Question 1
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Pet-friendly policy
Hon Maggie CHAN to ask:
There are views that the existing legislation has impeded the development potential of Hong Kong's pet industry, and there is still substantial room for improvement in the pet-friendly policy of Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that in the reply to a question from a Member of this Council on 12 June last year, the Government indicated that it would conduct research on practices and experiences in other places regarding bringing dogs into food premises and consider reviewing the existing legislation, of the progress and details of the relevant work, including whether it will establish a licensing regime for pet-friendly food premises and devise supporting insurance solutions, open up outdoor dining areas for entry of pets on a trial basis, and implement a tiered access system based on the size of food premises, indoor and outdoor space, or types of dog;
(2)
as it is learnt that the Government is studying the introduction of ISO microchips for pets, of the progress and details of the relevant work; and
(3)
whether it has studied including other Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in Group IIIA countries or places concerning the quarantine-related arrangements for cats and dogs, and shortening the quarantine period for cats and dogs imported from countries or places in the Group to less than 30 days, as well as assessed the technical barriers and risks involved; if so, of the details and progress; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 2
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Exploring economic, trade and investment opportunities in Latin America
Hon Martin LIAO to ask:
In November last year, the Hong Kong Government signed a Free Trade Agreement with the Latin American country Peru, and the Chancay Port in Peru, an important project under the Belt and Road Initiative jointly invested by the Chinese and Peruvian enterprises, has also been open for use. Regarding the exploration of economic, trade and investment opportunities between Hong Kong and Latin America, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will provide Hong Kong businessmen with the latest market information, technical support and consultation services, etc., so as to assist them in expanding into the Latin American market; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
how it will assist Hong Kong's professional services sectors in grasping the development opportunities of the emerging markets in Latin America; and
(3)
whether it will step up efforts to attract enterprises from Latin American countries to come to Hong Kong and make use of Hong Kong as the gateway to enter into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and even the entire market of China, so as to expand their businesses; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 3
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Occupational safety of Government's outsourced workers
Hon KWOK Wai-keung to ask:
It is learnt that since 2021, there have been at least four cases of workers falling from wooden folding ladders resulting in deaths or serious injuries, and some members of the public have relayed that some of the Government's outsourced service contractors have not complied with the requirements set out in the Overview of Work-at-Height Safety issued by the Labour Department to provide their staff with working platforms that meet the safety standards for work-above-ground. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has stipulated in the outsourced service contracts that the contractors must strictly comply with the Code of Practice on Safety Management, including the provision of safe working equipment to staff and the formulation of safety guidelines at work; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
of the occupational safety and health statistics of the Government's outsourced services (including the number of cases of occupational injuries, industrial accidents and occupational diseases) over the past three years, and the average number of days of sick leave taken by staff for work-related injuries, broken down in table form by types of work and accident; and
(3)
of the number of inspections of the workplaces of outsourced staff carried out by the Government over the past three years, and whether it has formulated an assessment indicator in this regard; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; what measures in place to enhance the safety management standard of contractors to ensure the safety of their staff at work?
