PLC Paper No. LS 21

Paper for the House Committee Meeting
of the Provisional Legislative Council
on 29 August 1997

Legal Service Division Report on
Subsidiary Legislation Gazetted on 22 August 1997

Date of Tabling in Provisional LegCo : 27 August 1997

Amendment to be made by : 24 September 1997
(or 15 October 1997 if extended by resolution)

Tax Reserve Certificates (Fourth Series) Rules (Cap. 289 sub.leg.) Tax Reserve Certificates (Rate of Interest) (No. 2) Notice 1997 (L.N. 417)

This Notice fixes at 5.52% per annum the rate of interest payable on tax reserve certificates issued on or after 1 September 1997.

The current rate of interest payable on tax reserve certificates is 4.92% per annum.

Toys and Children Products Safety Ordinance (Cap. 424) Toys and Children Products Safety Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule) Notice 1997 (L.N. 418)

The Toys and Children Products Safety Ordinance (Cap. 424) (懀he Ordinance� provides that children products (defined in the Ordinance) manufactured in, imported into or supplied in Hong Kong have to conform to safety standards set by British Standards Institution (BSI) prescribed by the Schedule to the Ordinance.

This Notice amends the Schedule to the Ordinance so as to provide updated BSI safety standards and add Australian, New Zealand, American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), European, and International Standards as prescribed standards in respect of certain children products. The products included are babies�dummies, baby walking frames, carrying cots, child safety barriers, children cots, children high chairs, children paints, playpens and wheeled child conveyances.

The Notice also specifies more clearly that playpens for domestic use are subject to the Ordinance.

Members may refer to PLC Brief Reference TIB 05/46/5 of August 1997 issued by the Trade and Industry Bureau for background information. In addition the Administration has confirmed that the non-BSI safety standards adopted by this Notice provide an equivalent level of protection to the corresponding BSI standards.

The additional non-BSI safety standards will come into operation on 1 October 1997. The updated BSI safety standards will come into operation on 1 December 1997.

Prepared by

Lam Ping-man, Stephen
Assistant Legal Adviser
Provisional Legislative Council Secretariat
26 August 1997