Subsidiary Legislation	L.N. NO.
1. Waste Disposal (Designated Waste Disposal Facility) Regulation	197/97
2. Fugitive Offenders (Netherlands) Order	198/97
3. Fugitive Offenders (Canada) Order	199/97
4. Fugitive Offenders (Australia) Order	200/97
5. Fugitive Offenders (Malaysia) Order	201/97
6. Fugitive Offenders (Philippines) Order	202/97
7. Fugitive Offenders (United States of America) Order	203/97
8. Fugitive Offenders (Safety of Civil Aviation) Orderm	204/97
9. Fugitive Offenders (Internationally Protected Persons and Hostages) Order	205/97
10. Fugitive Offenders (Torture) Order	206/97
11. Fugitive Offenders (Drugs) Order	207/97
12. Fugitive Offenders (Genocide) Order	208/97
13. Fugitive Offenders Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 2) Order 1997	209/97
14. Fugitive Offenders (Notification Procedures) Regulation	210/97
15. Fugitive Offenders (Forms) Regulation	211/97
16. Fugitive Offenders (Miscellaneous) Regulation	212/97
17. Land Survey (Disciplinary Procedure) Regulation	216/97
18. Hong Kong Airport (Control of Obstructions) Order 1997 (Amendment) Order 1997	217/97
19. Hong Kong Airport (Control of Obstructions) (No.2) Order 1997	218/97
20. Official Languages (Alteration of Text Under Section 4D) (No.15) Order 1997	219/97
21. Official Languages (Alteration of Text Under Section 4D) (No.16) Order 1997	220/97
22. Official Languages (Alteration of Text Under Section 4D) (No.17) Order 1997	221/97
23. Rules of the Supreme Court (Amendment) Rules 1997	222/97
24. Declaration of Increase in Pensions Notice 1997	223/97
25. Widows and Orphans Pension (Increase) Notice 1997	224/97
26. Banking (Amendment) Ordinance 1997 (4 of 1997) (Commencement) (No.2) Notice 1997	225/97
27. Auxiliary Forces Pensions (Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 1997 (20 of 1997) (Commencement) Notice 1997	226/97
28. Control of Chemicals Ordinance (Amendment of Schedules) Order 1997 (L.N.53 of 1997) (Commencement) Notice 1997	227/97
29. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Missions Etrangeres Incorporation Ordinance) Order	(C) 116/97
30. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Petites Soeurs Des Pauvres, St. Pern, Bretagne, Incorporation Ordinance) Order	(C) 117/97
31. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Pontifical Foreign Missions Institute Incorporation Ordinance) Order	(C) 118/97
32. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Sailors Home and Missions to Seamen Incorporation Ordinance) Order	(C) 119/97
33. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Salesian Society Incorporation Ordinance) Order	(C) 120/97
34. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Sisters of the Precious Blood Order Incorporation Ordinance) Order	(C) 121/97
35. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Order of St. John Ordinance) Order	(C) 122/97
36. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (J.E. Joseph Trust Fund Ordinance) Order	(C) 123/97
37. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Prior of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance Incorporation Ordinance) Order	(C) 124/97
38. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Hong Kong Productivity Council Ordinance) Order	(C) 125/97
39. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Hong Kong Sea Cadet Corps Ordinance) Order	(C) 126/97
40. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Consular Relations Ordinance) Order	(C) 127/97
41. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Hoseinee Society of Hong Kong Incorporation Ordinance) Order	(C) 128/97
42. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Loan Fund Ordinance) Order	(C) 129/97
43. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Hong Kong Tramways Educational Trust Fund Ordinance) Order	(C) 130/97
44. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Hong Kong Trade Development Council Ordinance) Order	(C) 131/97
45. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (The English Schools Foundation Ordinance) Order	(C) 132/97
46. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Pension Benefits (Judicial Officers) Ordinance) Order	(C) 133/97
47. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Land Registration Ordinance) Order	(C) 134/97
48. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Hong Kong Tuberculosis, Chest and Heart Diseases Association Incorporation Ordinance) Order	(C) 135/97
49. Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Merchant Shipping (Safety) Ordinance) Order	(C) 136/97

Sessional Papers 1996-97

1.No.95-

Hospital Authority
Annual Report 1995-1996
Statement of Accounts and Auditor's Report

(to be presented by the Secretary for Health and Welfare)

