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Council Meeting (Agenda) 12 June 2019

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A 18/19-36

(meeting not held)

Legislative Council

Agenda

Wednesday 12 June 2019 at 11:00 am

I.
Paper to be laid on the Table of the Council

The paper to be laid on the Table of the Council is set out in Appendix 1

II.
Questions

Members to ask 21 questions (6 for oral replies and 15 for written replies)
Questions for oral replies to be asked by
Public officers to reply
1.
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
2.
Secretary for Security
3.
Secretary for Development
4.
Dr Hon CHIANG Lai-wan
Secretary for Food and Health
5.
Hon KWONG Chun-yu
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
6.
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
Contents of the 21 questions, the Members to ask such questions and the public officers to reply are set out in Appendix 2

III.
Government Bill

Second Reading (debate to resume), consideration by committee of the whole Council and Third Reading
(i)
Secretary for Security to move an amendment as set out in LC Paper No. CB(3) 660/18-19 issued on 4 June 2019
(ii)
22 Members (Hon James TO, Dr Hon Helena WONG, Hon LAM Cheuk-ting, Hon KWONG Chun-yu, Hon HUI Chi-fung, Hon Dennis KWOK, Dr Hon Fernando CHEUNG, Hon Charles Peter MOK, Hon IP Kin-yuen, Dr Hon CHENG Chung-tai, Hon Gary FAN, Prof Hon Joseph LEE, Dr Hon KWOK Ka-ki, Hon Alvin YEUNG, Hon Jeremy TAM, Hon CHAN Chi-chuen, Hon Kenneth LEUNG, Hon Claudia MO, Hon Andrew WAN, Hon WU Chi-wai, Hon AU Nok-hin and Hon CHU Hoi-dick) to move amendments as set out in LC Paper No. CB(3) 678/18-19 issued on 10 June 2019
(Debate arrangement is set out in LC Paper No. CB(3) 691/18-19 issued on 11 June 2019)

IV.
Members' Motions on Subsidiary Legislation/Instruments

Proposed resolutions to extend the period for amending subsidiary legislation
1.
Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT to move the motion in Appendix 3
2.
Hon WONG Ting-kwong to move the motion in Appendix 4

V.
Members' Motions

1.
Motion under Article 73(5) and (10) of the Basic Law to summon persons concerned to produce papers and testify
Hon Dennis KWOK to move the motion in Appendix 5
Public officer to attend
:
Chief Secretary for Administration
2.
Motion on "No confidence in the Fifth Term Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region"
Hon Dennis KWOK to move the motion in Appendix 6
Hon Claudia MO to move an amendment as set out in LC Paper No. CB(3) 667/18-19 issued on 5 June 2019
Public officer to attend
:
Chief Secretary for Administration
3.
Motion on "Ensuring children's right to play for them to grow up happily"
Hon HO Kai-ming to move the motion in Appendix 7
5 Members (Hon IP Kin-yuen, Dr Hon KWOK Ka-ki, Dr Hon Fernando CHEUNG, Dr Hon CHIANG Lai-wan and Hon HUI Chi-fung) to move amendments as set out in LC Paper No. CB(3) 669/18-19 issued on 6 June 2019
Public officers to attend
:
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare



Clerk to the Legislative Council




Appendix 1

Council meeting of 12 June 2019
Paper to be laid on the Table of the Council

Paper






Appendix 2

21 questions to be asked at the Council meeting of 12 June 2019

Subject matters
Public officers to reply
Questions for oral replies
1
Hon HO Kai-ming
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
2
Hon Michael TIEN
Secretary for Security
3
Hon Kenneth LAU
Secretary for Development
4
Dr Hon CHIANG Lai-wan
Secretary for Food and Health
5
Hon KWONG Chun-yu
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
6
Hon Mrs Regina IP
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
Questions for written replies
7
Dr Hon Helena WONG
Secretary for Food and Health
8
Hon YIU Si-wing
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
9
Hon CHAN Hak-kan
Secretary for Transport and Housing
10
Hon IP Kin-yuen
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
11
Hon KWONG Chun-yu
Secretary for Home Affairs
12
Hon Tony TSE
Secretary for Transport and Housing
13
Hon Jimmy NG
Secretary for Home Affairs
14
Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT
Secretary for Home Affairs
15
Hon WU Chi-wai
Secretary for the Environment
16
Hon Charles Peter MOK
Secretary for Innovation and Technology
17
Hon Kenneth LEUNG
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
18
Hon CHAN Chun-ying
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
19
Hon Paul TSE
Secretary for Development
20
Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
21
Hon IP Kin-yuen
Secretary for Education
Note:
Only 15 written questions are scheduled for this meeting as a Member has given up a written question slot allocated to him.




