A 16/17-23
Legislative Council
Agenda
Wednesday 17 May 2017 at 11:00 am
I. Tabling of Papers
| Subsidiary Legislation / Instruments | L.N. No. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Financial Institutions (Resolution) (Protected Arrangements) Regulation | 76/2017 |
| 2. | Financial Institutions (Resolution) Ordinance (Commencement) Notice 2017 | 77/2017 |
| 3. | Employees Retraining Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 2) (No. 2) Notice 2017 | 78/2017 |
Other Papers
| 1. | No. 96 | - | Research Endowment Fund Financial statements and Report of the Director of Audit for the year ended 31 August 2016 |
| (to be presented by Secretary for Education)
| |||
| 2. | No. 97 | - | Securities and Futures Commission Approved budget of income and expenditure for the financial year 2017/2018 |
| (to be presented by Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury)
| |||
| 3. | Report of the Bills Committee on Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2017 | ||
| (to be presented by Hon IP Kin-yuen, member of the Bills Committee) | |||
II. Questions for Written Replies
1. Hon CHEUNG Kwok-kwan to ask: (Translation)
In recent years, there have been voices in society calling for the abolition of the Primary Three Territory-wide System Assessment ("TSA") because some schools over-drilled their students in the hope that the students would get good scores in the assessment. Last year, after making improvements to TSA (including adjusting the design of assessment papers and questions) in accordance with the recommendations of a committee, the Education Bureau ("EDB") invited 50 schools to participate in a tryout for the Basic Competency Assessment Research Study ("BCA"). In view of the positive feedback on the tryout, EDB extended BCA to all primary schools in the territory this month. However, some parents request EDB to shelve BCA as they are still worried that schools will drill students. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the current total number of schools which have expressly indicated that they are not participating in BCA; the percentage of that number in the total number of schools in the territory; the follow-up actions taken by EDB in respect of those schools which have expressly indicated their non-participation, and whether EDB has plans to, as far as possible, persuade them to participate; (2) given that EDB has appealed for a number of times to schools not to drill students in preparation for BCA, of the specific measures, other than making those appeals, put in place by EDB to ensure that schools will not drill their students; how EDB handles complaints about schools drilling students; and (3) whether EDB will, upon the completion of BCA of this school year, carry out the relevant analysis and study to assess the effectiveness of BCA and determine its future direction; if EDB will, when it will commence and complete such work, and whether it will compose a detailed report on the analysis and study outcome; if EDB will, whether it will publish the report and table it in this Council?
2. Hon LEUNG Kwok-hung to ask: (Translation)
Quite a number of members of the public have complained to me that subsidized housing has been persistently in short supply, leaving them no choice but to live in rented private residential units and pay high rents while waiting for allocation of such housing. Despite the implementation of a series of demand-side management measures by the Government targeting the residential property market in recent years, residential property prices have repeatedly hit record high and, like a rising tide that lifts all boats, the rents have also risen incessantly. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective expected numbers of public rental housing estates and Home Ownership Scheme courts which will be ready for intake in the coming nine months, and set out in a table the names of the housing estates and courts, the districts in which they are located, the numbers of flats to be provided and intake dates; (2) whether it will introduce new demand-side management measures in the coming six months to bring down residential property prices and rents; if so, of the details; if not, how the authorities address the public demand for housing; and (3) given the current short supply of subsidized housing, whether the authorities will consider afresh implementing a rent control scheme; if so, of the implementation timetable; if not, what more effective measures the authorities have in place to alleviate the rent burden on the public?
