A 2022-2
Legislative Council
Agenda
Wednesday 19 January 2022 at 11:00 am
I.
Laying of Papers on the Table of the Council
2 items of subsidiary legislation and 6 other papers to be laid on the Table of the Council set out in
Appendix 1Urgent Question
Urgent question for oral reply to be asked by
Public officer to reply
Secretary for Food and Health
Questions
Members to ask 22 questions (6 for oral replies and 16 for written replies)
Questions for oral replies to be asked by
Public officers to reply
1.
2.
Secretary for Food and Health
3.
Secretary for Transport and Housing
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
4.
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
5.
Secretary for the Environment
Secretary for Development
6.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Contents of 22 questions, Members to ask such questions and public officers to reply set out in
Appendix 2Member’s Motion on Subsidiary Legislation
Proposed resolution to extend the period for amending subsidiary legislation (L.N. 234 of 2021)
Mover
:
Hon Starry LEE
Wording of the motion
:
Members’ Other Motions
1st debate(covering the following 2 motions which seek to authorize that meetings of the Council or a committee may be conducted remotely in accordance with the Rules of Procedure by the means determined by the Council within a specified period)
Proposed resolution under Article 75 of the Basic Law
Mover
:
Hon Starry LEE
Wording of the motion
:
Proposed resolution under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance
Mover
:
Hon Starry LEE
Wording of the motion
:
(Debate and voting arrangements set out in LC Paper No.
CB(3) 35/2022 issued on 18 January 2022)
2nd debate(covering the following motion)
Proposed resolution under The Legislative Council Commission Ordinance on the manner of election of members of the Legislative Council Commission
Mover
:
Hon Starry LEE
Wording of the motion
:
3rd debate(covering the following motion)
Motion on "Guarding against the importation of COVID-19, preventing its spread on all fronts and resuming quarantine-free travel as soon as possible"
Mover
:
Hon LAI Tung-kwok
Wording of the motion
:
5 amendment movers
:
Hon Dennis LEUNG, Hon Edward LEUNG, Hon YUNG Hoi-yan, Hon MA Fung-kwok and Hon YIM Kong
(Amendments set out in LC Paper No.
CB(3) 30/2022 issued on 14 January 2022)
Public officers to attend
:
Secretary for Transport and Housing
Secretary for Food and Health
Secretary for Innovation and Technology
Under Secretary for Food and Health
Under Secretary for Transport and Housing
4th debate(covering the following motion)
Motion on "Regulating employment agencies for placement of foreign domestic helpers to protect the interests of employers and employees"
Mover
:
Hon Judy CHAN
Wording of the motion
:
3 amendment movers
:
Ir Hon LEE Chun-keung, Hon NGAN Man-yu and Hon Paul TSE
(Amendments set out in LC Paper No.
CB(3) 31/2022 issued on 14 January 2022)
Public officers to attend
:
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Under Secretary for Security
Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Clerk to the Legislative Council
Appendix 1
Council meeting of 19 January 2022
Laying of Papers on the Table of the Council
Subsidiary legislation
Legal Notice No.
1 urgent question for oral reply to be asked at the Council meeting of 19 January 2022
Subject matters
Public officer to reply
1
Hon Edward LEUNG
Secretary for Food and Health
Urgent Question
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Measures to immediately improve the management of
the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre
Hon Edward LEUNG to ask:
A female security guard working in the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre ("PBQC") was suspected of having infected with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 in PBQC last week. A few days later, a security guard working in PBQC who had close contact with her was also confirmed to have been infected. With the epidemic situation worsening recently, a large number of members of the public have been sent to PBQC for isolation. However, with PBQC alleged for its mismanagement and unsatisfactory hygienic condition, coupled with the fact that the transmission chains of the Omicron variant have yet to be cut as of now, the public are concerned about PBQC's failure to properly implement infection control measures, which may result in the spread of the virus or cross-infection at PBQC and even in the community. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council how it will immediately improve the infection prevention measures of PBQC and its management, so as to prevent its staff from being infected and spreading the virus to the community?