Question 4
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Education and talent development planning
Prof Hon LAU Chi-pang to ask:
It has been reported that the director of the film Ne Zha 2 chose to abandon a career in pharmacy in order to pursue his passion for animation production, ultimately achieving remarkable success. There are views that his story offers profound insights for education and talent development planning in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
as it is learnt that many university students currently choose to pursue careers in fields unrelated to their major, whether the Government will consider providing students with more macro and comprehensive information at the stage of subject selection in secondary schools and in life planning education, so as to deepen students' understanding of relevant disciplines and professions and help them explore their interests and give play to their strengths; if so, of the specific plans; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
as there are views that a large creative team and talent pool are important factors contributing to the success of the aforesaid film, whether the Government will further strengthen the training and guidance on creative thinking for students in the curricula of primary and secondary schools; if so, of the specific plans; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
as there are views pointing out that Hong Kong's current education system places too much emphasis on assessment and examination preparation, which is not conducive to the development of students' creative thinking, whether the Government has plans to make improvements; if so, of the specific plans; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 5
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Functions of Radio Television Hong Kong and the Information Services Department
Dr Hon Junius HO to ask:
Radio Television Hong Kong and the Information Services Department are government departments under the purview of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau respectively. There are views that the aforesaid two departments, both being official media agencies, have overlapping functions. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the specific functions and staff establishment of the two departments;
(2)
whether it will, under the financial philosophy of keeping the expenditure within the limits of revenues while exploring new sources of income and managing costs, review how the structure of the two departments can be streamlined to reduce expenditure; and
(3)
whether it has explored ways to further enhance the compatibility of the two departments and the feasibility of their merger; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 6
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Regulation of the use of electronic screen products by children and adolescents
Hon LUK Chung-hung to ask:
It has been reported that obsessive use of mobile phones by infants and young children will bring them such harms as social deprivation, sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation and addiction, which are detrimental to the development of their physical movement, fine motor, language, cognitive and social skills. Earlier on, legislation was enacted in Australia to prohibit the use of social media platforms by children and adolescents under the age of 16. The Guidelines (Trial) on Early Childhood Development Services issued by the National Health Commission has also pointed out that infants and young children aged zero to three should not be exposed to any form of products with display screens. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether the Government will draw on the experience of our country, Australia and other regions to enact legislation restricting or prohibiting the use of electronic screen products by infants and young children aged zero to three;
(2)
whether the Government will consider devising relevant guidelines on the use of computers and the Internet by primary and secondary school students and adolescents; and
(3)
as there are views that parents should, through such means as parent-child exchanges, help their infants and young children acquire the abilities to engage in interpersonal exchanges, express emotions, consider other people's feelings, etc., whether the Government will consider promoting to society the importance for children to stay away from electronic screen products, as well as providing parents with consultation channels in order to help them establish a correct concept of family education?
Question 7
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Large language models developed in Hong Kong
Dr Hon Johnny NG to ask:
It has been reported that the HKGAI V1 large model, which was released in February this year by the Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center ("HKGAI") funded by the Government's InnoHK Research Clusters, is the first large language model generated in Hong Kong based on the full parameter fine-tuning of DeepSeek, an artificial intelligence ("AI") chatbot, and continuous training, marking a major breakthrough in the field of local AI. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the development and operating costs of the HKGAI V1 large model, and how such costs compare with the development and operating costs of other similar models;
(2)
as it is learnt that AI technology has been actively applied around the world in recent years, whether the Government has compared the effectiveness of the HKGAI V1 large model with that of the AI large models developed in other regions; if so, of the results;
(3)
as it is learnt that HKPilot (i.e. a generative AI document processing copilot application), which is the large language model version developed by HKGAI, has been put on trial use in more than 70 government departments at present, of its initial effectiveness and the relevant data (e.g. the amount of costs that can be reduced and the extent of benefits that can be enhanced);
(4)
as it is learnt that neighbouring regions (including a number of Mainland cities) have started to deploy DeepSeek large models in the field of government services to create "AI civil servants" to take up some of the work originally undertaken by manpower, how the SAR Government will make use of the HKGAI V1 large model to assist the Government in enhancing government efficiency and reducing manpower expenditure, so as to improve the quality of government services; and
(5)
of the Government's specific plans and performance targets for realizing the extensive application of the HKGAI V1 large model, including (i) the specific timetable for opening up the model for public use, (ii) how it will enrich the application scenarios in the long run so as to apply and popularize the technology, (iii) how it will make the best use of the model to benefit people's livelihood, and (iv) how it will make use of the model to assist in promoting the upgrading and transformation of Hong Kong's industry structure?