Question 1
(For oral reply)

(Translation)

Remittance of money to the Mainland

Hon HO Kai-ming to ask:
It is learnt that in order to save time and cost, quite a number of Hong Kong people choose to use money changers instead of banks to remit Renminbi for them from Hong Kong to the Mainland. However, such money changers are regarded as "underground banks" as they have not been granted approval by the Mainland authorities for operating cross-border remittance business. Upon detection of illegal remittances, the law enforcement agencies on the Mainland may freeze the accounts of money changers and the Mainland beneficiaries concerned. As a result, the remitters fall into a "remittance trap" inadvertently. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of complaints involving money changers received by the Government in each of the past three years, with a breakdown by type of complaints and the level to which the amount of money involved belonged;
(2)
of the measures to enhance the regulation of the service of remitting money for customers to the Mainland provided by money changers, so as to avoid Hong Kong people suffering losses; and
(3)
whether it will improve the current procedure and arrangements for banks to remit money for their customers to the Mainland, including discussing with the Mainland authorities the raising of the daily remittance limit per person and simplifying the vetting and approval procedure; if so, of the details?




Question 2
(For oral reply)

(Translation)

German authorities granting asylum to two Hong Kong persons

Hon Michael TIEN to ask:
In December 2017, two men who had been charged with rioting offences and admitted to bail pending trial failed to attend the trial, and the court therefore issued warrants of arrest against them. It was reported last month that they had been granted asylum by the German authorities in May last year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether, before the two persons were granted asylum by the German authorities, the Government had received requests from the German authorities for information about the offences in which they were involved for the purpose of assessing their asylum requests; whether a mechanism is in place for the Government to seek a review by the German authorities of their decision to grant asylum;
(2)
when the Government came to know that the two persons had been granted asylum; apart from the Chief Executive conveying to Germany's Acting Consul General in Hong Kong strong objection to the granting of asylum, of the specific follow-up actions that have been and will be taken by the Government in this regard; and
(3)
whether, according to the surrender of fugitive offenders agreement signed between the governments of Hong Kong and Germany, the offences allegedly committed by the two persons are offences for which surrender may be granted?




Question 3
(For oral reply)

(Translation)

Flood prevention in the New Territories

Hon Kenneth LAU to ask:
Last month, a series of severe rainstorms caused serious flooding at a number of villages in Tin Shui Wai, with floodwater reaching the waist level and quite a number of villagers being trapped. Some villagers have relayed that during the onslaught of super typhoons in Hong Kong in the past two years, they suffered huge losses and their lives were under threat. As extreme weather conditions have become increasingly frequent and this year's typhoon season is drawing near, the villagers are very worried. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of flooding reports received by the Drainage Services Department in each of the past five years, the number of the flooding locations which were flooding black spots, as well as the causes for the flooding;
(2)
of the measures taken by the Government, since the onslaught of super typhoon Mangkhut in September last year, to improve the flood discharge capacity at the flooding black spots and the villages at low-lying locations vulnerable to seawater inundation in the New Territories, as well as the details of such measures; and
(3)
whether it reviewed afresh and updated, in the past six months, the list of flooding black spots and the list of low-lying locations vulnerable to seawater inundation in the New Territories, and carried out corresponding flood prevention works; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?