22 questions to be asked at the Council meeting of 19 January 2022
Subject matters
Public officers to reply
Questions for oral replies
1
Hon Maggie CHAN
2
Hon YANG Wing-kit
Secretary for Food and Health
3
Hon LUK Chung-hung
Secretary for Transport and Housing
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
4
Hon YIU Pak-leung
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
5
Hon Tony TSE
Secretary for the Environment
Secretary for Development
6
Dr Hon TIK Chi-yuen
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Questions for written replies
7
Hon Elizabeth QUAT
Secretary for Food and Health
8
Ir Hon LEE Chun-keung
9
Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
10
Hon Mrs Regina IP
Secretary for the Environment
11
Hon LAI Tung-kwok
12
Hon Judy CHAN
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
13
Hon Dominic LEE
Secretary for Transport and Housing
14
Hon Frankie YICK
Secretary for Transport and Housing
15
Dr Hon Johnny NG
16
Hon Edward LEUNG
17
Hon Paul TSE
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
18
Hon Starry LEE
Secretary for Transport and Housing
19
Hon Michael TIEN
Secretary for the Environment
20
Hon Rock CHEN
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs
21
Hon Dennis LEUNG
22
Ir Hon CHAN Siu-hung
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Question 1
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Disbursement of cash or consumption vouchers to
members of the public by the Government
Hon Maggie CHAN to ask:
Since 2011, the Government has disbursed cash or consumption vouchers to members of the public for several times with a view to returning wealth to the people, or relieving people's hardship and boosting the economy, which has been supported by the majority of members of the public and business operators. Some members of the public are of the view that as the Coronavirus Disease 2019 epidemic is not yet over, and there are still many uncertainties about the prospect of Hong Kong's economy, the Government should continue to implement measures to relieve people's hardship. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has considered disbursing again consumption vouchers of a total value equivalent to or not less than $5,000 to members of the public, and launching other measures to relieve people's hardship; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether it has compiled statistics on the impacts of the various schemes for disbursing cash or consumption vouchers on the various economic indicators (including the Gross Domestic Product, the unemployment rate and prices), and whether it has assessed the effects brought by such schemes to the people of different income strata and the various trades and industries; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
given that chaos arose in the past when the Government implemented schemes for disbursing cash or consumption vouchers (e.g. a large number of elderly people who submitted paper application forms having to queue up for a long time for the procedure of resubmission of registrations), whether the Government has learnt from such experience to prevent the recurrence of similar problems, and whether it has considered allocating resources for cooperating with grass-roots organizations in various districts to enable such organizations to assist the Government in the publicity and registration matters; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 2
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Accident and emergency services of
public hospitals under the Kowloon Central Cluster
Hon YANG Wing-kit to ask:
At present, the public hospitals located within the Wong Tai Sin ("WTS") district do not provide accident and emergency ("A&E") services, and the authorities have no plan to provide A&E services in Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital ("OLMH") upon redevelopment. As such, patients calling ambulance services in the WTS district will mainly be sent to hospitals outside the district, such as Queen Elizabeth Hospital ("QEH"), Kwong Wah Hospital, United Christian Hospital, or the New Acute Hospital at Kai Tak Development Area ("New Acute Hospital") to be commissioned in the future for treatment. Some residents of the WTS district are worried that the long travelling trips may lead to delays in treatment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of patients who boarded the ambulance in the WTS district and the average time taken from such patients' boarding the ambulance to their arrival at the A&E departments, in each of the past three years;
(2)
whether it will coordinate the services of OLMH and the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Wong Tai Sin Hospital, so that the two hospitals can, upon redevelopment, provide more comprehensive specialist services and 24-hour A&E services; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
given that upon the completion of the New Acute Hospital, most of the services of QEH will be relocated to that hospital, and the original site of QEH will be used for medical purposes, whether the relevant purposes include A&E and specialist services; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 3
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Taking out insurance policies for taxis
Hon LUK Chung-hung to ask:
Some taxi owners have relayed that they have all along been facing the problems of "difficulties in taking out insurance policies and high insurance premiums". Earlier on, an insurance company which provided insurance services for about 10 000 taxis suddenly issued notices on termination of insurance policies to its taxi insurance policyholders, almost causing 10 000 taxis to cease operation. Subsequently, the Insurance Authority ("IA") invoked the powers under the Insurance Ordinance to appoint managers to take full control of the affairs and property of the insurance company concerned. The managers revoked such notices immediately afterwards, and the issue was settled temporarily. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will conduct a study on the issues of taxi owners taking out insurance, so as to completely resolve the problem of "difficulties in taking out insurance policies and high insurance premiums";
(2)
whether the authorities have conducted investigations into whether the insurance company concerned violated the relevant legislation or the guidelines issued by IA; if so, of the details, and how the authorities will hold the company responsible; and
(3)
whether it will improve the existing notification mechanism for termination of taxi insurance policies by extending the notice period for termination of insurance from seven days currently to one month?