3. Hon LUK Chung-hung to ask: (Translation)
In 2014, the Government established the Maritime and Aviation Training Fund ("the Fund") with an allocation of $100 million to subsidize young students and working persons to receive relevant technical training and undertake professional degree programmes and join the maritime and aviation industries. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has assessed the manpower supply and demand situations of the maritime and aviation industries in each of the past five years and coming five years; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (2) of the respective numbers of students and working persons subsidized by the Fund each year since the establishment of the Fund, and among them, the respective numbers of those who were employed by the maritime and aviation industries upon completion of the relevant programmes or the relevant training, with a breakdown by post; (3) of the measures currently implemented by the authorities for the purpose of nurturing talents for the maritime and aviation industries through the Fund; and (4) whether it will adopt measures to encourage employers of the maritime and aviation industries to employ those persons who have been subsidized by the Fund, for example, making it mandatory that a certain number of crew members employed to work on a ship registered in Hong Kong must be locally trained, in order to safeguard the employment opportunities of local talents; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
4. Hon Christopher CHEUNG to ask: (Translation)
In March this year, the Premier of the State Council stated in the Report on the Work of the Government that "[w]e will promote closer cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong and Macao. We will draw up a plan for the development of a city cluster in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, give full play to the distinctive strengths of Hong Kong and Macao, and elevate their positions and roles in China's economic development and opening up". The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Big Bay Area ("Big Bay Area") covers 11 cities, including Hong Kong and Macao. In April this year, the Chief Executive led a delegation comprising a number of senior government officials, non-official members of the Executive Council and members of the Commission on Strategic Development and the Economic Development Commission to visit a number of Mainland cities in the Big Bay Area. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) as the authorities have indicated that they will promote cooperation in the Big Bay Area under the principles of "complementarity and mutual benefits", and will conduct research on Hong Kong's role in the Big Bay Area, of the specific direction and objectives of the research; how the authorities will facilitate the industries where Hong Kong enjoys clear advantages, in particular the finance industry and the financial services industry, to play a leading role in the economic development of the Big Bay Area, and how they will, through the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, enable the various relevant industries in Hong Kong to play an important role and make contributions in the Big Bay Area; (2) whether it will, based on the findings of the relevant research and visits, formulate specific policies, measures and timetables, including measures for implementing enhanced immigration and customs clearance arrangements, to foster tourism and commercial development with a view to laying a solid foundation for developing the Big Bay Area into a world-class tourist area in the long run; and (3) whether the current-term Government will, before the end of its term, arrange for Members of this Council to visit the Mainland cities in the Big Bay Area; as the Government has indicated that it will submit its views on the planning of the Big Bay Area to the National Development and Reform Commission before the end of June this year, whether the Government will consult the organizations or chambers of commerce of various relevant industries in Hong Kong before submitting the views; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
5. Hon Alice MAK to ask: (Translation)
Platforms for raising funds from and lending small loans to members of the public through the Internet ("crowdfunding and lending platforms") have become popular in recent years. However, some financial advisers have pointed out that investors participating in crowdfunding activities are exposed to considerable risks. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows the number of companies currently operating local crowdfunding and lending platforms, and the number of complaints received by the authorities in the past three years concerning crowdfunding activities, with a breakdown by type of complaints; (2) how the current legislation regulates the fundraising and lending activities conducted through crowdfunding and lending platforms; (3) as some financial advisers have pointed out that investors provide funds through such platforms, which in turn lend the funds to borrowers, whether the authorities will, to avoid such investors breaching the law inadvertently, clarify if such investors are regarded as money lenders under the Money Lenders Ordinance (Cap. 163) and therefore are required to obtain money lender licences; and (4) whether the authorities will conduct public education activities on the risks faced by investors participating in crowdfunding activities; if so, of the details?