Question 4
(For oral reply)

(Translation)

Treatment of cancers

Dr Hon CHIANG Lai-wan to ask:
As projected by the Hong Kong Cancer Registry ("HKCaR") under the Hospital Authority ("HA"), with a continuously growing and ageing population, the number of new cancer cases in Hong Kong in 2030 will be 40% higher than that in 2016 and exceed 44 000. Some patients have relayed that at present, quite a number of cancer patients at public hospitals can only take drugs with more side effects and lower efficacy as they cannot afford the expensive self-financed drugs, thus suffering immensely in their illnesses. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether the Government will propose to HA to discuss with the Mainland authorities purchasing cancer drugs jointly, with a view to reducing expenses on drugs, and whether it will expedite the vetting and approval of clinical trial schemes to be carried out in Hong Kong for new cancer drugs and new treatment protocols so that cancer patients participating in the schemes can try them out for free; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
given that the Government has earmarked $5 billion in the current financial year for the upgrading or acquisition of medical equipment by HA, whether it knows if HA will spend the money on acquiring state-of-the-art medical equipment for treating cancers, including that for proton therapy and electric field therapy; if HA will, of the details; if not, whether HA will discuss with the private hospitals which have acquired the relevant equipment the implementation of public-private partnership programmes so as to make use of such kind of equipment for treating public hospital patients; and
(3)
given that the provision of cancer data to HKCaR by hospitals is currently voluntary in nature, whether the Government will adopt measures to facilitate HKCaR in collecting data as well as using artificial intelligence and big data technologies to speed up the analysis of cancer data; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?




Question 5
(For oral reply)

(Translation)

Caring and Sharing Scheme

Hon KWONG Chun-yu to ask:
Applications for the Caring and Sharing Scheme, under which each eligible member of the public will be granted up to $4,000, closed on 30 April. Last month, the Government indicated that the Working Family Allowance Office ("WFAO"), which is responsible for implementing the Scheme, had received about 3.44 million applications and issued to all applicants acknowledgements of their applications. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
as some members of the public have indicated that they have not yet received any acknowledgement, of the to-date number of members of the public who have indicated that they submitted an application but had yet to receive any acknowledgement;
(2)
whether WFAO has uncovered any case of missing application forms; if so, of the number of forms involved and the causes for that, as well as the remedial measures put in place; if not, why some applicants have not received any acknowledgement; and
(3)
of the current average number of applications that WFAO completes processing each day, and the expected date for completion of the processing of all the applications?




Question 6
(For oral reply)

(Translation)

The environmental, social and governance performance of listed companies

Hon Mrs Regina IP to ask:
In recent years, investors have attached an increasing importance to the performance of enterprises in the "environmental, social and governance" ("ESG") aspects. It has been reported that MSCI and S&P Global Ratings have respectively introduced ESG Rating and ESG Evaluation, and have included ESG criteria in assessing enterprises' credit worthiness. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will urge the relevant institutions to expeditiously introduce ESG indices or ESG evaluations of listed companies, so as to keep up with the global trend; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
of the specific measures in place to encourage listed companies to enhance their ESG performance, and to verify how credible the ESG information disclosed by listed companies is; and
(3)
whether it will request the regulatory bodies to reprimand those listed companies with persistently poor ESG performance and take actions against them; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?




Question 7
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Elderly persons receiving specialist outpatient services

Dr Hon Helena WONG to ask:
In 2015, around 75% of the elderly persons (i.e. persons aged 65 or above) in Hong Kong suffered from chronic illness. Some patient groups have pointed out that elderly patients with a number of chronic illnesses at the same time have to make a lot of efforts attending specialist outpatient clinics ("SOPCs") in various public hospitals on different dates for treatment. Besides, they may not have the ability to sort out the medications prescribed by different doctors in order to take the medications according to schedule. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows in the past 12 months,
(i)
the median and maximum numbers of SOPCs attended by the various elderly patients;
(ii)
the number of elderly patients attending SOPCs for treatment, with a breakdown by the number of SOPCs attended by them (i.e. 1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6, and 7 or more) and the relevant percentages;
(iii)
the median and maximum numbers of public hospitals visited by the various elderly patients for attending SOPCs for treatment; and
(iv)
a breakdown of the number of elderly patients attending SOPCs for treatment by the number of public hospitals visited by them (i.e. 1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6, and 7 or more), and the relevant percentages;
(2)
whether it knows, in each of the past three years, (i) for how many days on average were medications prescribed for each elderly patient by SOPCs, and (ii) the number of elderly patients who were prescribed five or more medications and the percentage of that number in the total number of such patients;
(3)
given that under the Drug Refill Services E-Fill pilot programme launched by the Hospital Authority ("HA"), patients' prescriptions are split into smaller and manageable quantities, and pharmacists will review and reaffirm the latest condition of the patients before each refill, whether the Government knows the current number of patients covered by the pilot programme; and
(4)
given that while elderly patients who suffer from a number of chronic illnesses have to attend a number of SOPCs for treatment and take a number of medications, they may not have adequate care support and the ability to manage the medications, whether it knows if HA will consider providing health management services for such patients under a case approach; if HA will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?