Question 4
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Support for tourism industry
Hon YIU Pak-leung to ask:
Some practitioners of the tourism industry have relayed that the industry has been hard hit by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 epidemic. Although the Chief Executive has recently announced the launch of the fifth-round measures under the Anti-epidemic Fund to assist those industries affected by the epidemic, such measures are just a drop in the bucket to the tourism industry. The tourism industry hopes that the Government will conduct policy planning and provide continuous support for the industry in a systematic manner, so as to expand the room for business for the industry as far as possible. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that the Government has again tightened the anti-epidemic measures, and that various tourism-related activities have to be suspended causing the industry to suffer heavy losses, whether the Government will draw up criteria for the expeditious resumption, upon easing of the epidemic situation, of tourism activities such as local tours, "cruise-to-nowhere" travel and the "Free Tour" programme; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for ; and
(2)
whether it will, by drawing reference from the earlier practice of offering short-term jobs to tourism practitioners, consider creating temporary posts related to anti-epidemic work or guided tours for local hotspots for frontline tourism practitioners who are underemployed, so as to retain talents for the tourism industry; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 5
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
The Northern Metropolis Development Strategy
Hon Tony TSE to ask:
The Government has put forward the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy in the 2021 Policy Address with a view to driving Hong Kong's economic as well as innovation and technology development, increasing housing supply, and at the same time formulating and implementing a conservation policy. However, some members of the architectural, surveying, town planning and landscape sectors hold different views regarding the details of the proposed 2 000-hectare conservation area. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the study basis for the total area, site distribution, conservation proposals, etc. of the aforesaid conservation area, and whether it will conduct further studies and make amendments in the light of the views of the sectors;
(2)
regarding the Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park which will cover an area of around 520 hectares of the aforesaid conservation area, as some members of the sectors consider that some sites within the Park have relatively low ecological conservation value, and that incorporating such sites into the conservation area will affect the enormous development potentials to be brought about by a number of existing and proposed MTR stations as well as the Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Zone in the vicinity of the Park, whether the Government will review afresh the relevant planning so as to optimize the development potentials of the land concerned; and
(3)
as some members of the sectors are worried that the planning and conservation studies for the Northern Metropolis will slow down and even bring a halt to the progress of the public and private development projects which are underway or awaiting vetting and approval, how the Government will prevent the occurrence of such situations and whether it will take measures to expedite the progress of the existing development projects in the district in order to increase the land and housing supply in the near future?
Question 6
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Non-governmental organizations receiving
lump sum grant subvention
Dr Hon TIK Chi-yuen to ask:
Last month, the Government indicated that the overall recurrent expenditure for the coming financial year would have to be cut by 1%, taking the current financial year as the basis. It is estimated that the 164 non-governmental organizations receiving lump sum grant subvention ("NGOs") will each, on average, be subjected to a cut of subvention by about $1.22 million. Calculated on the basis of the current mid-point salary of Point 26 of an Assistant Social Work Officer, this means that each of these NGOs will need to cut two such posts. The social welfare sector is worried that as the existing resources and manpower of these NGOs have already been in acute shortage, the failure to implement appropriate policies will render the underprivileged groups always unable to receive appropriate services. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective actual staffing establishments and numbers of subvented staff members of subvented residential care homes for persons with disabilities, residential care homes for the elderly, care and attention homes for the elderly and day care centres for the elderly, in each of the past three years;
(2)
whether it has assessed the respective numbers of headcounts and service recipients that have to be cut by the NGOs due to the cut in funding by the Government; and
(3)
whether the Labour and Welfare Bureau has considered deploying the various funds of the Government or social resources to make up for the cut in funding for the NGOs?
