws, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the number of pieces of land in Hong Kong which are used as storage sites for abandoned electronic products, together with the location of each site and the quantity stored therein;

    (b)of the environmental pollutions caused by these sites and the measures adopted by the Government to mitigate such pollutions;

    (c)of the progress of the Government's work in promoting the recovery and recycling of abandoned electronic products generated in Hong Kong;

    (d)of the number of persons prosecuted last year for illegally importing/exporting abandoned electronic products that contain harmful substances or have been contaminated; the number of persons convicted and the penalties imposed on them by the court; and

    (e)as some green groups have criticized that the current legislation governing the import and export of abandoned electronic products is too lax, whether the Government will consider tightening the relevant legislation in the light of the provisions of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal; if it will, of the details of the plan and the legislative timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

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

The Land (Compulsory Sale for Redevelopment) Ordinance (Cap. 545) stipulates that where a person owns not less than 90% of the undivided shares in a lot, he may make an application to the Lands Tribunal for the compulsory sale of the shares in the lot held by other owners for the purposes of the redevelopment of the lot. It is learnt that the Administration is considering a proposal to reduce the threshold to 80%, so as to further encourage participation of private developers in urban redevelopment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)as the Administration had stated when the Ordinance was enacted in 1998 that the threshold of 90% already struck a balance between the acceleration of urban redevelopment and the protection of interests of individual owners, of the rationale for proposing to reduce the threshold;

    (b)of the impact of reducing the threshold on the interests of individual owners and the extent of controversy which may arise from such a proposal; and

    (c)of the estimated annual increase in the number of redeveloped dilapidated buildings which will result from the reduction of the threshold?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands

*12. Hon Abraham SHEK to ask:

It has been reported that the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor ("the Corridor") is expected to open at the end of this year or early next year. The Government estimates that the Corridor will aggravate the traffic congestion on the already over-loaded Tuen Mun Road. Designed to relieve traffic congestion at the checkpoints in Lok Ma Chau, Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To, the Corridor will also increase the traffic flow in northwest New Territories, including Yuen Long and Tin Shui Wai. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)as the reconstruction of and improvement to Tuen Mun Road will only be completed in 2010-11, how the Transport Department will relieve the traffic congestion in northwest New Territories, which will be aggravated by the opening of the Corridor; and

    (b)whether the authorities will work with the operator of Route 3 to make special arrangements for diverting the traffic on Tuen Mun Road to Route 3, thereby reducing the traffic flow on Tuen Mun Road?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

*13. Hon Andrew CHENG to ask:

Will the Government inform this Council of the respective numbers of patients suffering from the diseases listed below who were discharged from various clusters of public hospitals in each of the last two financial years, as well as the relevant numbers of such discharges?

Hospital cluster

Disease
Hong Kong East Hong Kong West Kowloon Central Kowloon East Kowloon West New Territories East New Territories West Total
Alzheimer's disease







Cardiac diseases







Chronic lung disease







Diabetes mellitus







Epilepsy







Parkinson's disease







Rheumatic diseases







Spinal cord injury







Stroke







Total








Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food

*14. Hon CHEUNG Hok-ming to ask: (Translation)

It has been reported that the Government intends to lease out a total of three pieces of land in Tsing Yi South, Tuen Mun Area 49 and an area near to the Tai Po Industrial Estate to the logistics industry under short-term tenancies. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)when it will offer the above land for lease and how they are to be disposed (such as through open tender or by inviting applications from individual operators in the industry);

    (b)of the duration of the tenancies concerned;

    (c)given that the current traffic through the navigation waterway of the Rambler Channel is already very heavy, whether the logistics operations in the site in Tsing Yi South will involve sea or land transport; if sea transport will be involved, how the authorities will address the problem that such logistics operations will add to the traffic load of the navigation waterway; if land transport will be involved, whether the authorities have assessed if the existing supporting transport facilities in Tsing Yi can cope with such logistics operations; if they cannot cope, how such a problem can be resolved; and

    (d)given that the site in Tsing Yi South was originally one of the proposed sites for Container Terminal 10, whether the project to build the terminal will be advanced or postponed as a result of the site being earmarked by the authorities for logistics purposes, and when the site for the terminal will be finalized?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Economic Development and Labour

