Question 1
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Knowing about the applications used on the Mainland
Prof Hon William WONG to ask:
There are views pointing out that as the National 14th Five-Year Plan clearly supports the development of Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub, Hong Kong should better integrate into the overall development of the country and deepen its cooperation with the Mainland in innovation and technology. However, the electronic platforms and mobile applications used on the Mainland are different from those widely used in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether the Education Bureau will consider including elements of teaching the use of Mainland applications when designing the contents of innovation and technology courses;
(2)
whether it has plans to provide teachers with training on the use of and teaching methods for Mainland applications; if so, of the details; if not, whether it will consider establishing a relevant training mechanism; and
(3)
whether it will increase the number of internship places on the Mainland for students of tertiary institutions, so as to enable students to gain an early understanding of the usage of applications available on Mainland electronic platforms, and facilitate a smooth interface when they take up jobs in the Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in the future?
Question 2
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Prohibition on Face Covering Regulation
Dr Hon TIK Chi-yuen to ask:
In 2019, when Hong Kong was in the midst of the movement of opposition to the proposed legislative amendments and intensifying conflicts, the Government made the Prohibition on Face Covering Regulation ("the Regulation") under the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, which came into force on the day following its gazettal. There are views pointing out that now that order in the community has resumed, the Government should consider relaxing the restrictions on the prohibition on face covering. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will add a provision of defence under the Regulation to allow members of the public to, on the premise of expressing their views in a peaceful manner, cover their faces while participating in public meetings or public processions, and conduct public consultation on the relevant proposal;
(2)
as it is learnt that a considerable number of members of the public have developed the habit of wearing masks to prevent diseases, and residents of many districts also wish to wear masks to protect their privacy while participating in discussion sessions on district affairs, whether the Police will consider temporarily suspending the enforcement of the Regulation during public meetings or public processions which are not prohibited by the Police; and
(3)
as some members of the public have indicated that they are not clear about the circumstances under which wearing of masks is a "reasonable excuse" as provided for in the Regulation and hence the use of facial covering is allowed, whether the Police will provide clear guidelines to members of the public and openly answer their frequently asked questions about compliance with the Regulation, so that members of the public will not breach the law inadvertently?
Question 3
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Mandatory Provident Fund schemes
Hon Tony TSE to ask:
It has been reported that a research institute has estimated that last year, the Mandatory Provident Fund ("MPF") suffered an annual unrealized investment loss of about $186.9 billion with a return rate of minus 15.6%, which was higher than the drop in the Hang Seng Index ("HSI") and property prices in Hong Kong in the same period. It is learnt that quite a number of members of the public are deeply dissatisfied that, having entrusted their hard-earned money to MPF trustees for making investments on their behalf, they have to pay management fees and administration fees even losses are recorded. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows in the past 10 years, among the MPF accounts from which money was completely withdrawn, the respective numbers of accounts the balances of which, at the time when money was completely withdrawn, recorded profits and losses after deducting accrued contributions, with a breakdown by the number of years for which such accounts had been set up (e.g. less than five years, five to 10 years, more than 10 years and up to 15 years, and more than 15 years);
(2)
given that the MPF system has so far been implemented for over 22 years, during which the demographic structure, labour market, investment environment and social welfare system of Hong Kong have experienced quite a number of changes, whether the Government will conduct a comprehensive review of the MPF system; if not, of the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether it will consider increasing the investment options available for MPF contributors, including time deposits with banks, exchange traded funds linked to HSI (e.g. the Tracker Fund of Hong Kong), funds which truly guarantee capital preservation, funds operating on a "no profit, no fee" basis, and entrusting the contributions to the Exchange Fund for investment; if not, of the reasons for that?