2.No.96-

Statement of Accounts of the Samaritan Fund for the year ended 31 March 1996

(to be presented by the Secretary for Health and Welfare)

3.No.97-

Employees Compensation Assistance Fund Board Annual Report 1995/96

(to be presented by the Secretary for Education and Manpower)

4.No.98-

Employees' Compensation Insurance Levies
Management Board
Annual Report 1995/96

(to be presented by the Secretary for Education and Manpower)

II. Questions

1. Mr LEE Wing-tat to ask : (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council of:

the locations and areas of the various pieces of land earmarked for housing production during the period from 2002-03 to 2005-06, together with the prospective commencement dates and estimated completion dates of the housing projects concerned; and
the respective stages in the construction process (from the identification of land to site formation stages) which the various pieces of land mentioned in the answer to (a) above have now reached?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning,Environment and Lands

2. Mr IP Kwok-him to ask : (Translation)

Currently, many buildings in the territory have illegal structures erected on their external walls, thus posing a danger to the structure of the buildings. In view of this, will the Government inform this Council:

of the existing procedures adopted and the average time required by the Buildings Department (BD) (from the receipt of a complaint to the completion of the clearance action) in handling complaint cases involving illegal structures, and the difference between such average time and the time required for handling this type of cases as set out in the performance pledge of the BD; and
whether the BD will review the current procedures in handling complaint cases involving illegal structures with a view to shortening the lead time; if not, why not?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

3. Mr Fred LI to ask : (Translation)

It is learned that following the disbandment of the Tsuen Wan Ecumenical Social Service Centre, the Government has decided to discontinue the service of an independent Neighbourhood Level Community Development Project (NLCDP) team for the Sham Tseng / Tsing Lung Tau area on the ground of insufficient population in the area, and instead extend the service provided by the existing team serving the Hing Shing Temporary Housing Area / Hon Man Village area to cover the Sham Tseng / Tsing Lung Tau area. However, in calculating the population of the Sham Tseng / Tsing Lung Tau area, the Government has only taken into account the residents of Sham Tseng Village and Tsing Lung Tau Village, and excluded the residents of other villages, such as Yuen Tun Village, Sze On Terrace and Pai Min Kok Village, which have hitherto been served by the original team serving the Sham Tseng / Tsing Lung Tau area. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

of the reasons why the Government has not adopted the service boundary covered by the original team as the criterion for planning the provision of service, and instead rigidly followed the existing practice of providing service according to defined areas; and how the Government plans to take care of the need for NLCDP service of those villagers who are excluded from the service boundary;
whether, at the time of planning to extend the service of the team serving the Hing Shing Temporary Housing Area / Hon Man Village area to cover the Sham Tseng / Tsing Lung Tau area, the Government has taken account of the geographical distance separating the two areas, as well as the similarities and differences in the service needs of the residents in the areas concerned, so as to assess the specific impact of integrating the provision of service in these two areas; if so, what the outcome is; if not, why not; and
whether the Government has failed to honour the undertaking previously given to the residents concerned, given that the Social Welfare Department issued a statement on 13 January this year in regard to the above incident expressing concern about the needs of the residents in the Sham Tseng / Tsing Lung Tau area for NLCDP service, and undertaking to take prompt action in inviting interested non-government organizations to provide such service, but the Government has up to now not heeded the request of the residents in the Sham Tseng / Tsing Lung Tau area for an independent team, and insisted on withdrawing the original team instead?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

4. Mr WONG Wai-yin to ask : (Translation)

It is learnt that the consultancy firm commissioned by the Government completed the Parking Demand Study Report at the end of 1995. The Report pointed out that there was a severe shortage of parking spaces in the territory and recommended that the Government should adopt Category A and Category B remedial measures to address the problem. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

which of the measures recommended by the consultancy firm will be adopted by the Government; and whether the Government has any specific plans for their implementation; if so, what the details are; and
of the reasons for not adopting the other recommendations?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

5. Mr CHOY Kan-pui to ask : (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council:

of the number of Senior Citizen Cards issued in each of the past three years;
of the respective numbers of organizations and commercial establishments offering concessions to Senior Citizen Card holders in each of the past three years;
whether it has received any complaints concerning the use of Senior Citizen Cards in the past three years; if so, of the nature of such complaints; and
of the number of eligible senior citizens who have not yet applied for Senior Citizen Cards, and the reasons therefor?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