Question 7
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Impact of releasing and feeding wild animals
on the environment
Hon Elizabeth QUAT to ask:
It has been reported that animal release activities are increasingly prevalent and highly commercialized. Some animals, after being released, have sustained injuries or die due to their inability to adapt to the environment, or become invasive species, threatening the local natural ecosystem. Moreover, some animal protection organizations are concerned about the unnatural population growth of pigeons, monkeys and wild pigs due to intentional feeding in Hong Kong in recent years, and some of these animals gradually get used to approaching human in urban areas for food. Such situation has not only compromised environmental hygiene, but also increased the risk of epidemic spreading. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether any legislation is currently in place to regulate animal release activities; if so, of the details, and whether it has reviewed if such legislation can effectively regulate the relevant activities and trades; if such legislation is not in place, whether it will, by following the practice of the authorities of the Taiwan region, enact legislation to prohibit unauthorized animal release activities, so as to avoid inflicting suffering on animals after they are released and posing an impact on the natural ecology;
(2)
given that recently quite a number of wild animals (especially wild pigs and monkeys) have intruded into urban areas and caused nuisances to members of the public, whether the Government will expeditiously enact specific legislation to prohibit the feeding of wild animals, so as to avoid creating a negative impact on the environment and anti-epidemic efforts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
as some members of the public have indicated that they feel very distressed by the illegal feeding of wild pigeons, and queried that the practice of issuing fixed penalty notices of $1,500 to persons who dirty public places while feeding wild pigeons lacks deterrent effect, whether the Government will raise the penalties in order to enhance the deterrent effect; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 8
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Enhancing studentsʼ sense of national identity
Ir Hon LEE Chun-keung to ask:
There are comments that by increasing students' exposure to Chinese culture, the Government can enable them to build a solid foundation of knowledge about the country from childhood, thereby enhancing their sense of national identity. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the new measures that the Education Bureau ("EDB") has put in place to enhance students' interest in Chinese culture and their sense of national identity;
(2)
given that children have very strong learning abilities even during their pre-primary years, whether EDB will enrich the relevant pre-primary learning elements, including allowing pre-primary children to read more books with contents on Chinese fables as well as traditional Chinese culture and arts, and allowing them to listen to more Chinese nursery rhymes and music, so as to nurture their interest in Chinese culture from childhood; and
(3)
as it is learnt that at present, the quintessence of Chinese culture such as paper cutting, Chinese painting and calligraphy is rarely taught in the curricula of primary and secondary schools, whether EDB will encourage schools to organize more extra-curricular activities relating to Chinese arts and crafts, so as to deepen students' understanding of Chinese culture?
Question 9
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Occupational safety
Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok to ask:
It is learnt that Hong Kong had about 20 fatal industrial accidents every year in recent years, and the number last year was even as high as 25. Late last year alone, a few industrial accidents involving sewer manholes caused the death of three workers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the staffing establishment of the Labour Department ("LD") for conducting inspections on construction sites to ensure occupational safety, and the number of inspections conducted, in each of the past three years; whether it will allocate additional resources to LD for stepping up inspection work; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether it will review the legislation related to occupational safety and health ("OSH") as soon as possible, so as to (i) ensure the provision of sufficient safety equipment for workers, (ii) improve the code of practice for safe working, and (iii) increase the penalties for offenders; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether it will step up publicity and education efforts on OSH, so as to further enhance the safety awareness of employers and employees, thereby avoiding the recurrence of tragic industrial accidents; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 10
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Reducing nuisances caused by wild pigs
Hon Mrs Regina IP to ask:
In recent days, a number of incidents of wild pigs intruding into urban areas have occurred, and some wild pigs have even intruded into residential areas as well as crowded places, causing nuisances to members of the public and attacking them. There are views that the penalties imposed by the Government on persons feeding wild pigs illegally lack deterrent effect, resulting in incessant illegal feeding and wild pigs habitually foraging food in urban areas. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the new measures put in place by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department ("AFCD") to reduce the intrusion of wild pigs into residential areas and crowded places;
(2)
of the total number of wild pigs handled by AFCD since it announced in November last year that it would capture and euthanize wild pigs appearing in urban areas;
(3)
whether it will raise the penalties for persons feeding wild pigs illegally, especially those doing so repeatedly, with a view to eradicating acts of feeding wild pigs illegally; if not, of the reasons for that; and
(4)
of the progress of AFCD's application of newly designed rubbish bins (e.g. those which can prevent wild pigs from tipping them over) at locations which are disturbed by wild pigs from time to time?