Question 4
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Combating touting activities in the booking of LCSD sports venues
Hon LUK Chung-hung to ask:
It is learnt that the supply of sports venues under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department ("LCSD") falls short of demand, and some hirers tout their booked sessions for using the venues for profits ("touting activities"). On the other hand, LCSD introduced a number of new measures in May and November last year respectively to further combat suspected touting activities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has conducted specific surveys on the touting situation, such as the type of venues and the sessions where touting activities are particularly serious, the difference between the asking prices demanded by people engaged in touting activities and the hire charges of venues, and the reasons for the prevalence of touting activities;
(2)
whether it has plans to review the existing arrangements for hiring LCSD venues or formulate administrative measures to combat the touting trend, including setting up a blacklisting system; and
(3)
whether it will amend the Pleasure Grounds Regulation to add provisions prohibiting the transfer of booked sessions for the use of venues for profits, and treat the relevant cases as "summary offences", so as to combat touting activities?
Question 5
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Mainland study tours of the subject of Citizenship and Social Development
Hon Rock CHEN to ask:
According to the arrangements for Mainland study tours of the subject of Citizenship and Social Development ("CS"), schools are required to provide students with an opportunity to participate in Mainland study tours during the three years at the senior secondary level, so as to enable students to gain an understanding of national affairs and the development of the nation, and enhance their sense of national identity. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
as there are views that the itineraries of most of the 22 CS Mainland study tours arranged by the Education Bureau ("EDB") focus only on visits, and eight of them are even same-day return tours, the itineraries concerned allow only a shallow understanding from a fleeting glance due to long travelling time and unduly short time for the study tours, and students may not have a deep understanding of the visit contents, whether EDB will review the relevant itineraries, as well as including more exchange activities and extending the duration of the tours; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether EDB will arrange for senior secondary students to participate in at least one Mainland study tour a year; if so, when this will be implemented; and
(3)
given that teachers and students participating in Mainland study tours can receive a full subsidy for the tour fees from EDB, of the criteria for determining the amount of subsidy, whether a subsidy ceiling is set for each study tour or each teacher and student, and the estimated total expenditure involved each year?
Question 6
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Measures to cope with an ageing population
Dr Hon Priscilla LEUNG to ask:
According to the Hong Kong Population Projections 2020-2069 released by the Census and Statistics Department, the percentage of the elderly population in the total population will increase to over 30% in 2039. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has assessed the challenges to be brought about by the continued ageing of the population to social and economic developments in the coming five years; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether it has assessed the demand for medical resources (including medical expenditure, medical facilities and healthcare manpower) in the coming five years to be brought about by the continued ageing of the population, and actively prepared to meet such challenges; and
(3)
of the specific measures to be put in place by the Government in the coming five years to strengthen elderly care services, including home care services as well as services provided by day care centres for the elderly and residential care homes for the elderly?
Question 7
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Manpower supply and demand situation of the security services industry
Hon KWOK Wai-keung to ask:
Regarding the manpower supply and demand situation of the security services industry, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the manpower supply and demand situation of the security services industry in the past five years, including the number of employed persons, as well as the number and percentage of job vacancies; whether it has estimated the discrepancy between the supply of and demand for manpower in the security services industry in the coming five years, and assessed if the relevant manpower is sufficient to meet the market demand;
(2)
of the number of new applicants for a Security Personnel Permit to whom the Commissioner of Police issued such permit in the past five years, with a breakdown by the age group to which such applicants belonged; the current number of holders of a valid Security Personnel Permit; and
(3)
of the total number of security personnel training courses organized by various training providers in the past five years, and set out, by the name of such courses, the number of persons who enrolled in such courses, as well as the number and percentage of those who joined the security services industry after completing such courses?