6. Mr CHAN Wing-chan to ask : (Translation)

Apart from the production of flats for the Sandwich Class Housing Scheme, the Hong Kong Housing Society (the Society) also produces flats for the Flat-for-Sale and Urban Improvement Schemes. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

it imposes any restrictions on the date of sale and period of sale in respect of the flats produced by the Society for the above schemes, and whether it imposes any stipulation on the completion date and the date of putting these flats onto the market;
it knows if the Society has any plans to produce sandwich-class housing flats after the year 2001; if so, what the specific plans are; and
it knows if the Society will launch other types of new housing schemes, so as to help the grassroots and the middle class people to purchase their own homes?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Housing

* 7. Mr Edward HO to ask : (Translation)

Regarding the problem of canopies in old buildings, will the Government inform this Council of:

the respective numbers of unauthorized and authorized canopies identified by the Buildings Department (BD) each year in its inspections of such structures carried out since 1995, as well as a breakdown of the distribution of those canopies with immediate and potential hazard in various districts;
the number of removal orders issued in each of the years in the above period, together with a breakdown of such orders by district;
the measures adopted by the BD to deal with those authorized canopies with safety problems;
the mechanism put in place to ensure that canopies are in compliance with the safety standards; and whether consideration will be given to requiring building owners to engage experts to carry out periodic inspections and maintenance works on the canopies in old buildings and issue certificates to certify their safety; and
the manpower deployment and staffing structure in the BD for inspections of canopies; and the measures adopted to improve the work efficiency in this regard?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

* 8. Dr YEUNG Sum to ask : (Translation)

Regarding the establishment and promotion ratio of Certificated Masters (CMs), will the Government inform this Council:

of the establishment and promotion ratio of CMs currently set by the authority concerned;
of the current actual establishment and promotion ratio of CMs in government and aided secondary schools respectively;
of the reasons for the discrepancies, if any, between the figures given in the answer to (a) and those given in the answer to (b) above;
of a breakdown of the current establishment and promotion ratio of CMs in respect of various subjects in government and aided secondary schools; and
whether the authority concerned has provided guidelines for these schools to follow when considering the promotion of CMs in individual subjects, so as to ensure that the promotion ratio of CMs in a particular subject will not differ greatly from those in other subjects; if so, what the details are, and how the authority concerned will deal with those schools failing to comply with the guidelines; if not, whether consideration will be given to formulating such guidelines?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

* 9. Mr Michael HO to ask : (Translation)

It is learnt that there is negative growth in the amount of funds obtained by some public hospitals in the resource allocation exercise of the Hospital Authority for the 1997-98 financial year. Will the Government inform this Council whether it will adopt specific measures to monitor the allocation of resources and the arrangements for reducing the staff establishment in the hospitals concerned, so as to ensure that the services currently provided in these hospitals will not be affected; if so, what the details are; if not, why not?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*10. Mr LEE Cheuk-yan to ask : (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council of:

the number of new arrivals from the Mainland residing in the territory for less than seven years who received assistance under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) scheme last year; and the number of these CSSA recipients who have settled in the territory for less than one year; and
the family composition of the above CSSA recipients and the categories under which they applied for CSSA?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*11. Mr LAW Chi-kwong to ask :

Based on the recommendation in the Report of the Working Group on Care for the Elderly published in August 1994, the Government in May 1996 commissioned a consultancy study on the needs of elderly people for residential care and community support services. It is learned that the study consists of three phases and the first phase has been completed recently. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

of the up-to-date progress of the study and the time schedule for the completion of each phase in the study;
whether the Government will consult the public on the findings of the study; if so, what the details are; if not, why not; and
whether the results of each phase of the study will be released to the public; if so, of the time schedule for the release of such results, if not, why not?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*12. Mr CHENG Yiu-tong to ask : (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council:

whether it can provide a breakdown of the data of the following five income groups by "sex and age", "age and education level", "education level and industry", "education level and occupation held", "age and industry", "age and occupation held", and "working hours" in 1986, 1991 and 1996 respectively:
1. below $4000;
2. $4000 to $5999;
3. $6000 to $6999;
4. $7000 to $7999;
5. $8000 to $8999;
if not, what the reasons are; and whether it will consider collecting such information and publishing it on a regular basis?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services

*13. Dr Samuel WONG to ask :