6. Hon Jimmy NG to ask: (Translation)
According to "Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030" published by the Government in December last year, Lantau Island will become the focal point of Hong Kong's future development. Moreover, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge ("HZMB"), upon its commissioning , will link up Lantau Island and other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Big Bay Area ("Big Bay Area") which is under planning. As such, the industrial and commercial sectors have great concern for the economic development of Lantau Island as well as the opportunities to be brought about by the Big Bay Area. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that some Hong Kong people are worried that Hong Kong will lose its autonomy if it participates in the economic planning of the adjacent regions, but will be marginalized if it does not, whether the Government has consulted and lobbied the authorities of neighbouring cities on the planning of the Big Bay Area with a view to securing for Hong Kong a positioning which is conducive to its long-term development, and avoiding vicious competition between Hong Kong and its neighbouring cities; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (2) given that the Government has pointed out that Lantau Island will become the confluence of the Greater Pearl River Delta and the "double gateway" of Hong Kong, and some members of the commercial sector consider that the Big Bay Area is a brand and Lantau Island is the brand of brands possessing immense economic value, whether the Government will, having regard to the planning of the Big Bay Area and leveraging on the increasingly comprehensive and well connected transport network of Lantau Island, further revise the industry planning and market positioning of Lantau Island, such as developing high value-added logistics and storage industries and establishing a Hong Kong brand industrial park integrating manufacturing, retail and tourism industries; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (3) given that HZMB is scheduled for completion at the end of this year, and the Humen Second Bridge and the Shenzhen-Zhongshan estuary passage are expected to be commissioned in 2019 and 2023 respectively, and these three transport infrastructures, upon their commissioning, can boost the economy of Pearl River East, and such effect generated therefrom will radiate to Pearl River West, whether the Government has, in respect of these three infrastructures, conducted any integrated assessment on their daily throughputs, the economic benefits to be generated and the regional collaboration opportunities arising; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
7. Hon Abraham SHEK to ask:
The Chief Executive announced in the 2017 Policy Address that he had asked the authorities to explore the feasibility of allocating a small proportion of land on the periphery of country parks with relatively low ecological and public enjoyment value for other uses. Yet there are strong public views that given the existing substantial quantity of undeveloped and underdeveloped land, including brownfield sites in Hong Kong, the Government should accord priority to their development rather than jeopardizing our country parks, which are valuable natural resources. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the authorities' projections to date of the respective demands for commercial, residential and industrial floor areas for the next decade; (2) of the following details in respect of the sites covered by various statutory outline zoning plans ("OZPs") in the table below: (i) the number of undeveloped and/or underdeveloped sites, (ii) their total area, and (iii) the total gross floor area which may be developed, calculated on the basis of the development parameters set out in the respective OZPs and/or the Building (Planning) Regulations (Cap. 123 sub. leg. F); and
Undeveloped and/or underdeveloped sites (i) (ii) (iii) Sites currently zoned for "Commercial", "Residential" and/or "Industrial" uses Sites convertible to "Commercial", "Residential" and/or "Industrial" uses by approving planning applications made to the Town Planning Board (3) whether the authorities have any plan to prioritize and expedite the development of undeveloped and underdeveloped sites to meet the land demand through various means, including change of land use and/or lease modification; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
8. Hon YIU Si-wing to ask: (Translation)
The Chief Executive indicated in the 2017 Policy Address that "the Government will, from this year, organize Belt and Road promotional tours to countries with market potential, such as Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia and India, with a view to attracting film producers to come to Hong Kong for post-production and location filming and production facilitation services". Some members of the tourism industry have pointed out that producers of overseas movies and television dramas and programmes ("movie/TV works") conducting location filming in Hong Kong will help promote Hong Kong's scenery to overseas audiences, thus alluring them to tour Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows the details of the overseas movie/TV works which involved location filming in Hong Kong in each of the past five years, including (i) the titles of the works, (ii) the places where the works were produced, (iii) the countries/places where the works were distributed/broadcast and (iv) numbers of viewers (set out in a table); (2) of the assistance provided by the authorities to the producers of the movie/TV works mentioned in (1), and the public expenditure involved; (3) given that in recent years, the filming locations in Taiwan, South Korea and New Zealand of some popular movie/TV works have been developed into tourist attractions, whether the authorities have examined the factors contributing to the success of those examples, and taken the initiative to communicate with the authorities of the relevant countries/places to learn from their experience so as to step up Hong Kong's efforts in this respect; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (4) whether the authorities have drawn up any specific work plans for the coming three years to attract more producers of overseas movie/TV works to conduct location filming in Hong Kong, with a view to promoting Hong Kong's tourism industry; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