Question 8
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Combating illegal sale and smuggling of chilled chickens
Hon Steven HO to ask:
In recent years, there have been constant complaints from members of the public about chilled chickens from unknown sources being touted with the methods including, among others, touting around by unlicensed hawkers, selling in stalls without cold-storage equipment, using trucks to conduct "flash sales" by the roadside, and selling illegally in frozen meat shops. Such chilled chickens pose food safety risks as they may not have been inspected by the Centre for Food Safety ("CFS") or refrigerated properly. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the aforesaid situation of chilled chickens being sold illegally; of the numbers of complaints concerned received, relevant enforcement actions taken and successful prosecutions instituted by the Government in the past three years, as well as the penalties imposed on the convicted persons;
(2)
whether it has assessed the risks posed to food safety and local chicken farms by the current situation of illegal sale of chilled chickens in Hong Kong;
(3)
of the enforcement actions currently taken to combat the illegal sale of chilled chickens; whether it will step up inspections and increase penalties, or even conduct investigations by means such as decoy operations, so as to step up the efforts in combating the illegal sale and smuggling of chilled chickens; and
(4)
as there are views pointing out that due to space problem, the inspection on imported food conducted by the Man Kam To Food Control Office has been found wanting, and that apart from the occurrence of cases from time to time involving goods vehicles avoiding going to the Office for inspection by CFS, CFS conducts random checks only on a fairly small amount of food or on goods placed in the front row of the cargo compartments of goods vehicles, making it easy for smuggled chilled chickens mixed with other goods to avoid random checks, whether the Government will consider building additional wholesale food markets and requiring all food products supplied to Hong Kong by land to be transported to such markets for inspection before they can be sent to other retail outlets, and at the same time further improving the inspection on food products supplied to Hong Kong by air and by sea, so as to eradicate the problem of chilled chicken smuggling?
Question 9
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Campaign to distribute free air tickets to travellers from around the world
Hon LAM San-keung to ask:
It is learnt that in support of the "Hello Hong Kong" global promotional campaign launched by the Government on 2 February 2023, the Airport Authority Hong Kong ("AAHK") will give away 500 000 free air tickets to travellers in major passenger markets to encourage them to come to Hong Kong. Home-based airlines will distribute such tickets outside Hong Kong in phases. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:
(1)
the details of the purchase of the aforesaid 500 000 air tickets by AAHK from home-based airlines, such as the names of the airlines involved, the number of air tickets purchased from each airline, the amount of expenditure and the payment schedule;
(2)
the details of the distribution of the aforesaid air tickets outside Hong Kong by the various home-based airlines (including the criteria adopted); and
(3)
whether AAHK has established a mechanism to monitor how the home-based airlines concerned distribute the aforesaid air tickets and to assess the effectiveness of the air tickets giveaway campaign; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 10
(For written reply)
(Translation)
The BUD Fund
Hon Sunny TAN to ask:
The Government set up a Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales ("the BUD Fund") in 2012 to assist Hong Kong enterprises in exploring and developing the Mainland market, and subsequently extended the geographical coverage of the funding support to include other economies with which Hong Kong has signed Free Trade Agreements and/or Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements. To expedite the vetting and approval of applications, the 2023-2024 Budget announced the launch of "BUD Easy" to enable more small and medium enterprises to make use of the funding to develop their business. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the expected time for launching "BUD Easy" officially;
(2)
of the expected extent to which "BUD Easy" can streamline the application procedures of the BUD Fund, shorten the time needed for vetting and approval, and enhance the efficiency of the vetting and approval process;
(3)
as quite a number of members of the industrial and commercial sectors have relayed that the applicant enterprises of the BUD Fund need to comply with stricter procurement requirements (e.g. obtaining a minimum of two quotations for the procurement or lease of equipment, goods or services with an aggregate value of over $2,000 but not exceeding $50,000), which have dampened the desire of some enterprises to apply for the Fund, whether the Government will consider relaxing the procurement requirements of the Fund; and
(4)
how the Government will, through strengthening e-Government services and promoting "smart government", optimize the electronic application platform of the BUD Fund and the consultation service provided to enterprises?
Question 11
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Staff retention measures of the Hospital Authority
Hon Edward LEUNG to ask:
The Hospital Authority ("HA") has earlier on launched a series of staff retention measures, including a low-interest home loan scheme for staff, an arrangement for extending the employment of retired staff, creation of a new rank of Associate Nurse Consultant ("ANC"), etc. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:
(1)
the respective numbers of applications received and approved under the low-interest home loan scheme for staff since its launch; the average time taken for the granting of approval from the submission of an application by applicant;
(2)
the implementation progress of the arrangement for extending the employment of retired staff since its launch, and the number of staff who have been arranged for extended employment upon retirement, together with a breakdown by their ranks; whether HA has assessed the effectiveness of the arrangement;
(3)
the progress of the recruitment exercise since the launch of the measure for the creation of the new rank of ANC, and the number of ANCs hired, together with a breakdown by the length of service of such ANCs; whether HA has assessed the effectiveness of the measure; and
(4)
the numbers of HA doctors and nurses departed since January 2022 and their respective ranks, together with a breakdown by the length of service of such staff; whether HA has put in place other measures to retain healthcare manpower, so as to ensure that public healthcare services are not affected?