*15. Dr Hon Joseph LEE Kok-long to ask: (Translation)

On assisting students with special educational needs ("SEN") (including special learning difficulties ("SLD")), will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the number of students identified as having SLD by the Department of Health in each of the past five years; how the authorities assist and support such students in overcoming learning difficulties, and whether they have regularly conducted assessment for them and understood about their rehabilitation progress;

    (b)whether the Education and Manpower Bureau ("EMB") has assessed the resources required for implementing support measures for students with SLD in primary and secondary schools; and

    (c)of the reasons for EMB's implementing in primary schools from 2003 onwards a pilot scheme under a new funding mode in order to provide funding to assist students with SEN, but not in secondary schools?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

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

In the wake of the serious traffic congestion in Kowloon on May 9 last year, a task force was set up to review and recommend measures to enhance the emergency transport coordination framework. In its report submitted to the authorities in July last year, the task force mapped out 56 recommendations for better traffic management, many of which related to enhancing application of information technology ("IT"). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the task force's recommendations which have been in force, are in the pipeline, or will be implemented shortly; the anticipated timeframe for the implementation of all the recommendations; and

    (b)whether it has other IT application projects to improve the traffic management; if so, of the details of such projects and the implementation schedule?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

*17. Dr Hon KWOK Ka-ki to ask: (Translation)

Regarding fund-raising campaigns organized by tertiary institutions and their reciprocating their donors, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:
    (a)in respect of the past three years, the names, duties, terms of office and conditions of employment (including the amounts of salaries and allowances) of senior advisers, Vice-chancellor's advisers, public relations staff or external/publicity affairs staff responsible for promoting a philanthropic culture and organizing fund-raising activities in various tertiary institutions, and the details of the expenditure of various institutions on promoting and publicizing fund-raising activities;

    (b)the names of persons or organizations that have made donations to various tertiary institutions over the past three years, the amounts of donations and the ways to acknowledge the donors, broken down by institution, and the mechanism and criteria adopted by various institutions for determining the ways to acknowledge the donations;

    (c)the mechanism used by the University Grants Committee ("UGC") to monitor the fund-raising strategies of various institutions, the practice of naming institutions, subsidiary faculties and departments, professorships, research institutes, research funds and buildings after the relevant benefactors, and the actual uses of the donations, and whether UGC has assessed if the naming practice is legal and in the public interest; and

    (d)as the naming of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong ("HKU") has aroused public debate, whether UGC will urge the senior management of HKU, including the Vice-chancellor, his special advisers and deans of faculties, to enhance accountability, respond to the voices of opposition in the community and explain its naming mechanism publicly, and whether UGC will study and formulate a set of comprehensive mechanism, guidelines, procedures and principles for raising funds, with a view to addressing the issues surrounding the naming of HKU's Faculty of Medicine and assisting various institutions in promoting a philanthropic culture?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*18. Hon Frederick FUNG to ask: (Translation)

The Hospital Authority ("HA") continuously recorded deficits in the past four financial years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the basis and criteria adopted for the allocating funds to HA each year, and how the amount of funds is arrived at; whether the amount of funds is adjusted in response to changes in demand for various health care services; if so, why HA still runs into deficit and there is a shortfall in the provision of certain health care services (e.g. out-patient service); if not, how the Government ensures that its funding policy takes, as the primary factor, the maintenance of the standards of public health care service and not controlling the overall health care expenditure within a certain level; and

    (b)whether it has assessed if the persistent book deficit recorded in HA's financial account will give the public the wrong impression that HA is being mismanaged and fees and charges for public health care services are too low, thus leading them to support any future proposals for increasing fees and charges for public health care services?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food

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

Nuisances are frequently caused by estate agents to residents in such districts as Tung Chung, Tsuen Wan and Sham Shui Po. Some estate agents often promote first-sale properties at walkway ends in these districts, causing inconvenience to passers-by, and many of them even stop vehicles on the roads, tapping on their windows to attract the attention of the people inside, hence jeopardizing the safety of road users. Moreover, conflicts have arisen among estate agents in their scramble for clients in public places, causing disturbance to public peace and order. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the number of complaints received by the authorities in each of the past three years about the nuisances caused by estate agents to local residents in their promotion of properties on the streets; and