Question 8
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Tourism Federation of Cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

Hon YIU Si-wing to ask:
To enhance tourism exchanges and cooperation within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area ("the Greater Bay Area"), the Hong Kong Special Administration Region ("HKSAR") Government and the tourism departments of the other 10 cities in the Greater Bay Area established the Tourism Federation of Cities in the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Greater Bay Area ("the Federation") and signed the Agreement on the Tourism Federation of Cities in the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Greater Bay Area in December 2017. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the goals, mission and work schedule of the Federation, and the mode of cooperation and division of work among the various member cities;
(2)
of the expenditure involved in the work undertaken by the Federation on developing and promoting tourism in the Greater Bay Area since its establishment, and the effectiveness of the work; and
(3)
of the future work priorities of the Federation; among them, the specific work for which the HKSAR Government is responsible, and the manpower and financial resources it will allocate for such work?




Question 9
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Unsold private residential units

Hon CHAN Hak-kan to ask:
As at 31 March this year, out of the units in the private residential projects which had been completed in or after 2012 and issued with an occupation permit ("OP"), about 9 000 of them were unsold ("unsold units with an OP"). On the other hand, the Government has proposed to amend the Rating Ordinance (Cap. 116) to introduce "Special Rates" on private residential units that have been issued with an OP for 12 months or more, are unsold, and were not rented out for more than six months at a rent not lower than the market rent in the past 12 months. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of unsold units with an OP as at 31 March in each of the past three years, broken down by the unit floor area classification used by the Rating and Valuation Department in compiling its statistics;
(2)
as the Government has indicated that the figures of unsold units with an OP are consolidated based on the inputs from different government departments, of the specific calculation formula used;
(3)
of the respective justifications of the Government for (i) using the date of issuance of an OP and (ii) not using the date of issuance of the Certificate of Compliance, as the relevant date for the Special Rates;
(4)
in view of the public's strong demand for small and medium-sized units, whether the Government will introduce targeted measures, such as imposing a higher level of Special Rates on small and medium-sized unsold units with an OP; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5)
whether it knows the current number of units being rented out as serviced apartments; whether it has estimated the changes in the number of such units in the first year upon the implementation of the Special Rates initiative?




Question 10
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Rehabilitation services for pre-school children

Hon IP Kin-yuen to ask:
The Social Welfare Department ("SWD") provides three types of rehabilitation services for pre school children with disability respectively through (i) the Early Education and Training Centre ("EETC"), (ii) the Integrated Programme in Kindergarten-cum-Child Care Centre ("IP/KGs") and (iii) the Special Child Care Centre ("SCCC"). It is learnt that due to the shortage of service places of SCCCs, quite a number of children waiting for such services attend ordinary kindergartens and kindergartens-cum-Child Care Centres (collectively known as "KGs"). Furthermore, SWD provides On-site Pre-school Rehabilitation Services ("OPRS"), under which inter-disciplinary service teams from non-governmental organizations provide on-site training services for children with mild disability who are studying in participating KGs. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the annual numbers of children waiting for SCCC services in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years whilst studying in KGs, and the number of KGs involved;
(2)
whether it knows, among the children mentioned in (1), the respective annual numbers of (i) those receiving EETC services, (ii) those receiving OPRS and (iii) those not receiving any of these two types of services, in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years (set out in the table below);
  2017-2018 school year 2018-2019 school year
(i)    
(ii)    
(iii)    
Total    
(3)
of the annual numbers of children in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 assessed to be in need of SCCC services; among such children, the respective numbers of (i) those waiting for the services provided by IP/KGs, (ii) those waiting for EETC services, (iii) those waiting for OPRS, and (iv) those not waiting for any of those services (set out in the table below); and
  2017-2018 school year 2018-2019 school year
(i)    
(ii)    
(iii)    
(iv)    
(4)
whether the Education Bureau ("EDB") has provided additional resources to KGs which have admitted children who are waiting for SCCC services, so as to ensure that those children can receive appropriate education, training and care; if so, of the details; if not, whether EDB will, by making reference to the approach adopted by it for supporting non-Chinese speaking students with special educational needs, provide additional resources to those schools?