Question 12
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Protecting children's safety at home
Hon LEUNG Man-kwong to ask:
It has been reported that two incidents of young children falling from heights occurred in Hong Kong last month, causing the death of a girl and injury to a boy, and arousing public concern about the safety of children at home. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has compiled statistics on the number of home safety incidents involving children resulting from parental neglect in the past three years, and set out the casualties of children involved in each incident;
(2)
whether the Government has conducted studies specifically on preventing young children from falling from heights and formulated policies to prevent such incidents; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether the Government will step up publicity efforts in respect of protecting children's safety at home, appeal to parents to install additional equipment to protect children's safety at home, and provide parents with appropriate support to assist them in installing such equipment; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 13
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Increasing the supply of motorcycle parking spaces
Hon SHANG Hailong to ask:
There are views that the number of motorcycles is increasing in Hong Kong, but the number of parking spaces for use by motorcycles has not increased, and the prolonged occupation of quite a number of legitimate motorcycle parking spaces by "dead vehicles" (i.e. unclaimed vehicles) and abandoned motorcycles has aggravated the problem of shortage of motorcycle parking spaces. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has compiled statistics on the respective current numbers of public and private motorcycle parking spaces in the territory, and whether it has estimated the shortfall in motorcycle parking spaces in the territory, with a tabulated breakdown by District Council district;
(2)
whether it will, when conducting operations to remove dead vehicles and abandoned motorcycles, check the identities of the owners of such vehicles through their chassis numbers, so as to require the owners concerned to bear the expenses of such operations, and charge them high administrative fees and pursue their legal liabilities for achieving a deterrent effect; and
(3)
whether it will consider building multi-storey car parks designated for the use of motorcycles, encouraging the private sector to build such car parks, and providing more motorcycle parking spaces at suitable roadside locations and spaces underneath flyovers?
Question 14
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Sale of flesh of cats or dogs for food
Hon CHAN Yung to ask:
Hong Kong has enacted legislation to prohibit the slaughter of cats and dogs as well as the sale of the flesh of cats and dogs for food for over 70 years. However, it has been reported that in recent years, some licensed fresh provision shops were still suspected of selling the flesh of cats or dogs. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the total number of complaints received by the authorities in the past five years about licensed fresh provision shops suspected of selling the flesh of cats or dogs, as well as the number of such complaints followed up and the conviction rates;
(2)
whether law enforcement agencies performed random checks on the goods of licensed fresh provision shops in the past five years to ensure that such fresh provision shops did not possess or sell the flesh of cats or dogs; if so, of the details;
(3)
as there are views that the maximum penalty for contravening the relevant provisions of the Dogs and Cats Ordinance (Cap. 167) (i.e. a fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for six months) can no longer achieve any deterrent effect, whether the authorities will expeditiously amend the Ordinance to raise the maximum penalty; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
whether the authorities have considered cooperating with the relevant Mainland authorities or customs to combat the smuggling of the flesh of cats and dogs; if so, of the details?