9. Hon SHIU Ka-fai to ask: (Translation)
Regarding the long-term development of Hong Kong's retail industry, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the total floor area of the retail shops in Hong Kong in each of the past 15 years, with a breakdown by the capacity (i.e. private entities, the Hong Kong Housing Authority and the Hong Kong Housing Society) of the owners of the properties where the shops were located; (2) of the projected total floor area of the retail shops in Hong Kong in each of the coming 10 years, with a breakdown by the capacity (i.e. private entities, the Hong Kong Housing Authority and the Hong Kong Housing Society) of the owners of the properties where the shops are located; (3) whether it assessed, in the past five years, the demand for floor areas of retail facilities and shops; if so, of the assessment method and outcome; (4) of the percentage of tourists' spending in Hong Kong in the value of total retail sales in each of the past five years (with a tabulated breakdown by major type of retailers); (5) given that the Planning Department conducted in 1996 and 2005 respectively the Review on Shopping Habits (which comprised surveys on households and retailers as well as structured meetings with major stakeholders) with a view to understanding the shopping habits of Hong Kong people and the perceived retail hierarchy, whether the authorities have plans to conduct such a review afresh to provide reference information for the long-term development of the retail industry; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (6) given that in announcing the outcome of the Review on Shopping Habits conducted in 2005, the authorities indicated that online shopping was not prevalent and was not expected to become popular in the future in Hong Kong, whether the authorities have plans to conduct in-depth studies on online shopping; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
10. Hon LAU Kwok-fan to ask: (Translation)
Regarding the services provided by the public libraries ("libraries") under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department ("LCSD"), will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the average monthly (i) attendance figures and (ii) numbers of loans of books and other materials of various libraries last year, with a breakdown by the District Council districts in which the libraries are located and type of libraries (i.e. major, district and small libraries); (2) of the reasons why the current opening hours of small libraries are only 56 hours per week at the most; whether LCSD will extend the service hours of those small libraries with higher utilization rates (e.g. Fanling South Public Library); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (3) given that some residents have relayed to me that the computer workstations at the Fanling South Public Library are not installed with word processing software for use by the public, of the current number of computer workstations for use by the public at various libraries which are installed with word processing software, and whether LCSD will consider installing such software in all computer workstations; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (4) given that LCSD has currently installed a total of 12 book drop boxes in three major MTR interchange stations (i.e. Central, Nam Cheong and Kowloon Tong stations) only, whether LCSD will install book drop boxes in other MTR stations for the convenience of the public; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
11. Hon Michael TIEN to ask: (Translation)
Some teachers' associations have relayed to me that the remuneration package for English teachers appointed under the Native-speaking English Teacher ("NET") Scheme should be reviewed. For instance, the medical allowance provided for NETs (i.e. a single appointee and a married appointee may be reimbursed up to $1,400 and $5,400 per year respectively for taking out medical insurance) has not been adjusted since it was set in 1997, and such amounts are insufficient to cover related expenses nowadays. On the other hand, at the meeting of the Panel on Education of this Council held on 14 December 2015, officials from the Education Bureau ("EDB") indicated that EDB was studying the feasibility of providing an additional NET for public-sector primary schools with a greater number of classes and would design a pilot plan based on the study findings. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the latest progress of the study conducted by EDB on providing an additional NET for public-sector primary schools with a greater number of classes; (2) of the respective percentages of retention and attrition of NETs in public-sector primary and secondary schools in each of the past three school years; (3) whether it has studied the relationship between the remuneration package for NETs and their decisions to stay on or leave the service; if so, of the details; if not, whether it will conduct such a study; and (4) whether it has plans to review the remuneration package for NETs, including raising their medical allowance?