Question 8
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Government tunnels and trunk roads
Ir Hon CHAN Siu-hung to ask:
The 2025-2026 Budget announced that as the Government has invested heavily in building the infrastructure of major tunnels and strategic routes, the Transport and Logistics Bureau will review the tolls of various government tunnels and trunk roads to embody the "user pays" principle. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
in the past year, of the respective average daily vehicular flows of the government-owned road tunnels (including the 10 tolled tunnels and 11 toll-free tunnels) and the Tai Lam Tunnel of which the franchise will expire on 31 May this year (collectively referred to as "the tunnels"), and the respective average percentages of the tunnels' vehicular flows during the morning and evening peak hours to the total vehicular flows;
(2)
of the respective details of the actual/estimated expenditure and income (if applicable) involved in the daily management, operation and maintenance of the tunnels in the past three years and in the coming year (set out in a table); and
(3)
of the relevant timetable and details of the Government's review of the tolls of various government tunnels and trunk roads; whether the Government will assess the impact of adopting different toll models for the aforesaid government tunnels and trunk roads on the travel habits of members of the public?
Question 9
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Combating animal cruelty
Hon LAU Kwok-fan to ask:
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance (Cap. 169) has not been updated since its amendment in 2018. The Government proposed in 2019 to amend the Ordinance to step up efforts to combat animal cruelty, but the specific bill has not yet been introduced into this Council to date for scrutiny. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
as the Government indicated in its reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on 26 February this year that it would complete the law drafting work as soon as possible after collating the views of the stakeholders concerned and introduce the proposed legislative amendments into this Council, of the specific timetable of the relevant work and the direction of the legislative amendments; whether it has encountered difficulties in the course of preparing for the legislative amendments; if so, of the details;
(2)
as it is learnt that the community generally considers that the penalties for offences of cruelty to animals under the existing legislation (with the maximum penalty being a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for three years) fail to reflect the seriousness of some cases (such as cruelty resulting in death and organized cruelty) and to pose sufficient deterrent effect, whether the Government will consider substantially raising the maximum penalty, for example, by increasing the maximum fine to $2,000,000, and raising the maximum term of imprisonment to seven years, so as to satisfy the principle of proportionality;
(3)
as the Government has indicated that it will study the introduction of the concept of "Duty of Care" in Cap. 169 mandating persons responsible for animals to take proper care of the welfare of animals, but it is learnt that the community has rather strong and diversified views in this regard, whether the authorities will amend Cap. 169 in phases by raising the maximum penalty in the first place, followed by amendments and enhancements to the Ordinance as appropriate and necessary at the next phase;
(4)
as there are views that the existing evidential threshold in Cap. 169 is too high, for example, requiring law enforcement agencies to prove that the perpetrator has the intent of "deliberately causing cruelty to animals" in order to secure a conviction, resulting in a large number of cases not proceeding to judicial proceedings due to insufficient evidence, whether the authorities will draw up dedicated prosecution guidelines so as to lower the evidential threshold and boost the conviction rate; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5)
apart from amending the existing legislation, of the details of the Government's other specific work in preventing cruelty to animals; whether the authorities will enhance public awareness of animal protection through publicity and educational efforts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 10
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Enhancing the Top Talent Pass Scheme
Hon SHANG Hailong to ask:
The Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address that the initial visa validity period for high-income talents under the Top Talent Pass Scheme (i.e. "Category A talents" under the Scheme) would be extended from two years to three years ("the new measure"). However, quite a number of Category A talents have relayed to me that they are doubtful about the application process for extending the validity period, and consider that there is room for improvement in the process. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the specific process for Category A talents to apply for extension of the initial visa validity period to three years under the new measure; whether clear announcements have been made on the relevant application process to facilitate submission of applications by Category A talents;
(2)
whether it has plans to enhance the process mentioned in (1), e.g. whether consideration will be given to exempt current visa holders who are Category A talents from submitting applications for extension of stay, or implement the initiative of "one-click application" on the Internet to automatically extend the visa validity period to three years; if so, of the specific details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether the Government has considered, in approving Category A talents' applications for extension of stay, granting approval for both the extension of visa validity period normally granted and the extension of an additional one-year under the new measure at the same time (e.g. applicants who meet the requirements will be granted not only extension of visa period for three years under normal circumstances, but also an additional one-year visa period in the light of the new measure, adding up to a total of four years); if so, of the specific details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 11
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Overseas-trained physiotherapists and occupational therapists
Dr Hon David LAM to ask:
Some professional bodies for physiotherapy and occupational therapy in Hong Kong have indicated that it takes at least eight months for Hong Kong physiotherapists and occupational therapists who graduated overseas ("overseas-trained therapists") to complete their registration applications in Hong Kong. It is learnt that there are quite a number of overseas-trained therapists awaiting assessment and approval for registration. Some of these therapists have been interviewed by the Hospital Authority ("HA") while awaiting registration, but have been placed on a waiting list due to their unresolved registration status. Meanwhile, some overseas-trained therapists have worked as ward assistants, or taken up temporary positions as student physiotherapists or student occupational therapists. There are views that while the registration procedures must be rigorous, the excessively long waiting times for registration are unfair to applicants and prevent them from fully utilizing their expertise to serve members of the public. As a result, some applicants have even left Hong Kong to serve in the countries where they graduated. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the following information regarding the time taken for overseas-trained physiotherapists and occupational therapists who meet the eligibility for registration to register in Hong Kong: the 10th percentile time, the 90th percentile time and the median time;
(2)
whether the Physiotherapists Board and the Occupational Therapists Board have established performance indicators or performance pledges for registration processing times; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
of the number of overseas-trained therapists who applied for registration in Hong Kong and the rate of successful registration in each of the past three years, and whether it has compiled statistics on the number of those who left Hong Kong before completing their registration; and
(4)
whether the Government will urge the Physiotherapists Board and the Occupational Therapists Board to expedite the vetting and approval of registration applications, so as to encourage overseas-trained therapists to return to Hong Kong to serve therein; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 12
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Promoting the setting up of family offices in Hong Kong
Hon Jeffrey LAM to ask:
The Government has proposed in the latest Budget that it will formulate proposals on the preferential tax regimes for funds, single family offices and carried interest, and develop a vibrant ecosystem for family offices. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Family-owned Investment Holding Vehicles) Bill 2022 was passed by this Council in 2023, which sought to provide profits tax concessions for family-owned investment holding vehicles managed by single family offices in Hong Kong, whether the authorities have assessed the adequacy of such tax concession measures and their effectiveness in encouraging family offices to establish a business presence in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
as it is learnt that a single family office is not required to apply for any licence under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) if it does not carry on a business of regulated activity in Hong Kong, whether the Government has estimated the number of family offices in Hong Kong which have not applied for such licence; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
of the progress and details of the Government's formulation of proposals on the preferential tax regimes for funds, single family offices and carried interest this year; and
(4)
whether it will study encouraging more Mainland high-net-worth individuals to make cross-border investments through family offices set up in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 13
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Development of Hong Kong athletes in the Mainland
Hon Stanley NG to ask:
It has been reported that Hong Kong athletes have all along been unable to be certified for acquiring the technical grade titles awarded to Mainland athletes because of their status as Hong Kong citizens, even though they won championships in sports competitions held in the Mainland. In view of this, the Administrative Measures for Technical Grades of Athletes ("the Administrative Measures") was promulgated by our country in March last year to point out clearly that athletes from Hong Kong, the Macao Special Administrative Region ("Macao SAR") and Taiwan may be awarded technical grade titles when they participate in national competitions and provincial competitions. The Administrative Measures have been implemented since 1 January this year to ensure that Hong Kong athletes and Mainland athletes are entitled to the same treatment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has compiled statistics on the current number of Hong Kong athletes pursuing development in the Mainland, with a tabulated breakdown by province;
(2)
whether it knows the specific process through which Hong Kong athletes pursuing development in the Mainland are certified for acquiring the technical grade titles awarded to Mainland athletes; whether the process is handled by the General Administration of Sport of China in a centralized manner, or there is a designated organization in Hong Kong which is responsible for handling the relevant certification for them; if there is such a designated organization, of the organization;
(3)
as the Administrative Measures point out that prior consent should be obtained from the relevant national sports associations ("NSAs") in Hong Kong and Macao SAR for awarding technical grade titles to their registered athletes, whether it has compiled statistics on the current number of athletes registered with NSAs in Hong Kong who are awarded the Mainland athletes' technical grade titles upon obtaining consents from their relevant NSAs; whether there are cases in which NSAs did not give consents for their athletes to acquire the Mainland athletes' technical grade titles; if so, of the details;
(4)
whether it knows the mechanism for Hong Kong athletes pursuing development in the Mainland without registration with the relevant NSAs in Hong Kong who are eligible to be certified under the standards for technical grades of athletes to obtain certification for acquiring the technical grade titles awarded to Mainland athletes; and
(5)
to facilitate the professional development of Hong Kong athletes in the Mainland, whether the Government will set a timetable for regular review of the existing process through which Hong Kong athletes are certified for acquiring the Mainland athletes' technical grade titles, and streamline the relevant procedures in a timely manner?