    (b)whether it plans to step up the regulation of estate agents' sales promotion practices in public places, such as including additional conditions in the estate agent's licence to regulate on-street promotion activities by estate agents, so as to minimize their nuisances to the public; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands

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

On curbing the proliferation of Mikania micrantha, a climbing plant also known as "the plant killer", will the Government inform this Council:
    (a)of the locations and total area of the land where Mikania micrantha proliferated last year; and the respective areas of land covered by Mikania micrantha within the jurisdiction of various departments at present;

    (b)whether the relevant departments have designated staff to remove the Mikania micrantha growing in the areas within their jurisdiction; if so, of the current number of such staff in each department, and the respective areas of land in which Mikania micrantha is usually removed each month; if not, the reasons for that;

    (c)whether Mikania micrantha removal operations were conducted on lands within the jurisdiction of the Lands Department and the Highways Department over the past three years; if so, of the number of such operations and the area of land covered each year; if not, the reasons for that;

    (d)whether the authorities have conducted Mikania micrantha removal operations on private lands over the past three years; if so, of the number of such operations and the area of land covered each year; if not, the reasons for that, and how it will prevent damage caused by Mikania micrantha to the trees on such lands;

    (e)as it indicated at the end of 2004 that it would consider using extensively the herbicide "Sulfometuron-methyl" to kill Mikania micrantha, of the current position on the use of such herbicide to remove Mikania micrantha; and

    (f)whether it has explored alternatives to curb the proliferation of Mikania micrantha; if it has, of the outcome?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works

*For written reply.

III. Bills

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

1.Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Bill :Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works
2.Revenue (Profits Tax Exemption for Offshore Funds) Bill 2005 :Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

IV. Motions

  1. Proposed resolution under the Public Bus Services Ordinance

    Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works to move the following motion:

    Resolved that the franchise granted on 10 January 2006 under section 5 of the Public Bus Services Ordinance (Cap. 230) conferring the right on Citybus Limited（城巴有限公司）to operate a public bus service on the following routes shall not, for the entire period of the franchise, be subject to sections 27, 28, 29 and 31 of that Ordinance -

    (a)the routes specified in the appropriate Schedule of Routes order from time to time in force in respect of the company under section 5(1) of that Ordinance; and

    (b)the routes specified in any notices under sections 14 and 15 of that Ordinance.

  2. Proposed resolution under the Public Bus Services Ordinance

    Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works to move the following motion:

    Resolved that the franchise granted on 10 January 2006 under section 5 of the Public Bus Services Ordinance (Cap. 230) conferring the right on New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited （新大嶼山巴士(1973)有限公司） to operate a public bus service on the following routes shall not, for the entire period of the franchise, be subject to sections 27, 28, 29 and 31 of that Ordinance -

    (a)the routes specified in the appropriate Schedule of Routes order from time to time in force in respect of the company under section 5(1) of that Ordinance; and

    (b)the routes specified in any notices under sections 14 and 15 of that Ordinance.

  3. Proposed resolution under the Public Bus Services Ordinance

    Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works to move the following motion:

    Resolved that the franchise granted on 10 January 2006 under section 5 of the Public Bus Services Ordinance (Cap. 230) conferring the right on The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited（九龍巴士(一九三三)有限公司）to operate a public bus service on the following routes shall not, for the entire period of the franchise, be subject to sections 27, 28, 29 and 31 of that Ordinance -

    (a)the routes specified in the appropriate Schedule of Routes order from time to time in force in respect of the company under section 5(1) of that Ordinance; and

    (b)the routes specified in any notices under sections 14 and 15 of that Ordinance.

  4. Proposed resolution under the Public Finance Ordinance

    Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury to move the motion in the Appendix.

V. Members' Motions

  1. Implementing the recommendations of the United Nations Human Rights Committee

    Hon Emily LAU: (Translation)

    That, noting that the United Nations Human Rights Committee will hold a hearing on 20 March this year to consider the Second Report on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China in the light of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights submitted last year, this Council urges the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to implement the recommendations that have been and will be made by the Committee.