Question 11
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Manpower of the Police
Hon LAI Tung-kwok to ask:
In the 2020-2021 financial year (up to 28 February 2021), the number of vacancies at the Rank and File level of the Hong Kong Police Force ("HKPF") stood at 4 744, representing an increase of 124.9% over the preceding financial year. Regarding the manpower of the Police, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective up-to-date numbers of vacancies at and numbers of recruits of (i) the Gazetted Officer rank, (ii) the Inspector rank and (iii) the Rank and File level of HKPF since the current financial year; whether the numbers of recruits have met the recruitment targets for the current financial year;
(2)
whether HKPF increased the staffing establishment of the Hong Kong Auxiliary Police in the past three years; if so, of the relevant figures; and
(3)
whether HKPF implemented further measures last year to retain talents and alleviate the work pressure of frontline staff; if so, of the details, and whether such measures included expanding the eligibility for extension of service beyond retirement age to include police officers of all ranks?
Question 12
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Statistics on foreign domestic helpers and
intermediaries for foreign domestic helpers
Hon Judy CHAN to ask:
According to the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) ("EO"), any person who wishes to operate in Hong Kong an employment agency ("EA") (including an intermediary for foreign domestic helpers ("FDHs")) to provide job-placement services must apply to the Commissioner for Labour for a licence. It is not a requirement by the Government that FDHs have to obtain employment through FDH intermediaries, but the governments of individual source countries for FDHs may have such a requirement. It is learnt that some FDH intermediaries will therefore apply to the authorities of the countries concerned for relevant licences issued by their consulates. On the other hand, the epidemic has resulted in a drastic drop in the number of FDHs coming to Hong Kong. Regarding the statistics on FDH intermediaries and FDHs, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the current number of EAs holding a licence under EO and engaging in the business of FDH intermediaries;
(2)
whether it knows the FDH source countries that currently require their migrant FDHs to obtain employment through FDH intermediaries, and the number of FDH intermediaries involved;
(3)
of the number of complaints about the misconduct of FDH intermediaries received by the authorities in 2020 and 2021, with a breakdown by the nature of complaints as set out in the table below;
| Nature of complaints | 2020 | 2021
|
| (i)Failure to maintain proper records | |
|
| (ii)Operating an EA at a place other than the place of business specified in the licence | |
|
| (iii)Failure to notify the Labour Department of changes in the management and place of business within the statutory timeframe | |
|
| (iv)Overcharging of commission from job seekers | |
|
| (v)Unlicensed operation | |
|
| (vi)Furnishing any information which was known or reasonably ought to be known to be false or misleading in any material particular when submitting an application for renewal of licence | |
|
| (vii)Failure to display the licence or the schedule specifying the maximum commission which may be received from job seekers | |
|
(4)
whether, in respect of the complaints mentioned in (3), the authorities have revoked or refused to issue/renew the licences of the FDH intermediaries involved, or issued warning letters to them, or taken other law enforcement actions; if so, of the details and the relevant figures;
(5)
whether, since the promulgation of the Code of Practice for Employment Agencies in January 2017 and the amendment of EO and the Employment Agency Regulations (Cap. 57A) in 2018, the number of complaints about FDH intermediaries received by the authorities has decreased; if so, of the details;
(6)
of (i) the number of FDHs who applied to the Immigration Department ("ImmD") for visas for employment in Hong Kong, as well as (ii) the number of such visas issued by ImmD and the average time taken for vetting and approving each application, in each year from 2019 to 2021 (with a breakdown by nationality of FDHs);
(7)
whether it knows (i) the number of FDHs who arrived in Hong Kong and their average waiting time for coming to Hong Kong, as well as (ii) the number of FDHs who were unable to come to Hong Kong as originally scheduled due to the epidemic, in each year from 2019 to 2021 (with a breakdown by nationality of FDHs); and
(8)
given that at present the quotas for FDH quarantine facilities are limited rendering the booking of such facilities difficult, whether the authorities will consider using the date on which an FDH obtains a visa for employment in Hong Kong as a criterion for determining the order of priority for allocating quarantine quotas; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 13
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Quarantine arrangements for air crew
Hon Dominic LEE to ask:
It is reported that since the end of last month, some locally based air crew of Cathay Pacific Airways Limited ("CX") have contracted one after another the Coronavirus Disease 2019 and spread the virus in the community. Such incidents have revealed the loopholes in the quarantine arrangements for the locally based air crew of CX, such that the air crew may opt to "fly out on a passenger flight and return on a cargo flight", thereby exempting from the compulsory quarantine requirement. The Chief Executive has subsequently stated that the senior personnel of CX has been instructed to conduct a holistic investigation into the incidents and submit reports to the Government. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
how the practice of the aforesaid air crew violated the quarantine requirement specified by the Government; of the measures put in place to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents;
(2)
whether CX has already submitted the reports to the Government; if so, of the specific details of the reports; if not, whether it knows the progress of the relevant work of CX;
(3)
whether the Government will follow up CX's failure to comply with the Government's quarantine requirement; if so, of the details and progress; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
given that the Government has, since the 1st of this month, tightened the quarantine arrangements for locally based air cargo crew by extending the duration of self-isolation in designated quarantine hotels from three days to seven days for all locally based air cargo crew who have laid over at specified places, whether the Government has reviewed if such quarantine period requirement is sufficient; if it has reviewed and the outcome is in the affirmative, of the justifications for that; if the outcome is in the negative, whether the quarantine period will be extended?