Question 14
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Prevention and treatment of hepatitis
Hon Joephy CHAN to ask:
It is learnt that hepatitis is one of the common diseases in Hong Kong, and it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people in Hong Kong are affected by hepatitis. Hepatitis may further develop into cirrhosis of the liver or even liver cancer if it is not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner, which will bring about a serious impact on the health and finances of patients and their families, and place a burden on the public healthcare system. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
in respect of education on the prevention of hepatitis, whether the Government has organized preventive educational programmes to promote the importance of keeping the liver healthy in schools and in the community in 2024; if so, of the relevant expenditure, the number of programmes organized, as well as the respective numbers of students or members of the community who have participated in such programmes; whether it will increase the relevant estimated expenditure for this year; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
in view of the Government's commitment in the 2024 Policy Address to implement hepatitis B screening to prevent liver cancer, whether the Government has formulated the relevant implementation plan; if it has, of the budget and target number of people to be screened; whether it will accord priority to screening for high-risk persons, and introduce primary healthcare networks and the public-private partnership approach to expand the screening capacity, e.g. carrying out blood monitoring for liver cancer in high-risk groups; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
whether it knows the respective numbers of new cases of liver cirrhosis diagnosed by the Hospital Authority ("HA") and patients with liver cirrhosis who continued to receive treatment in public hospitals under HA in each of the past five years;
(4)
whether it knows the respective numbers of cases of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer among the oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy services provided in public hospitals in each of the past five years; whether the relevant data reflects the incidence trends of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer in Hong Kong; whether the Government has adjusted its prevention strategies on the basis of such data; and
(5)
in order to provide more treatment options for patients and effectively relieve the pressure on public hospitals, whether the Government will consider using the public-private partnership approach or expanding the scope of the "Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme" to arrange, under the risk-based principle, for low-risk patients to receive treatment at healthcare institutions in the Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 15
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Efforts to improve environmental hygiene
Hon Kingsley WONG to ask:
The Working Group on Environmental Hygiene and Cityscape led by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration steers various bureaux and departments in improving environmental hygiene and street management. However, there are views that the fragmentation of responsibilities among departments (for example, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department ("FEHD") is responsible for clearing refuse in rear lanes, while the Transport Department is responsible for handling abandoned motorcycles) and the unclear delineation of enforcement powers and responsibilities (for example, FEHD and the Highways Department can both clean up graffiti and bills) have undermined the effectiveness of improving environmental hygiene. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will consider conferring comprehensive enforcement powers on specific government departments to centrally handle environmental hygiene and street management, so as to enhance speed and efficiency; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
as it has been learnt that many problems of hygiene black spots originate from scavengers or street sleepers, whether the government departments keep a systematic record of such people and refer their cases to the Social Welfare Department, charitable organizations or District Services and Community Care Teams, etc. for follow-up, so as to tackle problems of hygiene black spots at source;
(3)
as some hawker stall operators have relayed to me that the streets stink due to effluent flowing from suspected burst sewers of locked vacant shops near their stalls, and some people also advise that some fenced-off private sites have long been reduced to rubbish dumps fraught with pest and rodent problems, regarding hygiene problems with private premises/sites (especially cases where owners cannot be contacted), apart from applying for a warrant to effect entry into premises from the Court ("warrant") to enter such premises, how the authorities handle such cases more expeditiously and effectively; and
(4)
of the number of cases in the past three years in which various government departments have applied for warrants from the Court to enter locked/fenced-off private premises/sites to handle hygiene problems, and the respective average duration between the decision of the government departments to take legal actions and the granting of warrants by the Court?