Question 11
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Support provided for the ethnic minorities

Hon KWONG Chun-yu to ask:
The Government has commissioned non-governmental organizations to run six support service centres for the ethnic minorities ("EMs") and two sub-centres ("support centres"). The services provided by the support centres include organizing language classes for EMs. One of these centres, namely the CHEER Centre operated by the Hong Kong Christian Service, also provides interpretation and translation services for EMs using public services. Regarding the support provided for EMs, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of occasions in each of the past three years on which the various policy bureaux/government departments ("B/Ds") arranged interpretation and translation services for EMs using public services, with a breakdown by (i) B/D, (ii) name of service provider, and (iii) EM language;
(2)
of the number of occasions in each of the past three years on which the various B/Ds engaged the interpretation and translation services provided by the CHEER Centre, with a breakdown by (i) service category (i.e. telephone interpretation service, on-sight interpretation service, on-site (escort) interpretation service, simultaneous interpretation service, written translation service and proofreading service) and (ii) EM language;
(3)
of the following details of the Cantonese classes and English classes offered by each support centre in each of the past three years: (i) number of classes offered, (ii) medium of instruction, and (iii) number of students enrolled (with a breakdown by ethnicity); and
(4)
of the current population of EM who are aged 65 or above, and the number of those who are receiving the various types of allowances under the Social Security Allowance Scheme, with a breakdown by (i) type of allowances and (ii) ethnicity?




Question 12
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Parking spaces for tourist coaches

Hon Tony TSE to ask:
Some members of the tourism industry have relayed that, in recent years, with the Government developing the brownfield sites in the New Territories and gradually resuming, for long-term development, a number of temporary car park sites let by way of short-term tenancies, the number of parking spaces for tourist coaches has been reduced. Meanwhile, the rise in the number of visitors to Hong Kong year after year has resulted in a rise in the utilization rate of tourist coaches, leading to a more acute shortage of parking spaces for tourist coaches as well as aggravating the problems of illegal parking of tourist coaches and traffic obstruction. In addition, some parking spaces for tourist coaches in hotels and industrial buildings are available for picking up/dropping off passengers or stopping and waiting only. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of parking spaces for tourist coaches in the territory in each of the past three years, with a breakdown by the locations of such parking spaces (i.e. private premises, hotel, industrial building, roadside, and other places) and the modes of parking/stopping (e.g. available for parking 24 hours a day, for picking up/dropping off passengers only, and for those tourist coaches with drivers on board stopping and waiting); and
(2)
of the details and implementation timetable of the various measures to increase the number of parking spaces for tourist coaches?




Question 13
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Support for the development of the darts sport

Hon Jimmy NG to ask:
In recent years, the darts sport has become increasingly popular in Hong Kong, and Hong Kong's darts athletes have repeatedly attained great results in international competitions. Quite a number of darts athletes and enthusiasts hope that the Government supports the development of the darts sport. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether the Government provided, in the past five years, the darts sport with support on aspects such as finance, venues, organization of events and promotion; if so, of the respective details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether it has plans to provide, in the coming five years, the darts sport with the various support mentioned in (1); if so, of the respective details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
whether there is now any subvention scheme open for application by darts sport associations; if so, of the eligibility requirements and other details;
(4)
whether the Leisure and Cultural Services Department ("LCSD") has plans to provide, in the coming five years, venues for the darts sport; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(5)
given that LCSD is conducting a review on the Sports Subvention Scheme, whether the scope of the review includes relaxation of the eligibility requirements so as to cover new sports such as the darts sport; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(6)
whether LCSD will, in the coming five years, include the darts sport in the School Sports Programme so as to cultivate students' interest in the darts sport; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(7)
whether it will ask the Commissioner for Sports to (i) include the promotion of the darts sport in his work plan for the coming five years, (ii) strengthen his communication with darts sport associations, and (iii) assist in striving for the inclusion of the darts sport as a medal sport in the Asian Games and the Olympic Games; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?