Question 14
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Support for the transport sector
Hon Frankie YICK to ask:
Some practitioners of the transport sector have relayed that with the local retail prices of diesel and liquefied petroleum gas soaring by 40% to 50% due to the continuous rise in international oil prices last year, coupled with the business difficulties brought about by the fluctuating epidemic situation, the sector has been facing the hardship of not being able to make ends meet. Moreover, in the past few months, quite a number of taxi and red minibus ("RMB") rentee-drivers switched one after another to other industries because their income could no longer offset the soaring fuel costs, resulting in an increasingly acute shortage of drivers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has compiled statistics on the average amounts of fuel expenditures incurred by various commercial transport modes (i.e. goods vehicles, container trucks, franchised buses, non-franchised buses, school buses, taxis, RMBs, green minibuses, ferries and kaitos) and the rates of changes of such expenditures, as well as the proportions of such expenditures in the total operating costs, in each of the past two years;
(2)
as members of the sector have pointed out that there has been a 40% wastage of RMB drivers after the disbursement of fuel subsidies under the Anti-epidemic Fund to public light buses and taxis ended in June last year, whether the Government will consider providing such subsidies again; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and whether it will consider allowing the sector to levy fuel surcharges for offsetting the cost burden brought about by the soaring fuel prices; and
(3)
as members of the sector have pointed out that the fluctuating epidemic situation has led to a significant decrease in patronage and business difficulties, whether in the past six months the Government continued to keep in view the business environment of the sector as promised in its reply to my question on 21 July last year; if so, of the details, and the new measures in place to relieve the hardship of the sector; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 15
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme
Dr Hon Johnny NG to ask:
The Government launched the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme ("QMAS") in June 2006 to attract highly skilled or talented persons globally to settle in Hong Kong, so as to enhance the international competitiveness of Hong Kong. In order to attract non-local talents more proactively to enrich Hong Kong's talent pool, the Chief Executive announced in the 2021 Policy Address that the Government would further increase the annual quota of QMAS to 4 000. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the total number of talents granted approval to come to Hong Kong under QMAS last year, with a tabulated breakdown by (i) the country/place from which they came, and (ii) the industry in which they were engaged/the sector to which they belonged before coming to Hong Kong;
(2)
whether it has assessed (i) if the talents admitted under QMAS meet the talent needs of various industries, and (ii) their effectiveness in promoting local economic and social development; and
(3)
whether it will (i) step up the publicity and recruitment work on QMAS, so as to cater for the development needs of Hong Kong's economy and industries, and (ii) review the implementation of QMAS, so as to complement the National 14th Five-Year Plan and the development strategies of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area?
Question 16
(For written reply)
(Translation)
The problem of job-hopping by foreign domestic helpers
Hon Edward LEUNG to ask:
With the Coronavirus Disease 2019 epidemic persisting, the number of foreign domestic helpers ("FDHs") coming to Hong Kong has reduced sharply, resulting in a shortage of FDHs and giving rise to quite a number of cases of FDHs prematurely terminating their employment contracts for change of employers (commonly known as "job-hopping"). Although the Immigration Department ("ImmD") has indicated that it has all along been vetting and approving employment visa applications from FDHs stringently to combat job-hopping, it has been reported that the situation has seen no improvement. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective numbers of applications for extension of the limit of stay in Hong Kong as visitors made by FDHs who had prematurely terminated their contracts which were received, approved and rejected by ImmD in each of the past five years;
(2)
of the number of complaints about intermediaries abetting FDHs or even providing incentives to encourage FDHs to job-hop received, and what follow-up actions were taken on such complaints, by ImmD in each of the past five years; and
(3)
regarding the substantiated cases among the complaints mentioned in (2), whether ImmD has put the FDHs and intermediaries concerned on a dedicated blacklist; if so, of the respective numbers of FDHs and intermediaries put on such blacklist in each of the past five years, and the penalties imposed on them?