Question 16
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Employees' compensation insurance
Hon CHAU Siu-chung to ask:
Regarding employees' compensation insurance (commonly known as "labour insurance"), will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of cases recorded by the Labour Department ("LD") in which employees died as a result of accidents arising out of and in the course their employment in each of the past seven years and this year to date, together with a breakdown by industry;
(2)
among the cases mentioned in (1), ︀of the number of cases in which employers were prosecuted by the authorities for failing to take out labour insurance policies for their employees as required under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance (Cap. 282); among such prosecuted cases, ︀of the following information on each of the convicted cases: (i) the date of the accident, (ii) the industry and occupation to which the workers involved belonged, (iii) the date on which the judgment was handed down by the court and (iv) the penalties imposed;
(3)
in respect of the penalties imposed on the convicted cases mentioned in (2), whether the authorities have applied for reviews or appeals; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4)
given that under the Employees Compensation Assistance Ordinance (Cap. 365), any employer who contravenes the requirements of Cap. 282 on taking out labour insurance policies shall be liable to pay a surcharge to the Employees Compensation Assistance Fund Board, of the highest, lowest and average amounts of surcharge paid by the employers in the convicted cases mentioned in (2);
(5)
of the respective numbers of insurance applications from the employers of the 22 high-risk industries specified under the Employees' Compensation Insurance Residual Scheme ("ECIRS") which were received, approved and rejected by the Employees' Compensation Insurance Residual Scheme Bureau Limited in each of the past seven years and this year to date, ︀as well as the number of employees involved in the approved applications, ︀together with a breakdown by industry; the main reasons for rejecting such applications under the Scheme;
(6)
as it is learnt that the Occupational Safety and Health ("OSH") Council and LD have jointly launched the "OSH Star Enterprise – Repair, Maintenance, Alteration and Addition Safety Accreditation Scheme" ("the Accreditation Scheme") to assist the insurance industry in considering offering discounts on labour insurance premium under ECIRS to enterprises satisfying the safety accreditations, of the number of enterprises which have (i) applied, (ii) have been approved and (iii) have been rejected to participate in the Accreditation Scheme in each of the past seven years and this year to date, and set out in the table below a breakdown by type of enterprise (i.e. (I) small and medium enterprises ("SMEs") and (II) non-SMEs) and business nature of enterprise (i.e. (a) erection, dismantling and use of truss-out bamboo scaffolds, (b) repair to external walls or pipings, (c) air-conditioning works and (d) interior fitting-out works); the main reasons for rejecting the applications under the Scheme;
Type of
enterprise | Business
nature of
enterprise | 2018 | …… | This year to date |
(i) | (ii) | (iii) | (i) | (ii) | (iii) | (i) | (ii) | (iii) |
(I) | (a) | | | | | | | | | |
…… | | | | | | | | | |
(d) | | | | | | | | | |
(II) | (a) | | | | | | | | | |
…… | | | | | | | | | |
(d) | | | | | | | | | |
(7)
whether it has compiled statistics on the percentage of the number of enterprises approved under the Accreditation Scheme in the total number of enterprises of the same business nature in Hong Kong at present, together with a tabulated breakdown by type of enterprise (i.e. (I) SMEs and (II) non-SMEs) and business nature of enterprise (i.e. (a) erection, dismantling and use of truss-out bamboo scaffolds, (b) repair to external walls or pipings, (c) air-conditioning works and (d) interior fitting-out works); of the measures in place to step up publicity and promotion of the Accreditation Scheme, so as to encourage more enterprises to participate in the Scheme; and
(8)
as there are views that the existing penalties for not taking out labour insurance policies are too light, and some employers may be prompted to take the risk of not taking out labour insurance policies for their employees as required by the law, whether the authorities will consider amending Cap. 282 to raise the relevant penalties, so as to enhance the deterrent effect; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 17
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Efforts in promoting waste reduction and recycling
Prof Hon Priscilla LEUNG to ask:
According to a paper submitted by the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Environmental Protection Department to the Panel on Environmental Affairs and the Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene of this Council in December last year on the latest progress and achievements of the efforts in promoting waste reduction and recycling, the authorities were conducting a study on how to enhance the municipal solid waste ("MSW") charging scheme, and would continuously monitor and assess public views and participation in waste reduction and recycling. It is expected that they will report to members again in the middle of this year on the relevant work progress and the Government's views on implementing MSW charging. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the specific measures currently put in place by the Government to enhance MSW charging scheme; of the expected time for implementing MSW charging;
(2)
how the Government assesses the level of public participation in the process of promoting waste reduction and recycling, and of the factors affecting such participation;
(3)
how the Government plans to increase the number of Food Waste Recycling Spots, and of the specific timetable; and
(4)
as regards the implementation of the Producer Responsibility Scheme on Plastic Beverage Containers and Beverage Cartons, of the challenges the Government expects to face; how it ensures that the implementation of the scheme can balance the interests of various parties?