Question 14
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Work of civil service lifeguards

Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT to ask:
Regarding the work of civil service lifeguards under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department ("LCSD"), will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that candidates for civil service lifeguards must pass a trade test of skin-diving to a depth of two metres,
(i)
of the current number of public swimming pools with a depth of more than two metres, broken down by District Council ("DC") district in which the pool is situated and name of the public swimming pool complex to which the pool belongs; and
(ii)
of the current number of public beaches provided with beach rafts, and set out a breakdown of such number and the names of the beaches concerned by DC district;
(2)
of the rank of the officers who are currently responsible for supervising lifeguards in performing skin-diving and scuba-diving at beaches for carrying out duties such as search and rescue operations, as well as inspections of seabed conditions and clearance of objects after the onslaught of typhoons;
(3)
whether LCSD has ensured that the supervising officers mentioned in (2) meet the qualification requirements for a diving supervisor (including having an adequate knowledge of the required diving mode and underwater work, possessing the experience required of a diver, as well as having received training on first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation and possessing the relevant experience); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4)
whether the regular drills of lifeguards include skin-diving or scuba-diving to a depth of five metres; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5)
of the respective standard protective gear provided by LCSD for lifeguards for their (i) handling oil pollution and (ii) carrying out post-typhoon clearance work?




Question 15
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Implementation of municipal solid waste charging

Hon WU Chi-wai to ask:
It has been reported that municipal solid waste ("MSW") charging will be implemented next year the earliest. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that the current population residing in public rental housing ("PRH") estates exceeds two millions, whether the Government will discuss with the Hong Kong Housing Authority ("HA") the implementation of a pilot scheme on MSW charging by amending the tenancy agreements signed with tenants, so as to grasp the actual situation of large-scale implementation of MSW charging;
(2)
of the details of the preparatory work, undertaken by HA up to 30 April this year, for the implementation of MSW charging at its PRH estates, e.g. formulating refuse collection procedure as well as modifying the design of and the usage arrangements for refuse stations and refuse chutes;
(3)
given the absence of a domestic food waste collection system at present, of the measures to be put in place by the Government to facilitate the proper handling of domestic food waste by the public, so as to lower the impact of MSW charging on general households; and
(4)
whether it will extensively set up closed circuit television systems in various districts to curb illegal dumping of domestic waste that may occur after the implementation of MSW charging?




Question 16
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Reindustrialisation and Technology Training Programme

Hon Charles Peter MOK to ask:
In August last year, the Government launched a Reindustrialisation and Technology Training Programme ("RTTP") to subsidize staff members of local companies to receive training in advanced technologies. Training courses that are open for applications by various companies ("public courses") and training courses that are designed for particular companies ("tailor-made courses") are subsidized under RTTP. In respect of public courses, course providers should submit applications for course registration at least eight weeks before course commencement, and eligible companies should submit applications for training grants at least two weeks before course commencement. For tailor-made courses, eligible companies should submit applications for course approval and training grants in one go. Some members of the trade have relayed that the procedure for registration and approval of the training courses are cumbersome and time-consuming, leaving course providers and eligible companies only a very short time for recruiting students and submitting applications for training grants respectively. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of companies subsidized under RTTP (broken down by type of business), and the number of staff members who participated in the training courses (broken down by post title), as at the end of last month;
(2)
of the average number of working days taken for completing the registration of public courses, and the average number of working days prior to course commencement were course providers notified that registration was successful, as at the end of last month; and
(3)
whether it has plans to review and streamline the procedure for course registration and approval, so that more companies can make arrangements for their staff members to receive training in advanced technologies; if so, of the details?




Question 17
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Sponsors and listing applications

Hon Kenneth LEUNG to ask:
In recent months, a number of sponsors were reprimanded, fined and/or had their licences suspended by the Securities and Futures Commission ("SFC") for failing to discharge their obligations. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:
(1)
the respective numbers of complaints or reports about sponsors failing to discharge their obligations (i) received, (ii) an investigation into which was launched and (iii) the investigation of which was completed, as well as the number of cases in which disciplinary sanctions were imposed on sponsors found guilty of misconduct (and the details of each case), by SFC in each of the past five years;
(2)
if SFC has studied new measures to make issuers of listed securities, their directors and underwriters shoulder greater responsibilities for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the contents of the prospectuses, so as to avoid such responsibilities being borne solely by sponsors; and
(3)
if SFC maintained, in the past three years, communication with the various parties involved in the issue of listed securities, with a view to understanding their needs and adjusting from time to time the measures concerned; if SFC did, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?