Question 17
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Food Truck Pilot Scheme
Hon Paul TSE to ask:
The Government announced earlier that the Food Truck Pilot Scheme ("Pilot Scheme") would end by the middle of this year due to "the unsatisfactory business development". There are comments that the Pilot Scheme is "too detached from reality" and has ended up being a "big mistake" inflicting heavy losses on investors, and that whatever can be done should be done to remedy the "big mistake" rather than dropping the Pilot Scheme and washing one's hands of it. Some members of the public attribute the failure of the Pilot Scheme to the Government's poor planning. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it can assess how much private capital, effort and time have been spent on the Pilot Scheme from the former Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development encouraging investor participation, the selection panel screening the various applicants for licences (including requiring them to prepare proposals and participate in a cooking contest), the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau deploying manpower and resources for the regulation of food trucks, to finally the policies failing to align with business development and investors successively closing down their businesses to reduce loss, and whether it will learn a lesson from this;
(2)
as it is learnt that in the past, the Government would cancel the operating licences of on-street cooked food stalls (commonly known as "Dai Pai Dong") and mahjong parlours only by ceasing to issue new licences and would not revoke a licence until the death of the licensee concerned, whether the Government has assessed beforehand the losses that these food truck investors would suffer as a result of its announcement of the sudden "end of life" of the Pilot Scheme and its failure to provide proper "hospice" service for these food truck investors;
(3)
as it has been reported that in the face of the Government's decision to end the Pilot Scheme, the only food truck operator still in business that specializes in hamburgers has no choice but to seek to secure a brick-and-mortar shop, whether the Government will provide the investor concerned or other investors who wish to continue operating food trucks with assistance in securing a brick-and-mortar shop or other appropriate support, so as to reduce the losses they suffer; and
(4)
as the Chief Executive has earlier announced the introduction of the fifth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund, whether the aforesaid food truck operator is eligible for the relevant subsidy; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 18
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Housing supply
Hon Starry LEE to ask:
The housing problem in Hong Kong is acute. The Government of the last term reintroduced the Long Term Housing Strategy ("LTHS") with a view to alleviating the social conflicts arising from the housing problem, but the housing problem still aggravated persistently in recent years. The average waiting time ("AWT") of general applicants for public rental housing ("PRH") rose to 5.9 years in September last year, and the number of inadequately housed households also reached a new high of 127 000 last year. However, according to the LTHS Annual Progress Report 2020 published by the Transport and Housing Bureau last month, the future 10-year housing supply target is no different from that of the preceding year, and there is no timetable for reducing the number of subdivided units ("SDUs"). Society in general criticizes the aforesaid report at odds with reality and fails to address the call for a reformist mindset in respect of the housing problem. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will consider incorporating into LTHS three major objectives of "allocating PRH units to applicants within three years", "helping youths in home ownership" and "bidding farewell to SDUs and small flats"; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether it will consider replacing the current approach of housing demand projection, which is mainly predicated on "net increases in the number of households", with a "target-oriented" approach, as well as raising the future 10-year public housing supply target to at least 45 000 a year, so as to achieve "zero case backlog" in respect of PRH applications, restore the vision of three years' AWT for general PRH applicants, and help youths in home ownership; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether it will consider achieving the objective of bidding farewell to SDUs through increasing the supply of different types of public housing?