Question 18
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Reducing the risk of unintentional injuries among the elderly
Prof Hon CHOW Man-kong to ask:
The Action Plan to Strengthen Prevention of Unintentional Injuries in Hong Kong ("the Action Plan") released by the Government in 2015 indicated that the number of deaths due to unintentional injuries, commonly known as accidents, accounted for 44.8% of the number of registered deaths in 2013, and such injuries could also lead to premature death. There are views that it is necessary for the Government to enhance home safety for the elderly aged 65 and above, particularly those living alone, so as to reduce the risk of unintentional injuries among the elderly. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
apart from the Injury Survey 2008 and the Report of Unintentional Injury Survey 2018 ("the 2018 Report") released by the Department of Health in 2010 and 2021 respectively, whether the Government has collected data on unintentional injuries among the elderly over the past five years through various channels, such as (i) 999 Emergency Calls, (ii) the number of visits to accident and emergency departments, and (iii) the emergency call systems (e.g. Safety Bell) provided by commercial or non-commercial organizations; if so, of the details, including the numbers of elderly persons who have sought assistance through the channels in (i) to (iii) for reasons such as (a) falls, (b) sprains, and (c) being struck at home, as well as their respective percentage; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
given that a total of 16 specific actions have been proposed in the Action Plan, of the implementation of each of these specific actions by the authorities over the past 10 years;
(3)
as there are views that it is only through continuous monitoring of unintentional injuries that the situation over different periods of time can be reflected, and in response to the aging population trend in Hong Kong, whether the authorities have considered changing the current practice of conducting surveys only once every 10 years, and expeditiously commissioning a research institution to launch a new round of survey based on the 2018 Report to collect information on the latest modes and trends of unintentional injuries among the elderly, particularly trends relating to home accidents, so as to facilitate the formulation of relevant preventive measures and appropriate allocation of resources to better safeguard the personal safety and well-being of the elderly; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
whether it will consider taking the initiative to install elderly facilities (e.g. handrails and non-slippery floor tiles in bathrooms) in all public rental housing units (especially older ones) where elderly people live alone, and following the example of Singapore in launching subsidy schemes to provide owners of subsidized sale flats, including those under the Home Ownership Scheme, with subsidies for installing elderly facilities at home, thereby reducing the risk of home accidents among the elderly and better preparing Hong Kong to head towards an ageing society; if so, of the details, including whether it has assessed the expenditure involved; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 19
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Promoting the staging of international convention and exhibition activities in Hong Kong
Hon TANG Fei to ask:
It is learnt that the Government has actively organized a number of major international conferences, summits, exhibitions and related activities after the epidemic, with a view to promoting economic recovery in Hong Kong and consolidating Hong Kong's international status. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has compiled statistics on the following information in respect of each of the major international conferences, summits and exhibitions organized in Hong Kong in the past three years: (i) the theme, (ii) the number of participants, and (iii) the proportions of overseas and Mainland participants;
(2)
whether it has assessed the actual effectiveness of the major international events mentioned in (1) on the Hong Kong economy, such as the business opportunities created for local industries including hotel, tourism, retail and catering; and
(3)
whether it has studied how to enhance Hong Kong's influence in the international arena through organizing major international conferences and summits, so as to consolidate Hong Kong's status as an international trading centre and Asia's business hub and further strengthen Hong Kong's role as a "super connector"; if so, whether it can provide specific examples?
