Provisional Legislative Council

PLC Paper No. CB(3) 430


Minutes of the meeting held on
Wednesday 3 December 1997 at 2:30 pm


Members present:

President
The Hon Mrs Rita FAN, JP
The Hon WONG Siu-yee
The Hon James TIEN Pei-chun, JP
The Hon David CHU Yu-lin
The Hon HO Sai-chu, JP
The Hon Edward HO Sing-tin, JP
Dr Hon Raymond HO Chung-tai, JP
The Hon NG Leung-sing
Prof Hon NG Ching-fai
The Hon Eric LI Ka-cheung, JP
The Hon LEE Kai-ming
The Hon Allen LEE, JP
The Hon Mrs Elsie TU, GBM
The Hon Mrs Selina CHOW, JP
The Hon Mrs Peggy LAM, JP
The Hon Henry WU
The Hon NGAI Shiu-kit, JP
The Hon Henry TANG Ying-yen, JP
The Hon Ronald ARCULLI, JP
The Hon MA Fung-kwok
The Hon CHEUNG Hon-chung
Dr Hon Mrs TSO WONG Man-yin
The Hon LEUNG Chun-ying, JP
Dr Hon LEONG Che-hung, JP
The Hon Mrs Sophie LEUNG LAU Yau-fun, JP
The Hon MOK Ying-fan
The Hon HUI Yin-fat, JP
The Hon CHAN Choi-hi
The Hon CHAN Yuen-han
The Hon CHAN Wing-chan
The Hon CHAN Kam-lam
The Hon TSANG Yok-sing
The Hon CHENG Kai-nam
The Hon Frederick FUNG Kin-kee
The Hon Andrew WONG Wang-fat, JP
Dr Hon Philip WONG Yu-hong
The Hon Kennedy WONG Ying-ho
The Hon Howard YOUNG, JP
Dr Hon Charles YEUNG Chun-kam
The Hon YEUNG Yiu-chung
The Hon IP Kwok-him
The Hon CHIM Pui-chung
The Hon Bruce LIU Sing-lee
The Hon LAU Kong-wah
The Hon Mrs Miriam LAU Kin-yee, JP
The Hon Ambrose LAU Hon-chuen, JP
The Hon CHOY Kan-pui, JP
The Hon Paul CHENG Ming-fun, JP
The Hon CHENG Yiu-tong
Dr Hon TANG Siu-tong, JP
The Hon KAN Fook-yee
The Hon NGAN Kam-chuen
The Hon LO Suk-ching
Dr Hon LAW Cheung-kwok
The Hon TAM Yiu-chung, JP
The Hon CHOY So-yuk

Members absent:

Dr Hon David LI Kwok-po, JP
The Hon YUEN Mo
The Hon LAU Wong-fat, JP
The Hon Timothy FOK Tsun-ting

Public officers attending:

The Honourable Donald TSANG Yam-kuen, JP
The Financial Secretary

The Honourable Elsie LEUNG Oi-sie, JP
The Secretary for Justice

Mr Dominic WONG Shing-wah, JP
Secretary for Housing

Mrs Katherine FOK LO Shiu-ching, JP
Secretary for Health and Welfare

Mr Joseph WONG Wing-ping, JP
Secretary for Education and Manpower

Mr Peter LAI Hing-ling, JP
Secretary for Security

Mr Bowen LEUNG Po-wing, JP
Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

Mr Stephen IP Shu-kwan, JP
Secretary for Economic Services

Mr David LAN Hong-tsung, JP
Secretary for Home Affairs

Mr Clement MAK Ching-hung
Secretary for Constitutional Affairs

Clerks in attendance:

Mr Ricky FUNG Choi-cheung, JP,
Secretary General

Mr LAW Kam-sang, JP,
Deputy Secretary General

Mr Ray CHAN Yum-mou,
Assistant Secretary General (3)

Papers

The following papers were laid on the table pursuant to Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure:

Subsidiary Legislation L.N. No.
1. Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Regulation 1997

 556/97
2. Medical Laboratory Technologists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 1997

 557/97
3. Physiotherapists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 1997

 558/97
4. Radiographers (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 1997

 559/97
5. Air Navigation (Hong Kong) (Amendment) Order 1997

 560/97
6. Veterinary Surgeons Registration (Fees) Regulation

 563/97
7. Tax Reserve Certificates (Rate of Interest) (No.3) Notice 1997

 564/97
8. Hawker (Permitted Place) Declaration 1997

 565/97
9. Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance (Cap.493) (Commencement) (No.2) Notice 1997

 566/97
10. Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Appeal Board) Rules (L.N.264 of 1997) (Commencement) Notice 1997

 567/97
11. Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Rules (L.N.265 of 1997) (Commencement) (No.2) Notice 1997

 568/97

Sessional Papers

No.42- Environment and Conservation Fund Trustee Report 1996-97
No.43- Hong Kong Tourist Association Annual Report 1996/97

Questions

The President stated that Question time should not exceed one and a half hours and the time allocated to each question seeking an oral reply would on average be about fifteen minutes.

1.Dr HO Chung-tai asked Question 1.

The Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands replied.

Two Members asked supplementaries and the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands replied.

2.Mr CHENG Kai-nam asked Question 2.

The Secretary for Housing replied.

Nine Members asked supplementaries. The Secretary for Housing and the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands replied.

3.Mrs Selina CHOW asked Question 3.

The Secretary for Health and Welfare replied.

Seven Members asked supplementaries and the Secretary for Health and Welfare replied.

4.Mr Howard YOUNG asked Question 4.

The Secretary for Security replied.

Three Members asked supplementaries and the Secretary for Security replied.

5.Mr LAU Kong-wah asked Question 5.

The Secretary for Security replied.

Three Members asked supplementaries and the Secretary for Security replied.

6.Dr TANG Siu-tong asked Question 6.

The Secretary for Health and Welfare replied.

Three Members asked supplementaries and the Secretary for Health and Welfare replied.

Written replies to Questions 7 to 18 were tabled for Members' information.

Bills

Second Reading

Employment (Amendment) (No.5) Bill 1997

Resumption of debate on Second Reading which had been moved on 15 October 1997.

Seven Members spoke on the motion.

The Secretary for Education and Manpower replied.

Question on Second Reading put. As the voice votes were not loud enough to enable the President to judge whether the 'ayes' had it or the 'noes' had it, she ordered the Council to divide under Rule 47(4) of the Rules of Procedure.

The President announced that there were 30 votes for the motion, 19 votes against it and one abstention. (Voting record in Appendix I.) She declared that the motion was carried.

Bill read the second time and committed to a Committee of the whole Council.

Committee Stage

The Council went into Committee and considered the Employment (Amendment) (No.5) Bill 1997.

Question that clauses 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 stand part of the Bill proposed and put. The Chairman said that she thought the motion had been carried.

Miss CHAN Yuen-han claimed a division. The Chairman then ordered the Committee to divide under Rule 47(4) of the Rules of Procedure.

The Chairman announced that there were 28 votes for the motion, 18 votes against it and two abstentions. (Voting record in Appendix II.) She declared that the motion was carried.

Question that clause 3 stand part of the Bill proposed.

Miss CHAN Yuen-han moved an amendment to clause 3 and addressed the Committee.

Seven Members and the Secretary for Education and Manpower spoke on the amendment.

Miss CHAN Yuen-han replied.

Question on the amendment put. As the voice votes were not clear enough to enable the Chairman to judge whether the 'ayes' had it or the 'noes' had it, she ordered the Committee to divide under Rule 47(4) of the Rules of Procedure.

The Chairman announced that there were 22 votes for the amendment, 27 votes against it and one abstention. (Voting record in Appendix III.) She declared that the amendment was negatived.

Question that clause 3 stand part of the Bill put and agreed to.

The Council then resumed.

Third Reading

The Secretary for Education and Manpower reported that

the Employment (Amendment) (No.5) Bill 1997

had passed through Committee without amendment. He moved that the Bill be read the third time and do pass.

Question on the Third Reading proposed, put and agreed to.

Bill read the third time and passed.

Members' Motions

Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Mr IP Kwok-him moved the following motion and addressed the Council:

That in relation to the Electoral Affairs Commission (Registration of Electors) (Geographical Constituencies) (Legislative Council) Regulation, published as Legal Notice No.499 of 1997 and laid on the table of the Provisional Legislative Council on 5 November 1997, the period referred to in section 34(2) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap.1) for amending subsidiary legislation be extended under section 34(4) of that Ordinance to the meeting of 10 December 1997.

Question on the motion proposed, put and agreed to.

Promoting Hong Kong's tourism industry

Mr Howard YOUNG moved the following motion and addressed the Council:

That, in view of the recent downturn in the number of visitors to Hong Kong, this Council urges the Government to review the situation and implement short, medium and long-term measures to promote and develop Hong Kong's tourism industry, so as to maintain Hong Kong's position as an Asian tourism centre.

At 5:30 pm, the President's Deputy took the chair during the temporary absence of the President.

Question on the motion proposed.

20 Members and the Secretary for Economic Services spoke on the motion.

At 7:45 pm, the President resumed the chair.

Mr Howard YOUNG replied.

Question on the motion put and agreed to.

Youth policy

Mr Kennedy WONG moved the following motion and addressed the Council:

That this Council urges the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to expeditiously formulate a more concrete 'youth policy', revise the 'Charter for Youth' as well as enhance the education of young people about the state of the nation, so as to prepare Hong Kong and the Mainland for attaining the macro-development objectives in the 21st century; and to review the role of the Commission on Youth, consider strengthening its functions and providing it with more resources, so that it can more effectively promote and implement the various tasks involved.

Question on the motion proposed.

10 Members and the Secretary for Home Affairs spoke on the motion.

Mr Kennedy WONG replied.

Question on the motion put and agreed to.

Next meeting

The President declared that the next meeting of the Council would be held on 10 December 1997 at 2:30 pm.

The Council was adjourned at 9:33 pm.


(Mrs Rita FAN)President

Council Chamber
Hong Kong