In his written reply to a question asked at the sitting held on 16 April this year concerning the sale of special stamp sets, the Secretary for Economic Services provided a breakdown of the quantities of the commemorative stamp sets and sheetlets sold on the first day of issue only, and stated that the Post Office did not keep separate records of the sale of commemorative stamps after the first day of issue. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether the Post Office keeps any record of the quantities of commemorative stamp sets and sheetlets issued by the Post Office; if so, of the respective quantities of each commemorative stamp set and sheetlet issued in the past three years?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Economic Services

*14. Dr John TSE to ask : (Translation)

It is learnt that some mentally handicapped persons have been sentenced to a custodial stay in Castle Peak Hospital. Does the Government know of:

the current number of mentally handicapped persons serving a custodial stay sentence in Castle Peak Hospital, together with the average period of their stay in the Hospital to date; and
the circumstances under which these persons can be discharged from Castle Peak Hospital for reintegration into the community?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*15. Mr CHAN Wing-chan to ask :(Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council of a breakdown of the numbers of applications for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) and the amounts of CSSA payment in each of the past five years according to the "unemployed", "low earnings", "single parent family" and "old age" categories?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*16. Miss Christine LOH to ask :

Will the Government inform this Council of:

the estimated impact of constructing the Po Toi Island power station on electricity tariff charges, according to the available construction and operation cost estimates; and
the estimated impact on electricity tariff charges arising from deferring the construction of the Po Toi Island power station, and instead purchasing power from the China Light and Power Company Limited?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Economic Services

*17. Mr LEUNG Yiu-chung to ask :(Translation)

On 13 April this year, a prisoner detained under Her Majesty's pleasure filed an application for a judicial review of his long-term prison sentence, and the court reversed the Governor's decision not to exercise his prerogative to release the prisoner concerned. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

whether the Government has committed mistakes in handling the above case; if so, what the details are;
of the follow-up actions which will be taken by the Government as a result of the above judgement; and whether a recommendation will be made to the Governor to convert the prison sentence of the prisoner concerned to a determinate one; if so, when such a recommendation will be made; if not, why not; and
given that currently there are 22 other prisoners detained under Her Majesty's pleasure with long-term prison sentences, whether the Government will review these cases with a view to making recommendations to the Governor to convert their prison sentences to determinate ones in the light of the above judgement; if not, why not?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*18. Mr Howard YOUNG to ask :

Regarding greening the territory's environment, will the Government inform this Council:

of a breakdown of the number of trees planted, and the area covered, in various parts of the territory's country side in the past three years; and
whether any target for tree-planting was set in each of the past three years; if so, what the targets were and whether such targets were met?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

*19. Miss Emily LAU to ask :(Translation)

The Government has undertaken to install lockers and drinking fountains in all primary and secondary schools in stages, in order to save students from carrying overweight schoolbags, which is bad for their health. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

of the number of primary and secondary schools which have not yet installed lockers and drinking fountains, and the proportion of these schools to the total number of primary and secondary schools in the territory;
when the above scheme is expected to complete; and
whether there are any schools which prohibit students from using lockers; if so, whether the Government will make greater efforts to urge the management of the schools concerned to allow students to use the lockers?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*20. Dr HUANG Chen-ya to ask :(Translation)

Does the Government know of:

the number of patients suffering from colorectal cancer, as well as their clinical stages, admitted into various public hospitals for treatment in the past year; and
the current average and longest periods of time which these patients have to wait to receive operations (counting from the date when these patients first attend the out-patient departments of public hospitals for treatment to the date when these patients receive their operations); and the plans put in place by the Hospital Authority to reduce the waiting time of these patients to receive operations?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

III. Government Motions

1. Criminal Procedure Ordinance

Chief Secretary :

That the Legal Aid in Criminal Cases (Amendment) Rules 1997, made by the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee on 21 April 1997, be approved.

2. Rating Ordinance

Secretary for the Treasury :

That -

with effect from 1 April 1997, the percentage prescribed for the purposes of section 18(1) of the Rating Ordinance is in respect of every tenement -
1. in the Urban Council area -
  (A) general rates 2.4%;
  (B) Urban Council rates 2.6%;
2. in the Regional Council area -
  (A) general rates 0.8%;
  (B) Regional Council rates 4.2%;
the prescribed percentage for the purposes of section 19(1)(b) of the Rating Ordinance in relation to each of the years beginning on 1 April 1997 and ending on 31 March 1998 and beginning on 1 April 1998 and ending on 31 March 1999 is 20%; and
with effect from 1 April 1997, the amount prescribed for the purposes of section 36(1)(l) of the Rating Ordinance is $3,000.