Question 20
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Transport connecting two hospitals in Kai Tak
Hon YANG Wing-kit to ask:
It is learnt that the Transport Department plans to introduce Citybus Limited Route No. 20X and Supplementary Green Minibus Route No. 88A, and extend the existing route of Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited Route No. X6C, so as to enhance the connectivity of the Hong Kong Children's Hospital ("Children's Hospital") and the New Acute Hospital in Kai Tak ("New Acute Hospital") with neighbouring areas. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the following information on the aforesaid newly-introduced and extended routes: (i) the tentative implementation schedule, and (ii) the stops involved;
(2)
whether it will consider extending the origin and destination of Green Minibus Route No. 88A from Wong Tai Sin Station to Chuk Yuen and Tsz Wan Shan, and introducing a franchised bus route connecting Tsz Wan Shan, Chuk Yuen, Lok Fu and San Po Kong, so as to make it convenient for local residents to travel to and from the Children's Hospital and the New Acute Hospital; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether it will study the construction of a travellator connecting a station of the proposed Smart and Green Mass Transit System in Kai Tak to the aforesaid two hospitals; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 21
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Implementation situation of the Primary Healthcare Blueprint
Hon YIM Kong to ask:
The Government released the Primary Healthcare Blueprint ("the Blueprint") on 19 December 2022 to formulate the direction of development and strategies for strengthening Hong Kong's primary healthcare system to address the challenges brought about by an ageing population and the increasing prevalence of chronic disease, with a view to improving the overall health of the public and enhancing their quality of life. Regarding the implementation situation of the Blueprint, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the current progress of the authorities in fully implementing the initiative to set up District Health Centres in the 18 districts across the territory;
(2)
given that the Government plans to make use of the platform of the Electronic Health Record Sharing System ("eHealth") to develop a personalized eHealth account for all members of the public in Hong Kong, whether the Government will introduce support services, such as setting up offline manned support windows, for some elderly people who are unable to use the eHealth mobile application, so as to effectively enabling every member of the public to receive appropriate healthcare services; and
(3)
given that there are views that the various proposed initiatives put forward in the Blueprint, while aimed at benefiting members of the public, will also increase the demand for healthcare service providers in Hong Kong, and according to the Healthcare Manpower Projection 2023 published by the Health Bureau last year, there is a persistent manpower shortage of doctors in the long term in Hong Kong, with a projected shortfall of 1 570 and 1 200 doctors in 2030 and 2040 respectively, whether the Government has considered incorporating artificial intelligence technologies to alleviate the manpower shortage of healthcare service providers, so that the initiatives proposed in the Blueprint can be effectively implemented?
Question 22
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices
Hon CHAN Chun-ying to ask:
The overseas Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices ("ETOs") are responsible for handling bilateral affairs between Hong Kong and the countries under their purview, as well as attracting businesses, investment and talent. It is learnt that in recent years, the Government has been actively expanding into the markets of the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Middle East, encouraging Hong Kong enterprises to enter these markets and attracting companies from these regions to list in Hong Kong. It has also planned to establish ETOs in Riyadh and Kuala Lumpur. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the staff establishment and expenditure for ETOs in Dubai, Jakarta, Bangkok and Singapore in the past three years, as well as their proportion of the respective totals for all ETOs;
(2)
whether the Government has reviewed the effectiveness of the work of ETOs in attracting businesses, investment and talent; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
as it is learnt that the Government has shifted its focus to Southeast Asia and the Middle East in response to developments in recent years, whether the Government has considered reviewing afresh the layout and resources of ETOs (including staff establishment and deployment) in a timely manner, and allocating more relevant ETO resources to these regions to promote economic and trade cooperation; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?