12. Hon WONG Ting-kwong to ask: (Translation)
It has been reported that as safe deposit boxes for rent in banks have been persistently in short supply in recent years, more and more non-bank institutions are engaged in safe deposit box business. However, some members of the public doubt whether it is safe and reliable for them to store their valuables in the safe deposit boxes provided by such institutions. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows (i) the total number and year-on-year rate of increase/decrease of bank deposit boxes, and (ii) the ratio of the total number of bank deposit boxes to the number of applicants for renting them, in each of the past five years, and set out the relevant figures by District Council district; (2) whether it knows (i) the current average waiting time for bank deposit boxes and (ii) the reasons for the persistent short supply of them; (3) whether the authorities will study the provision of incentives or assistance to encourage banks to provide more safe deposit boxes for rent by the public, e.g. encouraging banks to provide safe deposit boxes in buildings which are conveniently accessible by transport and in compliance with the relevant requirements; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (4) whether it knows the total number of safe deposit boxes currently provided by non-bank institutions; and (5) how the authorities currently regulate the safe deposit box business operated by non-bank institutions to protect the rights of renters, including whether they have stipulated the circumstances under which such institutions will be held responsible for the loss suffered by renters; whether they have assessed if the protection currently afforded to such renters is adequate; if they have assessed, of the details?
13. Dr Hon Priscilla LEUNG to ask: (Translation)
The Hong Kong Housing Authority ("HA") has adopted since 1988 a single-operator arrangement for letting markets in public rental housing ("PRH") estates, under which a single tenancy for a market is awarded to an operator, who will be responsible for the management of the whole market, including subletting market stalls to individual stall operators. All markets in PRH estates completed from 1997 onwards have been let under the single-operator arrangement. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of newly completed markets in PRH estates that will be let under the single-operator arrangement in the coming five years; (2) given that some single operators calculate the rents payable by individual stall operators according to the operation modes of different trades and the business turnover of the stalls, whether HA will include a provision in new contracts for single-operator markets to specify the maximum rent levels that single operators may charge stall operators; (3) whether HA has currently put in place any mechanism to monitor the quality of single operators' management of markets and rate of increase in rents that stall operators are charged; if so, of the effectiveness of the mechanism; if not, the reasons for that; (4) whether HA has currently put in place any mechanism or set up any committee to handle complaints lodged by stall operators against single operators; and (5) whether HA will take over the management of a market which has been let to a single operator when most of the stall operators of the market have closed down their business due to their inability to afford the rents, so as to ensure that such markets will continue to serve the residents in the neighborhood; if HA will not, what HA will do to meet the residents' shopping needs?
14. Hon CHAN Kin-por to ask: (Translation)
The first four months of this year already saw 11 fatal industrial accidents, and this number is higher than that (i.e. nine cases) in the first half of last year. Regarding industrial accidents, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of fatal industrial accidents in each of the past five years, together with a breakdown by cause of accident (such as excessive fatigue of employees arising from meeting tight work schedule or insufficient manpower, employees lacking relevant training, and a lack of safety equipment in workplace); (2) of the manpower establishment of the Task Force on Improving Work Injury Protection for Employees in High-risk Industries which was set up by the Government in February last year, as well as the measures recommended by the Task Force which have been implemented and the effectiveness of such measures; (3) of the respective numbers of prosecutions instituted in each of the past five years against employers for holding them liable for industrial accidents and, among such cases, those in which the employers were convicted, as well as the penalties imposed in general and the highest penalties imposed; and (4) whether the Government will consider increasing the penalty for employers who have been held liable for industrial accidents, such as disqualifying those contractors who have been involved in serious industrial accidents from, or suspending their eligibility for, bidding for public works contracts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
15. Hon MA Fung-kwok to ask: (Translation)
At present, Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism are the major religions in Hong Kong. Confucianism advocates the teachings and ideology of Confucius. The Chief Executive said in 2014 that Confucius, being referred to as "the model teacher for ten thousand ages", had far-reaching influence upon Chinese history and society, and it was worth the efforts to disseminate and promote the five virtues of "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and integrity" advocated by Confucius, which were the core values of the Chinese nation. The Government has endorsed the third Sunday of September as "Confucian Day" since 2014. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that a Confucian leader has proposed to make "Confucian Day" an additional general holiday each year, to be offset by deleting "Easter Monday" so as to make the total number of days of general holidays each year unchanged, and it is learnt that such proposal is supported by the leaders of the other five major religions, whether the authorities will consider such proposal and conduct a public consultation exercise accordingly, so as to collect public views and seek a consensus in society in this respect; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (2) of the measures in place to promote Confucian ideology and values?