Question 15
(For written reply)
(Translation)
New energy vehicles
Hon Dominic LEE to ask:
Regarding new energy vehicles, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has drawn up a timetable for completely phasing out fuel-propelled vehicles; if so, of the arrangements for the disposal and recycling of fuel-propelled vehicles;
(2)
given that the Government has pointed out in the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles that it will explore the gradual conversion of some existing petrol or liquefied petroleum gas filling stations to quick charging stations in the medium to long term, whether the Government will assist the operators concerned in switching to operating quick charging stations; if so, of the details and the timetable;
(3)
as there are views that new energy vehicles and their related industries will continue to develop while the Government is promoting the popularization of electric vehicles ("EVs") and hydrogen fuel cell EVs, whether the Government will provide forward-looking support for the industries concerned in the light of the new development; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4)
whether the Government will consider, by making reference to the practices of the Mainland, promoting the "vehicle-battery separation charging mode" and the "battery swapping and sharing concept", so as to relieve the problem of EV charging; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(5)
as the Government has indicated that it will conduct a consultation on the producer responsibility scheme for retired EV batteries this year, of the relevant details and the consultation timetable;
(6)
as the Secretary for Environment and Ecology indicated in his reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on 9 November last year that the Government was discussing with the trade, training institutes and other stakeholders about the requirements for and details of the voluntary registration of EV maintenance, of the progress of the relevant work;
(7)
whether the Transport Department will, in view of the popularity of new energy vehicles, study the need to adjust the contents of the driving test; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(8)
of the number and percentage of EVs in the registered vehicles in the government fleet, as well as the following information on such EVs: numbers, models, vehicle types, purchase prices, and numbers of service years to date (set out in a table)?
Question 16
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Pilot Scheme on Community Care Service Voucher for the Elderly
Hon Stanley LI to ask:
The Social Welfare Department ("SWD") launched the Pilot Scheme on Community Care Service Voucher for the Elderly ("the Pilot Scheme") in 2013 to allow eligible elderly persons to use Community Care Service Vouchers ("CCSVs") to purchase suitable community care services from recognized service providers ("RSPs") under the "money-following-the-user" funding mode. On the other hand, the Chief Executive announced in the 2022 Policy Address that the Pilot Scheme would be regularized. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the following information of each of the First to Third Phases of the Pilot Scheme (launched in 2013, 2016 and 2020 respectively) (set out in a table):
(i)
the number of CCSV recipients;
(ii)
the number of CCSV users;
(iii)
the number of persons who were issued with CCSVs but did not use them;
(iv)
the number of persons who left the Pilot Scheme and their reasons for leaving;
(v)
the number of applications for long term care services on the Central Waiting List for Subsidized Long Term Care Services the status of which changed from "active" to "inactive" because the applicants had been issued with CCSVs;
(vi)
the number of RSPs, the types of services provided and the service quotas, with a breakdown by District Council district;
(vii)
the amount of government subsidies; and
(viii)
the actual staffing establishment;
(2)
given that there are six "co-payment categories" (determined in accordance with the average monthly incomes of the elderly person and the specified household members residing with him/her in the three months preceding the date of application) under the Pilot Scheme, and an elderly person will pay the service fee according to the category to which he/she belongs, of the number of elderly persons involved in each of the categories;
(3)
as it is learnt that elderly persons have insufficient understanding of CCSVs, and some elderly persons have left the Pilot Scheme without using the CCSVs issued to them, whether the authorities will step up publicity work for elderly persons;
(4)
as there are views pointing out that elderly persons with moderate or severe impairment may have difficulties in choosing suitable services under the Pilot Scheme due to their impaired mobility or limited ability to receive information, of the measures put in place by the authorities to assist such elderly persons;
(5)
as there are views that SWD has not set a uniform service standard for RSPs, of the specific measures put in place by the authorities to regulate RSPs' service quality, so as to ensure the well-being of elderly persons; and
(6)
given that the Ombudsman announced in 2021 the launch of a direct investigation into the operational arrangements for the Pilot Scheme, whether the authorities know the latest progress of the relevant investigation work?
Question 17
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Anti-epidemic taxis
Hon CHAN Pui-leung to ask:
The Government, together with the taxi trade, set up a designated fleet of taxis (commonly known as "anti-epidemic taxis") during the fifth wave of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 epidemic to provide confirmed patients with relatively mild symptoms with free transport services to and from designated clinics. In light of the easing of the epidemic situation, anti-epidemic taxis ceased to provide service on 14 January this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the following information during the operation period of anti-epidemic taxis: the number of anti-epidemic taxis, the number of person-times of patients carried, and the relevant expenditure of the Government;
(2)
of the respective numbers of taxi operators and self-employed taxi drivers whose applications for the operation of anti-epidemic taxis were received and approved by the Government; the criteria based on which the Government vetted and approved such applications;
(3)
whether it has compiled statistics on the total number of anti-epidemic taxi drivers who were confirmed to have been infected at work, and what measures the Government put in place to assist in the continuous operation of anti-epidemic taxis during the period when their drivers were confirmed patients;
(4)
as it has been reported that some anti-epidemic taxi drivers have not yet received the relevant subsidies disbursed by the Government, of the follow-up work of the Government; and
(5)
whether it has assessed the effectiveness of anti-epidemic taxis; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; whether it will re-launch such service in case of changes in the epidemic situation?