    Amendment to motion
    Hon Tommy CHEUNG:     (Translation)

    To add ", having regard to the actual situation in Hong Kong" after "will be made by the Committee".

    Public Officers to attend :Secretary for Home Affairs
    Secretary for Constitutional Affairs
    Secretary for Security

  2. Development planning for Lantau

    Hon CHEUNG Hok-ming: (Translation)

    That, given the slow progress of work since the Government drew up the Concept Plan for Lantau in 2004, this Council urges the Government to expedite the planning study on Lantau and, provided that nature conservation and preservation of historical and cultural heritage are taken into consideration, to expeditiously put the following development directions into effect:

    (a)developing in the area theme tour routes which have historical and cultural value and ecological characteristics and which complement existing recreational facilities, so as to develop Lantau into a quality tourism area;

    (b)in line with the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and other infrastructural facilities, creating favourable conditions for developing new economic activities in the area; and

    (c)completing, as soon as possible, the feasibility study on the construction of a logistics park on Lantau.

    Amendments to motion
    (i)Hon LEUNG Yiu-chung: (Translation)

    To delete ", given the slow progress of work since the Government drew up the Concept Plan for Lantau in 2004," after "That"; to delete "to expedite the planning study on Lantau and" after "this Council urges the Government" and substitute with ", in considering the development planning for Lantau, to put the following directions into effect"; to delete ", to expeditiously put the following development directions into effect" after "taken into consideration"; to delete "in line with the construction of" after "(b)" and substitute with "the plans to construct"; to delete ", creating favourable conditions for developing new economic activities in the area; and" after "other infrastructural facilities" and substitute with "should be implemented only after they have gone through strict environmental impact assessments and secured extensive support from the local residents affected;"; and to add "; (d) expeditiously building a hospital on Lantau; and providing arts, recreational and sports facilities in Tung Chung; and (e) shelving the plan for further reclamation in Tung Chung; and restricting the number of high-rise buildings in the district, so as to alleviate the deteriorating air pollution problem there" after "logistics park on Lantau".

    (ii)Dr Hon KWOK Ka-ki: (Translation)

    To delete "slow progress of work" after "That, given the" and substitute with "diverse views and grave concern expressed by the public"; to add "and commenced public consultation" after "Concept Plan for Lantau"; to delete "expedite" after "this Council urges the Government to" and substitute with "allow public participation in"; to delete "provided that" after "the planning study on Lantau and," and substitute with "in line with the principles of minimum reclamation,"; to delete "are taken into consideration, to expeditiously" after "cultural heritage" and substitute with ", to"; to add "(a) expeditiously providing relevant community facilities (including hospitals, sports complexes and libraries) on Lantau, having regard to the needs of the local residents, the size of population and the characteristics of the local community; (b) perfecting and enhancing the country parks on Lantau;" after "development directions into effect:"; to delete the original "(a)" and substitute with "(c)"; to delete "tourism area" after "develop Lantau into a quality" and substitute with "eco-tourism area for the enjoyment of all Hong Kong people"; to delete the original "(b)" and substitute with "(d)"; to delete "in line with" before "the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge" and substitute with "conducting environmental impact assessments regarding"; to delete "," after "other infrastructural facilities" and substitute with "; providing suitable complementary facilities to minimize the adverse impacts of the construction on the local environment; and"; to delete the original "(c)" and substitute with "(e)"; and to delete "completing, as soon as possible," before "the feasibility study" and substitute with "including the conduct of an environmental impact assessment and extensive public consultation in".

    (iii)Hon LEE Wing-tat: (Translation)

    To add ", give an account of the work progress" after "the planning study on Lantau"; to add "; and submitting a concrete proposal for implementing the original planning intention of retaining Lantau South as a conservation area" after "a quality tourism area"; to delete "feasibility study on" after "as soon as possible, the" and substitute with "environmental impact assessments, feasibility studies and demand assessments regarding"; to add "the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and relevant road links as well as" before "a logistics park on Lantau" and to add ", and publishing the results of such assessments and studies" thereafter.

    Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Housing, Planning and Lands

Clerk to the Legislative Council