16. Hon LAM Cheuk-ting to ask: (Translation)
On the 25th of last month, the window of a saloon car for use by the Secretary for Development was smashed and a briefcase inside the car compartment which belonged to the Secretary (containing a tablet computer and a batch of government documents) was stolen while the car was parked at the Hong Kong Science Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui. The authorities subsequently issued a statement that the Development Bureau, after learning about the incident, had forthwith halted the operation of the stolen tablet computer through remote control, and that the stolen documents did not contain personal data of the public. However, some members of the public are worried about lawbreakers exploiting for benefits the confidential or business sensitive information (e.g. Executive Council papers or land planning information) contained in the stolen documents. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) among the stolen documents, of the respective numbers of those classified as (i) top secret, (ii) secret, (iii) confidential and (iv) restricted, as well as the number of those containing business sensitive information about land planning, etc.; (2) whether the stolen tablet computer has been installed with any email software for handling official business; of the respective numbers of documents stored in the tablet computer which have been classified as (i) top secret, (ii) secret, (iii) confidential and (iv) restricted, as well as the number of those containing business sensitive information about land planning, etc.; (3) whether it has investigated if, in this theft case, the placing of the briefcase in the compartment of an unattended saloon car by the government official concerned has violated the relevant information technology security guidelines; if it has investigated, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (4) whether the authorities will revise the relevant guidelines and take improvement measures to prevent the recurrence of similar kind of incidents; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
17. Hon CHAN Han-pan to ask: (Translation)
The Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link ("XRL") is expected to be commissioned in the third quarter of next year, and will be operated by the MTR Corporation Limited ("MTRCL") under a service concession approach. It has been reported earlier that the Government has not yet commenced discussions with MTRCL on the operation of XRL, and the management of MTRCL is worried that there may not be sufficient time for it to carry out the preparatory work for the commissioning of XRL (such as staff recruitment). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the time it plans to hold discussions with MTRCL on the operation of XRL; the terms of service concession, other than service concession payments, to be included in the contents of the discussions; (2) whether it has assessed the time needed by MTRCL for preparing for the commissioning of XRL; if so, of the outcome; and (3) whether it has formulated criteria for determining the XRL fees; if so, of the publication date of the criteria; whether such criteria involve the pegging of XRL fees to service concession payments?
18. Hon Steven HO to ask: (Translation)
Since 2007, the authorities have implemented new surveillance measures in respect of live pigs for slaughter ("the 2007 new surveillance measures"), under which urine samples are collected from live pigs for conducting rapid tests on veterinary drug residues, and before the test results are available, pig buying agents are allowed to bid for the pigs and transfer the pigs to waiting/holding lairages for slaughtering. In early August 2016, when 40 pigs were detected to have residues of veterinary drug beta-agonists (Salbutamol) (commonly known as "asthma drug"), they had already been slaughtered and released to the market. Although the authorities had implemented improvement measures after the incident ("the 2016 improvement measures"), some farmers are still worried that the improvement measures cannot ensure food safety and protect the rights and interests of pig buying agents. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the detailed process of veterinary drug residues testing, auctioning and slaughtering of live pigs during the following three periods of time (set out in a table): (i) before the implementation of the 2007 new surveillance measures, (ii) after the implementation of the 2007 new surveillance measures and before the implementation of the 2016 improvement measures, and (iii) since the implementation of the 2016 improvement measures; (2) of the number of cases in which urine samples of live pigs failed to pass the veterinary drug residues test since the introduction of the test in 2001; among them, the respective numbers of cases in which (i) the places of origin of the problematic live pigs were identified, (ii) the persons concerned were prosecuted, and (iii) the persons concerned were convicted, and the penalties imposed on them in general; (3) as some farmers have pointed out that quite a number of problems are found in the existing system (including: (i) since live pigs are auctioned and mixed together in waiting lairages before the results of the veterinary