Question 18
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Measures to improve labour shortage
Hon Mrs Regina IP to ask:
Operators of quite a number of industries have relayed that there is a shortage of both low-skilled workers and professionals in Hong Kong, and they are in general facing recruitment difficulties. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective numbers of persons who applied and were approved to work in Hong Kong under the General Employment Policy and the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals in the past three years and, among them, the number of those who belonged to the 13 professions with a shortage of local talents as listed in the Talent List;
(2)
as it is learnt that the Government has consulted the trades on the updating of the Talent List and conducted surveys and studies on the latest situation of talent shortage of the relevant professions, of the progress and preliminary results of the relevant work, as well as the anticipated differences in the professions covered by the updated Talent List and the existing Talent List; and
(3)
as it is learnt that some members of the public have given up taking up full-time jobs in order to pass the income and asset tests for applying for public rental housing ("PRH") and other social welfare protection, and this is one of the reasons why enterprises have recruitment difficulties, whether the Government will review afresh the income and asset limits for applying for PRH and other social welfare protection, and handle flexibly in the light of different circumstances; if so, of the details and implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 19
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Promoting the development of carbon markets
Hon Adrian HO to ask:
There are views that the development of carbon markets can facilitate the business sector to contribute to the mitigation of global warming while developing business. The Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited ("HKEX") has launched in July last year the Hong Kong International Carbon Market Council composing of members from various local and overseas corporates and financial institutions, with a view to helping Hong Kong develop an efficient and effective international carbon market. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that HKEX signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Guangzhou-based China Emissions Exchange last year to jointly explore the further development of carbon markets in the region and the establishment of a voluntary carbon emission reduction programme which is applicable to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area ("GBA"), of the up-to-date progress in promoting the development of carbon markets in GBA and the establishment of the voluntary carbon emission reduction programme;
(2)
of the number of participants in and implementation details of the Pilot Green and Sustainable Finance Capacity Building Support Scheme launched in December last year, and whether it has plans to expand the training scale in light of the demand;
(3)
given that "carbon negative technology" (i.e. offsetting carbon emission through the technology of carbon capture, utilization and storage) topped the list of "Top 10 Technologies in 2023" released by the Hong Kong Productivity Council in December last year, whether the authorities have formulated plans and timetable for actively promoting the development of carbon negative technology in Hong Kong, and encouraging local small and medium enterprises to explore the relevant sustainable business opportunities, so as to enhance their competitiveness; if so, of the details; and
(4)
of the plans in place to leverage Hong Kong's advantage of being closely connected to the world to assist the country in promoting the development of carbon markets, carbon negative technology and related industries, thereby facilitating the country to achieve the goal of peaking carbon emission before 2030 and its exchange and cooperation with other advanced countries?