Question 18
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Shortage of professionals in the banking industry

Hon CHAN Chun-ying to ask:
Some members of the banking industry have relayed that the granting of eight virtual banking licences by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority so far may aggravate the shortage of manpower of the various professional grades in the industry, which will affect the operation and development of the banking industry in the long run. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the numbers of members of the various professional grades in the banking industry listed in the table below;
Professional grade Number of members
Fintech  
Compliance  
Risk management  
Data audit  
(2)
whether it has estimated the numbers of members of the various professional grades to be employed by virtual banks in each of the coming three years; (i) of the respective percentages of such numbers in the relevant total numbers in the banking industry, and (ii) out of such numbers, the respective numbers of those who will come from conventional banks and from places outside Hong Kong;
(3)
given that experienced professionals in Fintech are included in the Talent List of Hong Kong promulgated by the Government in August last year, and such professionals may apply to work in Hong Kong through the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, of the respective to-date numbers of the relevant applications received and approved by the Government, and the average time taken for the vetting and approval of each approved case; of the measures in place to expedite the vetting and approval process; and
(4)
whether it will introduce incentive measures (e.g. accommodation, education allowances for children and medical allowances) to attract experienced professionals in Fintech from the Mainland and overseas to work in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?




Question 19
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Projects to improve pedestrian and traffic networks in Kowloon East

Hon Paul TSE to ask:
Some residents in Kowloon East have pointed out that a number of projects, implemented by the Energizing Kowloon East Office since its establishment to improve the pedestrian and traffic networks in an attempt to ameliorate the situation of traffic congestion, air pollution and competition between pedestrians and vehicles for road space in Kwun Tong and the Kowloon Bay Business Area ("KBBA"), are ineffective. As at early this year, Kowloon East had over 2.6 million square metres of commercial floor area, which was expected to increase to 7 million square metres in future. By then, the working population in Kwun Tong and KBBA will inevitably increase rapidly, driving an even greater demand for road space. Currently on weekdays, roads in the vicinity of Kwun Tong Road and Hoi Yuen Road are clogged with pedestrian and vehicular traffic during the periods when people commute to and from work. The situation will only worsen when the working population in the district increases substantially in future. In view of the above, I raised a question on 7 June 2017 suggesting that the Government should model on the Mong Kok footbridge system and construct a footbridge system in Kowloon East connecting the MTR Kwun Tong Station, Hoi Yuen Road, Shing Yip Street and Kwun Tong waterfront, so as to divert the pedestrian flows on the ground and facilitate pedestrian circulation in the district. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
as the Government indicated in reply to my question that it would study the feasibility of constructing a footbridge at Hoi Yuen Road of Kwun Tong, of the progress of the study; in view of the convoluted walking route to the waterfront via the MTR Kwun Tong Station at present and the strong demand of pedestrians for the footbridge, whether the Government will expedite the study;
(2)
as the Government has introduced an incentive, by way of land premium waiver since 2017, to encourage landowners in the business areas of Kowloon East to apply for constructing footbridges at their own cost, of the respective numbers of applications received and approved by the Government so far; the number of footbridges that will be completed in the coming three years; if only a few applications have been received, whether the Government has evaluated the causes for the lukewarm response for the initiative and considered the construction of pedestrian link bridges by the Government instead, so as to avert the situation that the pedestrian link network cannot be completed due to complicated title disputes involved in individual projects; and
(3)
whether it has assessed the increase and the rate of increase in the resident and business population in Kai Tak Action Area, Kwun Tong Action Area and Kowloon Bay Action Area in the coming five years; in the light of the additional traffic demand to be generated by the population growth and the comments of some members of the public that the construction of the Environmentally Friendly Linkage System for Kowloon East ("EFLS") to connect those Action Areas will effectively alleviate the current pressure on road traffic and facilitate the development of Kowloon East, whether the Government will expedite the feasibility study for EFLS, and decide and announce expeditiously if EFLS will be constructed?