drug residues test of their urine samples are available, such test results may not be admitted as evidence in the relevant prosecutions, and (ii) when some urine samples of live pigs fail to pass the veterinary drug residues test, the slaughter or retail processes concerned have to be suspended to wait for the authorities to contact hundreds of stakeholders and screen out the problematic pigs or their carcasses from several thousand pigs, resulting in considerable delays in the supply of live pigs), how the authorities will enhance the existing system to protect the rights and interests of pig buying agents and the public as well as reducing the impact on various parties when problems arise; and (4) as some retailers have pointed out that in the aforesaid incident in August last year, the authorities announced a list of 27 retail outlets involved right after learning about the test results, but 16 retail outlets of which were subsequently found to be unrelated to the selling of any products of the problematic pigs, whether the authorities have learnt a lesson and will ensure the accuracy of the information released so as to prevent innocent retailers from suffering losses; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
19. Hon HO Kai-ming to ask: (Translation)
The Government, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation ("HKSTPC"), has been actively promoting re-industrialization in recent years, and it revised the Industrial Estate ("IE") policy in 2015 so as to make more efficient use of the lands in the three IEs under HKSTPC in order to support science, innovation and technology ("I&T") based industries. On the other hand, quite a number of Hong Kong manufacturers have planned in recent years to relocate the production lines of their non-I&T industries on the Mainland back to Hong Kong and intend to apply for admission to IEs. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows the current number of operating companies in each IE, with a breakdown by business type; (2) whether it knows, in respect of each IE in each of the past five years, (i) the utilization rate of the floor area, (ii) the floor area available for leasing, and (iii) the number of applications for admission received from non-I&T companies, with a breakdown by business type; (3) whether it knows if HKSTPC has plans to expand its IEs in the next five years; of the latest progress of the authorities' plan to develop new IEs near the Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point; (4) of the measures put in place by the authorities to facilitate the relocation of the production lines of non-I&T industries back to Hong Kong and their admission to IEs, and to support the development of such industries in Hong Kong; and (5) as there are views that building the brand of "Made in Hong Kong" as a guarantee of good quality products is conducive to promoting re-industrialization in Hong Kong, of the policies and measures put in place by the authorities for building the brand of "Made in Hong Kong" in the next three years, and how the authorities will assist in the building of brand images for locally made products?
20. Dr Hon YIU Chung-yim to ask: (Translation)
According to a paper submitted by the Airport Authority ("AA") to this Council, marine sand from the Pearl River Delta Region will be used for the reclamation works under the project of the expansion of the Hong Kong International Airport into a three-runway system ("3RS reclamation works"). However, it has been reported that the contractor concerned has failed to source sufficient marine sand for the reclamation works and therefore has switched to use mechanical sand (i.e. sand made by crushing rubbles with machines). Some environmental groups have pointed out that the large amount of fine particles contained in mechanical sand are difficult to settle and will therefore be suspended in the sea for a long period of time, causing an unacceptable level of pollution to the waters in the vicinity of the reclamation area. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows if AA has permitted the contractor of the 3RS reclamation works to wholly or partially switch to use mechanical sand for the reclamation works; if AA has, of the quantities of mechanical sand that has been and will be used as well as their respective percentages in the total quantity of sand needed for the reclamation works; (2) whether it knows the respective places of origin of the marine sand and mechanical sand currently used for the 3RS reclamation works; (3) whether the Environmental Protection Department ("EPD") knows that the contractor of the 3RS reclamation works has switched to use mechanical sand for the reclamation works; whether such practice (i) complies with the requirements set out in the relevant environmental permit and (ii) requires the approval of the Director of Environmental Protection; if approval is required, whether the Director has granted such approval; whether EPD has assessed the immediate and potential impacts of such practice on the environment; if so, of the outcome; and (4) of the manpower currently deployed by EPD to monitor the 3RS reclamation works; the number of site inspections, conducted by EPD officers from 1 January to 31 March this year, of the 3RS reclamation works?
