PLC Paper No. CB(3) 335

PROVISIONAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
MINUTES
No. 26

Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 5 November 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
The Hon Eric LI Ka-cheung, JP
Dr Hon David LI Kwok-po, 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 YUEN Mo
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 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 LAU Wong-fat, JP
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 Timothy FOK Tsun-ting
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:
Prof Hon NG Ching-fai
The Hon Ronald ARCULLI, JP
The Hon HUI Yin-fat, JP

Public officers attending:

The Honourable Mrs Anson CHAN, JP

The Chief Secretary for Administration

The Honourable Donald TSANG Yam-kuen, JP

The Financial Secretary

The Honourable Elsie LEUNG Oi-sie, JP

The Secretary for Justice

Mr Michael SUEN Ming yeung, JP

Secretary for Constitutional Affairs

Mr Nicholas NG Wing-fui, JP

Secretary for Transport

Mr Rafael HUI Si-yan, JP

Secretary for Financial Services

Mr Joseph WONG Wing-ping, JP

Secretary for Education and Manpower

Mr Peter LAI Hing ling, JP

Secretary for Security

Mr KWONG Ki chi, JP

Secretary for the Treasury

Mr Stephen IP Shu-kwan, JP

Secretary for Economic Services

Mr Patrick LAU Lai-chiu, JP

Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

Clerks in attendance:

Mr Ricky FUNG Choi-cheung, JP

Secretary General

Ms Pauline NG Man-wah

Assistant Secretary General (1)

Mr Ray CHAN Yum-mou

Assistant Secretary General (3)

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Papers

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

Questions

1. Ms CHOY So-yuk asked Question 1.

The Secretary for Constitutional Affairs replied.

Three Members asked supplementaries and the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs replied.

2. Mr Allen LEE asked Question 2.

The Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands replied.

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

3. Mr CHEUNG Hon-chung asked Question 3.

The Secretary for Transport replied.

Five Members asked supplementaries and the Secretary for Transport and the Secretary for the Treasury replied.

4. Mr TSANG Yok-sing asked Question 4.

The Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands replied.

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

5. Mr NG Leung-sing asked Question 5.

The Secretary for Financial Services replied.

A Member asked one supplementary and the Secretary for Financial Services replied.

6. Mr Howard YOUNG asked Question 6.

The Secretary for Security replied.

A Member asked supplementaries and the Secretary for Security replied.

Written replies to Questions 7 to 20 were tabled for Members�information.

Members' Motions

Formulating and implementing Hong Kong information policy

Ms CHOY So-yuk moved the following motion and addressed the Council:

That this Council urges the Government to expeditiously study and formulate a set of more forward-looking, comprehensive and feasible policy and implementation blueprint for developing a "Hong Kong Information Society" and, to this end, to establish a high-level independent body with corresponding advisory committees and action groups to actively work out and implement the details of such policy and blueprint; provide community-wide coordination; encourage the participation of the information technology organizations in the public and private sectors by utilizing their resources and professional staff; and propel the whole community into information projects which straddle the next century, so as to bring Hong Kong to the forefront of the "Global Information Society".

At 4:18 pm, the President's Deputy took the chair during the temporary absence of the President.

Question on the motion proposed.

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

Ms CHOY So-yuk replied.

Question on the motion put and agreed to.

Opposing the expansion of the labour importation schemes

Mr CHAN Kam-lam moved the following motion and addressed the Council:

That, to ensure that local workers are given priority in employment, this Council opposes the expansion of the labour importation schemes, and urges the Government to enhance the training and re-training programmes for local workers and, at the same time, by merging the employment-related offices of the Labour Department and the Employees Retraining Board, set up an 'Employment and Training Board' to provide overall co-ordination of the work relating to job-matching and training.

At 5:25 pm, the President resumed the chair.

Question on Mr CHAN Kam-lam's motion proposed. The President stated that Mr WONG Siu-yee and Mrs Sophie LEUNG had separately given notice to move amendments to the motion. She proposed that the motion and the two proposed amendments be debated together in a joint debate. There being no dissenting voice, the President ordered that the motion and the two proposed amendments be debated together.

Mr WONG Siu-yee and Mrs Sophie LEUNG addressed the Council on the motion and their proposed amendments respectively.

16 Members spoke on the motion and the proposed amendments.

Mr CHAN Kam-lam spoke on the proposed amendments.

The Secretary for Education and Manpower spoke on the motion and the proposed amendments.

Mr WONG Siu-yee moved the following amendment to Mr CHAN Kam-lam's motion:

To delete "," after "That" and add "this Council urges the Government,"; to delete "to ensure" and substitute with "under the principle of ensuring"; to delete "this Council opposes the expansion of the labour importation schemes," and substitute with "to complete its review for amending the Supplementary Labour Scheme as soon as possible and"; to delete "and urges the Government"; to insert ";" after "local workers"; to delete ", at the same time, by merging" and substitute with "requests that"; to delete "and" from "the Labour Department and" and substitute with "strengthen their liaison with"; to delete "set up an 'Employment and Training Board' to provide overall co-ordination of" and substitute with "and make a joint effort to co-ordinate"; and to delete "training" from "job-matching and training" and substitute with "re-training".

Question on Mr WONG Siu-yee's amendment to Mr CHAN Kam-lam's motion proposed and put.

Mr WONG Siu-yee claimed a division. The President then ordered the Council to divide under Rule 47(4) of the Rules of Procedure.

The President announced that there were seven votes for the amendment, 25 votes against it and four abstentions. (Voting record in Appendix I.) She declared that Mr WONG Siu-yee's amendment to Mr CHAN Kam-lam's motion was negatived.

Mrs Sophie LEUNG moved the following amendment to Mr CHAN Kam-lam's motion:

To add "in order to meet the needs of the territory's economic development, this Council urges the Government to adopt effective measures" before "to ensure"; to add "an adequate supply of labour in the territory; on the premise" before "that local workers"; to delete "this Council opposes the expansion of the labour importation schemes, and urges"; to delete "to" from "the Government to" and substitute with "should"; to add "," after "for local workers"; to delete "and, at the same time, by merging the employment-related offices of the Labour Department and the Employees Retraining Board, set up an 'Employment and Training Board' to"; and to add "and, whenever the need arises, appropriately import labour for trades or job categories which experience labour shortage" after "job-matching and training".

Question on Mrs Sophie LEUNG's amendment to Mr CHAN Kam-lam's motion proposed and put.

Mrs Sophie LEUNG claimed a division. The President then ordered the Council to divide under Rule 47(4) of the Rules of Procedure.

The President announced that there were 11 votes for the amendment, 21 votes against it and four abstentions. (Voting record in Appendix II.) She declared that Mrs Sophie LEUNG's amendment to Mr CHAN Kam-lam's motion was negatived.

Mr CHAN Kam-lam replied.

Question on Mr CHAN Kam-lam's original motion put.

Mr CHAN Kam-lam claimed a division. The President then ordered the Council to divide under Rule 47(4) of the Rules of Procedure.

The President announced that there were 15 votes for the motion, 17 votes against it and four abstentions. (Voting record in Appendix III.) She declared that Mr CHAN Kam-lam's original motion was negatived.

Next meeting

The President declared that the next meeting of the Council would be held on 12 November 1997 at 2:30 pm.

The Council was adjourned at 8:02 pm.

(Mrs Rita FAN)President
Council Chamber
Hong Kong

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