Question 20
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Regulation of money lenders

Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT to ask:
The number of licensed money lenders (i.e. finance companies) in Hong Kong has increased substantially over the past decade from 760 in 2008 to 2 153 in 2018 (by about a twofold increase). Moreover, in recent years, quite a number of finance companies have launched massive advertising campaigns on television and the Internet and encouraged borrowing money. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows, (i) the respective total amounts of loans offered by licensed money lenders and by authorized institutions (including licensed banks) under the supervision of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, (ii) the change in the ratio between these two amounts, as well as (iii) the number of people borrowing money from the former and the median age of such borrowers, in each of the past 10 years in Hong Kong;
(2)
given that under the existing regulatory regime, the Licensing Court, the Police and the Money Lenders Unit respectively regulate money lenders according to the relevant provisions in the Money Lenders Ordinance (Cap. 163) ("MLO"), coupled with the facts that the number of licensed money lenders has increased substantially and cases of unscrupulous business practices of money lenders and financial intermediaries have occurred from time to time, whether the Government will examine (i) the establishment of an independent institution to regulate money lenders, and (ii) the introduction of legislative amendments to require that money lenders must, before approving a loan, conduct a test on the repayment ability of the loan applicant, so as to reduce the risk of over-borrowing by the borrower;
(3)
given that the operation modes of the money lending business and the ecosystem of the industry have changed along with technological development, whether the Government will conduct a comprehensive review on the provisions of MLO to see if they can still suit present-day needs (e.g. whether the ceiling set on the annual interest rate on loans should be lowered); and
(4)
in respect of finance companies' practices of launching massive advertising campaigns and encouraging borrowing money, whether the Government will take measures to prevent students and young people from being misled and corrupted by such messages, including (i) stepping up efforts in instilling correct money management and consumption attitudes in students and young people, (ii) imposing restrictions on the contents and airtime of finance companies' advertisements, and (iii) adding other appropriate warning messages in the advertisements concerned, apart from the existing warning message of "You have to repay your loans. Don't pay any intermediaries" required to be included in such advertisements?




Question 21
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Works for substandard premises of aided schools

Hon IP Kin-yuen to ask:
Earlier on, the Education Bureau indicated that it had set aside $1 billion for implementing a programme under which funding would be provided, for carrying out minor internal conversion works, to those aided schools whose premises had facilities not up to the current standards for school premises. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the objectives and the following details of the aforesaid programme: (i) the respective numbers of secondary schools, primary schools and special schools expected to benefit from the programme, and (ii) the number of conversion works projects in respect of which each school may apply for funding and the maximum amount of funding which may be allocated to each school;
(2)
of the specific differences in the nature of the works projects carried out under the programme and those under the regular Aided Schools Applications for Capital Subventions: Major Repairs/ Alterations ("major works"); the number of schools which applied for subvention for major works, the number and nature of the alteration works projects involved in such applications, the number of alteration works projects for which subvention was granted and the total amount of subvention involved, and the percentage of that amount in the relevant estimated expenditure of that year, in each of the past five school years, together with a breakdown by type of schools (namely secondary school, primary school and special school);
(3)
whether that $1 billion funding was included in the budgeted expenditure for the 2019-2020 financial year; if so, of the head and subhead of the expenditure, and the percentage of the funding in the total amount of expenditure under the relevant subhead; if not, the financial resources from which the funding was drawn and whether approval by the Finance Committee of this Council is required;
(4)
why it is stipulated that schools may submit applications for the programme only within this year and next year; whether it has assessed if the contractors concerned can cope with the conversion works to be carried out by a large number of schools in these two years; if it has assessed, of the outcome; if not, the reasons for that;
(5)
of the expected number of schools whose premises will meet the current standards for school premises upon completion of the conversion works, as well as the types of school facilities that can be upgraded up to the current standards (together with a breakdown by type of schools); and
(6)
whether the priority accorded to, and the success rate of, the schools' applications for (i) subvention for major works and (ii) redevelopment/reprovisioning will be affected as a result of the funding allocated to the schools under the programme?


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