Question 19
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Revitalization of Tuen Mun River
Hon Michael TIEN to ask:
The Drainage Services Department ("DSD") commenced the "Review and Selection of River Sections for Revitalization - Feasibility Study" in early 2021 to select river sections with revitalization potential and identify the preliminary scope of relevant revitalization works. The study covers Tuen Mun River and is scheduled for completion in 2023. However, some residents of Tuen Mun district have relayed that the pollution problem of Tuen Mun River has been severe all along. They always see a lot of grease and rubbish, including styrofoam, food waste and construction materials floating on the surface of Tuen Mun River, and they smell stenches from time to time. The hygiene conditions are worrying. Although quite a number of residents have complained to the Environmental Protection Department, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and DSD ("the three departments") over the years, those departments have often shirked their responsibilities, and thus the conditions have not seen any improvement. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective numbers of complaints or reports about the hygiene and stenches of Tuen Mun River received by the three departments in each of the past three years;
(2)
whether the three departments explored in the past three years the main causes of the river water pollution of Tuen Mun River;
(3)
of the details of the inspection and desilting work carried out at Tuen Mun River by the three departments in each of the past three years, including the number of inspections, as well as the manpower and expenses involved;
(4)
as it has been reported that the pollution of Tuen Mun River may be caused by the misconnection of foul water pipes which discharge industrial wastewater to the River, whether the Government commenced investigations in the past three years into the sources of such industrial wastewater; if so, of the number of prosecutions instituted each year; and
(5)
whether Tuen Mun River has been included in the revitalization scheme; if so, of the latest progress of the revitalization works?
Question 20
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Supporting young people to go to
the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for development
Hon Rock CHEN to ask:
To encourage and support Hong Kong's young people to go to the Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area ("GBA") to work and develop careers, the Government has successively launched the "Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area", the "Funding Scheme for Experiential Programmes at Innovation and Entrepreneurial Bases in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area" and the "Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme". In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the details, including the number and percentage, of Hong Kong's young people who have started up businesses and taken up employment in the various Mainland cities of GBA, with a breakdown by (i) the age group to which they belong, (ii) whether they have started up businesses or taken up employment, (iii) the industry in which they are engaged and (iv) the post they are holding, etc.; if such figures are not available, whether it will compile the statistics on a regular basis;
(2)
whether it has established a mechanism to provide support services in respect of housing, laws, employment, healthcare or emergencies to Hong Kong's young people who have started up businesses and taken up employment in the Mainland cities of GBA; if so, of the number of requests for assistance received last year, with a breakdown by (i) the matter involved and (ii) whether the assistance seekers had joined the aforesaid schemes; if it has not established such a mechanism, of the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether it will consider setting up additional Economic and Trade Offices or Liaison Units in other Mainland cities of GBA, or establishing a dedicated department to provide support services to Hong Kong's young people living on the Mainland; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 21
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Support for schools and students amid the epidemic
Hon Dennis LEUNG to ask:
With Coronavirus Disease 2019 ("COVID-19") involving the Omicron mutant strain spreading in the community, the risk of a fifth wave of epidemic outbreak in Hong Kong has been on the increase. Regarding the support for schools and students amid the epidemic, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of (i) the respective numbers of teachers and school staff as well as students who received one dose and two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, with a breakdown by school type (i.e. kindergarten, primary school, secondary school and special school), and (ii) the respective numbers of schools which resumed half-day and whole-day face-to-face classes, as at the 3rd of this month;
(2)
whether it has assessed the risk posed by the spread of the Omicron mutant strain on the health of students at school; in view of the rapid transmission of the Omicron mutant strain, what measures have been put in place by the Education Bureau ("EDB") to step up and support the anti-epidemic efforts of schools in order to lower the chances of teachers and school staff as well as students contracting the virus at school; and
(3)
of the criteria based on which the decision of a general suspension of face-to-face classes is made and, under such circumstances, how EDB will render schools and students appropriate assistance (especially the learning support to be provided for schoolchildren of grass-roots families and disadvantaged groups)?
Question 22
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Work safety in confined spaces
Ir Hon CHAN Siu-hung to ask:
On 18 November and 22 December last year, a fatal industrial accident involving works carried out in sewer manholes occurred in Siu Ho Wan Sewage Treatment Works and a construction site at Chek Lap Kok respectively, causing the death of three workers and injuries to a number of workers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the progress of the investigations made into the two aforesaid industrial accidents; the improvement measures in place to prevent the recurrence of similar accidents;
(2)
whether the relevant government departments have conducted regular reviews of the code of practice on work safety in confined spaces and regular inspections of sites with confined spaces to ensure work safety; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
whether it will step up training for those who need to work in confined spaces with a view to ensuring their full understanding and compliance with safety procedures as well as enhancing their safety awareness; if so, of the details; and
(4)
whether it has considered assisting the industry in adopting advanced technologies and equipment, such as the use of unmanned aircraft systems and 3D scanning detectors to gain an understanding of the condition inside confined spaces, and even deploying machines in place of workers to enter and work in confined spaces, so as to ensure industrial safety?