III. Government Bills
| First Reading
Employment (Amendment) Bill 2017 Second Reading (Debate to be adjourned) | |||||||||||
| Employment (Amendment) Bill 2017 | : | Secretary for Labour and Welfare
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| Committee Stage and Third Reading
Stand over item (since the meeting of 26 April 2017) | |||||||||||
| 1. | Appropriation Bill 2017 | : | Financial Secretary
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| Amendments to Heads of Estimates in
committee of the whole Council on the Appropriation Bill 2017 | |||||||||||
| Hon Claudia MO, Dr Hon CHENG Chung-tai, Hon Jeremy TAM, Hon KWONG Chun-yu, Hon LAM Cheuk-ting, Hon James TO, Hon Andrew WAN, Dr Hon Helena WONG, Hon WU Chi-wai, Hon IP Kin-yuen, Hon HUI Chi-fung, Dr Hon YIU Chung-yim, Hon CHAN Chi-chuen, Dr Hon LAU Siu-lai, Dr Hon Fernando CHEUNG, Dr Hon KWOK Ka-ki, Hon LEUNG Kwok-hung, Hon SHIU Ka-chun, Hon Nathan LAW and Hon CHU Hoi-dick to move the Committee stage amendments in Appendix I.
(These amendments were also issued on 24 April 2017 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 490/16-17) (Debate and voting arrangements for the Appropriation Bill 2017 (issued on 25 April 2017 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 498/16-17) and Order of voting on the Committee stage amendments to the Appropriation Bill 2017 (issued on 15 May 2017 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 561/16-17)(same as Appendix II to the Script of Council meeting of 17 May 2017)) | |||||||||||
| Other Public Officers to attend the Committee stage | : | Chief Secretary for Administration Secretary for Justice Secretary for Transport and Housing Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Secretary for Security Secretary for Education Secretary for Food and Health Secretary for the Environment Secretary for Innovation and Technology Secretary for Home Affairs Secretary for the Civil Service Secretary for Labour and Welfare Secretary for Development Under Secretary for Home Affairs Under Secretary for the Environment Under Secretary for Transport and Housing Under Secretary for Security Under Secretary for Food and Health Under Secretary for Education Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology | |||||||||
| Stand over item (since the meeting on 12 and 13 April 2017)
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| 2. | Private Columbaria Bill | : | Secretary for Food and Health
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| (Debate and voting arrangements for Committee stage of the Private Columbaria Bill (issued on 11 April 2017 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 478/16-17(01)) (same as the Appendix to the Script of Council meeting of 12 and 13 April 2017))
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| Second Reading (Debate to resume), Committee Stage and Third Reading
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| Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2017 | : | Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury | |||||||||
IV. Government Motions
| Stand over items (since the meeting of 26 April 2017)
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| 1. | Proposed resolution under the Road Traffic Ordinance
Secretary for Transport and Housing to move the following motion: Resolved that the period for which the limit specified in the Road Traffic (Public Light Buses: Limit on Number) Notice 2016 (L.N. 101 of 2016) on the total number of vehicles that may be registered as public light buses remains in force, being 12 months beginning on 21 June 2016, be extended to 20 June 2022. | ||
| 2. | Proposed resolution under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury to move the following motion: Resolved that the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2017, made by the Chief Executive in Council on 14 March 2017, be approved. | ||
| (The Regulation is in Appendix II and was also issued on 28 March 2017
under LC Paper No. CB(3) 452/16-17) | |||
V. Members' Motions on Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments
VI. Member's Bill
| First Reading
Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) Limited (Merger) Bill Second Reading (Debate to be adjourned) | |||
| Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) Limited (Merger) Bill | : | Hon CHAN Chun-ying
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| Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
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