Question 20
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Cases of residential mortgage loans in negative equity
Hon Kenneth LAU to ask:
It has been reported that the latest data from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority indicates that as at the end of the fourth quarter of last year, the number of cases of residential mortgage loans in negative equity ("negative equity cases") reached 12 164, representing a surge of nearly 22 times quarter-on-quarter and hitting a record high in almost 18 years since the first quarter of 2005, and the amount of money involved in the negative equity cases also increased by 21 times quarter-on-quarter from $3,006 million to $66,252 million, hitting the highest level since the fourth quarter of 2003. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows, among the negative equity cases, the number of those in which the owners concerned only owned their self-occupied properties, and the total amount of loans which were not repaid by such owners;
(2)
whether it has assessed the negative impacts brought about by the continuous increase in the number of negative-equity properties on Hong Kong's economy (including cash loss, investment confidence, and even the development of the industrial and commercial sectors); if so, of the results;
(3)
whether it has plans to reduce the number of negative-equity properties to a specific level, so as to mitigate the impacts brought about by negative-equity properties; if so, of the details;
(4)
as there are views that the drop of more than 15% in residential property prices last year has inevitably caused some first-time homebuyers using the Mortgage Insurance Programme ("MIP") offered by the HKMC Insurance Limited to become negative-equity property owners, whether the Government knows, among the negative equity cases, the number of those in which MIP was used, as well as the total amount of such mortgage loans and the total amount of outstanding loans; whether the Government will suitably adjust MIP in the light of the market situation; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5)
as there are views in the community that in order to avoid a further drop in property prices which will lead to a continuous increase in the number of negative equity cases, the Government should expeditiously relax the various demand-side management measures targeted at the property market (commonly known as "reduce the harsh measures"), whether the Government has set objective criteria for reducing the harsh measures and made assessments and preparations (including the formulation of contingency plans) in respect of the timing, strength, priority and public expectations for reducing the harsh measures; if so, of the details (including such criteria and the considerations in setting the criteria); if not, the reasons for that?
Question 21
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Epidemic prevention measures upon resumption of normalcy in Hong Kong
Hon CHAN Hok-fung to ask:
In the Report on the Work of the Government released early this month, the former Premier of the State Council pointed out that after entering the stage of regularized epidemic prevention and control, the work focus of epidemic prevention and control would be on health protection, prevention of serious illnesses, as well as promoting upgrading of vaccines and development of new drugs. Besides, the Hong Kong SAR Government has also lifted the mask mandate since the 1st of this month. Regarding the epidemic prevention measures and strategies upon resumption of normalcy in Hong Kong, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
as it was pointed out in the Report on the Safety Monitoring of COVID-19 Vaccines in Hong Kong regularly released by the Government that, among the death cases concerning persons who had been administered with COVID-19 vaccines, none of the cases were associated with vaccination, whether the Government has plans to step up publicity and education to the public on the safety and importance of vaccination; if so, of the details;
(2)
given that currently the Hong Kong Childhood Immunization Programme provides immunization to children from birth to five years old, how the Government determines the list of immunization recommended and whether a mechanism is in place for reviewing the list regularly, and whether the COVID-19 vaccines will be included in such list; if so, of the details;
(3)
whether it will develop and purchase the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines using inactivated vaccines as their basis, and provide free vaccination for members of the public through the Government Vaccination Programme launched every year; if so, of the timetable; and
(4)
as it is learnt that quite a number of mask factories were established in Hong Kong during the epidemic, whether the Government will render assistance to such mask factories in upgrading and transformation, and request government departments or public hospitals to incorporate clauses into the mask procurement contracts requiring the suppliers to provide a certain percentage of masks that are made in Hong Kong, so as to develop mask production into a local strategic industry, thereby preventing the recurrence of the epidemic; if so, of the details?
Question 22
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Operation of financial regulators
Hon CHAN Chun-ying to ask:
It is learnt that since December 2002, the four financial regulators in Hong Kong (i.e. the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, the Securities and Futures Commission, the Insurance Authority and the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority) have adopted a frontline regulator approach to oversee the cross-segment business of financial institutions. In order to minimize regulatory duplication or gaps, the four financial regulators have signed a series of memoranda of understanding ("the MoUs") amongst themselves; the Government has also established the Council of Financial Regulators ("CFR") whose terms of reference are, among others, to "minimize duplication or gaps in the regulation and supervision of financial institutions, paying close attention to the need to keep regulatory costs to a minimum", and "review international developments in financial sector regulation and to draw lessons for Hong Kong". In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows if the aforesaid four financial regulators have regularly conducted reviews on and made amendments to the MoUs; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether CFR has, since its establishment, held discussions on the aforesaid "paying close attention to the need to keep regulatory costs to a minimum" and made corresponding decisions; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
as it is learnt that the United Kingdom has implemented a "twin peaks" financial regulatory regime since April 2013, whether CFR has explored the lessons that Hong Kong can draw from it; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?