3. Motor Vehicles (First Registration Tax) Ordinance

Secretary for the Treasury :

That subsections (3) and (4) of section 5 of the Motor Vehicles (First Registration Tax) Ordinance shall expire at midnight on 31 March 2000.

IV. Government Bills

First Reading

Outer Space Bill

Second Reading

Debate to be adjourned

1. Outer Space Bill

Secretary for Economic Services

Debates to resume

2. Child Care Centres (Amendment) Bill 1996	:	Secretary for Health and Welfare
3. Occupational Safety and Health Bill	:	Secretary for Education and Manpower
4. Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for Education and Manpower
5. New Territories Land Exchange Entitlements (Redemption)(Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands
6. Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for the Treasury
7. Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for the Treasury
8. Estate Duty (Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for the Treasury
9. Traffic Accident Victims (Assistance Fund) (Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for the Treasury
10. Merchant Shipping (Liability and Compensation for Oil Pollution) (Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for Economic Services

Committee Stage and Third Reading

1. Child Care Centres (Amendment) Bill 1996	:	Secretary for Health and Welfare
2. Occupational Safety and Health Bill	:	Secretary for Education and Manpower
3. Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for Education and Manpower
4. New Territories Land Exchange Entitlements (Redemption)(Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands
5. Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for the Treasury
6. Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for the Treasury
7. Estate Duty (Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for the Treasury
8. Traffic Accident Victims (Assistance Fund) (Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for the Treasury
9. Merchant Shipping (Liability and Compensation for Oil Pollution) (Amendment) Bill 1997	:	Secretary for Economic Services

V. Members' Motions

1. Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Mr Ronald ARCULLI :

That the Air Pollution Control (Construction Dust) Regulation, published as Legal Notice No.127 of 1997 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 9 April 1997, be amended -

in section 7(c), by repealing "or" at the end;
in section 7(d), be repealing the comma at the end and substituting ";or";
in section 7 -
1. by adding -
  "(e) circumstances beyond his control other than those referred to in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d),";
2. by repealing "took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence" and substituting "exercised due diligence";
in section 8(1)(b)(i), by repealing "the contract for which was entered into" and substituting "the tender for which was submitted or, where there was no tender, the contract for which was entered into on or";
in section 8(3)(b), by repealing "the contract for the excluded work was entered into" and substituting "the tender for the excluded work was submitted or, where there was no tender, the contract for the excluded work was entered into on or";
in Part III of the Schedule -
1. by repealing section 12(4) and (5);
2. in section 16, by adding ",shotcrete" after "bitumen".

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

2. Right of abode

Miss Margaret NG :

That this Council urges the Administration to introduce a blue bill on the right of abode for enactment by this Council before 1 July 1997.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Security

3. Civil liberties

Mr CHEUNG Man-kwong : (Translation)

That this Council expresses deep regret that the Chief Executive (Designate) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (the CE Designate) proposes to amend the existing Public Order Ordinance and Societies Ordinance to restrict the freedoms of procession, assembly and association, and human rights currently enjoyed by Hong Kong people, and urges the CE Designate to truthfully reflect the wishes of Hong Kong people to the Chinese Government, so that the human rights and freedoms currently enjoyed by Hong Kong people will continue to be preserved.

Amendment to Mr CHEUNG Man-kwong's motion

Mr MOK Ying-fan :(Translation)

To delete "this Council expresses deep regret that" and substitute with "as"; to delete "proposes to" and substitute with "will"; to add ", this Council urges the CE Designate not" after "and Societies Ordinance"; to insert "earnestly" before "urges the CE Designate to"; to delete "truthfully reflect" and substitute with "fully respect"; to delete "to the Chinese Government" and substitute with "when amending the Public Order Ordinance and Societies Ordinance"; and to delete "so" and substitute with "and ensure".

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Security

VI. Members' Bills

Second Reading

Debate to resume

Education (Amendment) Bill 1996	:	Miss Christine LOH
Public Officer to attend	:	Secretary for Education and Manpower

Committee Stage and Third Reading

Education (Amendment) Bill 1996	:	Miss Christine LOH
Public Officer to attend	:	Secretary for Education and Manpower

	Ray CHAN
	for Clerk to the Legislative Council