A 98/99-43(1)

Legislative Council

Agenda
Wednesday 30 June 1999 at 2:30 pm

I. Papers

Subsidiary Legislation L.N. No.
1.Pilotage (Dues) (Amendment) Order 1999160/99
2.Pilotage (Dues) (Amendment) (No.2) Order 1999 161/99
3.Pilotage Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 2) Notice 1999162/99
4.Marine Fish (Marketing) (Rate of Commission) Notice 163/99
5.Assumption of Responsibility for Markets Notification 1999164/99
6.Statutes of the University of Hong Kong (Amendment) Statutes 1999165/99

Sessional Papers

1. No. 132 -Report on the Administration of the Immigration Service Welfare Fund prepared by the Director of Immigration in accordance with Regulation 10 of the Immigration Service (Welfare Fund) Regulations

(to be presented by Secretary for Security)

2. No. 133 -Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation
Annual Report 1998-99

(to be presented by Secretary for Trade and Industry)

Reports

1. Report of the Panel on Housing 1998/99
(to be presented by Hon LEE Wing-tat, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

2. Report of the Panel on Security 1998/99
(to be presented by Hon James TO, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

3. Report of the Panel on Financial Affairs 1998/99
(to be presented by Hon Ambrose LAU, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

4. Report of the Panel on Education 1998/99
(to be presented by Hon YEUNG Yiu-chung, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

5. Report of the Panel on Trade and Industry 1998/99
(to be presented by Hon CHAN Kam-lam, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

6. Report of the Panel on Environmental Affairs 1998/99
(to be presented by Hon Christine LOH, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

II. Questions

1. Hon WONG Yung-kan to ask: (Translation)

It was reported that the Russian Government has banned the import of pork and beef from the Mainland after learning from the relevant Mainland authorities that the pigs and cattle in three provinces in the Mainland have been infected by the foot-and-mouth disease. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. whether it knows the extent of infection among the pigs and cattle in the Mainland; if not, whether it will expeditiously acquaint itself with the situation from the relevant Mainland authorities;

  2. of the measures it has adopted to prevent the import of infected pigs and cattle and their meat from the Mainland to Hong Kong and to prevent local livestock from being infected by the disease; and

  3. whether it will consider following the practice adopted by certain countries of imposing immediate bans on the import of the food found to be contaminated and requiring importers to return such food to their country of origin, so as to safeguard the health of the public; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officers to reply:Secretary for Economic Services
Secretary for Health and Welfare

2. Hon Ambrose LAU to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the training of information technology professionals, will the Government inform this Council whether:

  1. the relevant consultancy study has been completed in mid-1999 as scheduled; if so, of its findings; if not, the expected date of its completion; and

  2. it plans to hold discussions with the tertiary institutions, Vocational Training Council and Employees Retraining Board for providing more training courses on information technology to people at work with a view to enhancing Hong Kong's productivity and competitiveness; if so, the details of them; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

3. Hon David CHU to ask: (Translation)

It was reported that in order to celebrate the arrival of the new millennium and attract tourists, the major cities all over the world have started preparing for large-scale events since last year. However, Hong Kong's activities to celebrate the new millennium, which were only announced in March this year, have been criticized by the tourism sector as not attractive enough, and some inbound tour groups have reportedly even cancelled their plans to visit Hong Kong at the end of this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the reasons for not announcing the details of the new millennium celebrations until 12 March this year; and

  2. whether it will consider co-operating with relevant organisations in launching one or more additional major celebration events, such as large-scale fireworks displays, to attract overseas visitors to choosing Hong Kong as the place to witness the arrival of the new millennium?
Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Home Affairs

4. Hon CHOY So-yuk to ask: (Translation)

It was reported that there has been an increase in recent years in cases which involve young persons committing suicide or attempting to commit suicide, due to their inability to repay debts to the credit card issuing institutions. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the respective numbers of cases involving young persons between the ages of 18 and 25 committing suicide and attempting to commit suicide due to their inability to repay such debts over the past two years; and the number of cases in which the young persons concerned sought assistance from social workers due to their inability to repay;

  2. of the total number of complaints received over the past two years by the Consumer Council against credit card issuing institutions for issuing credit cards indiscriminately; the number of such complaints lodged by family members of the card holders; and the way the Consumer Council handled such complaints; and

  3. whether it will consider enacting legislation to prohibit credit card issuing institutions from issuing credit cards to young persons, such as students, who have no regular income?
Public Officers to reply:Secretary for Financial Services
Secretary for Health and Welfare

5. Hon Howard YOUNG to ask:

Will the Government inform this Council whether it knows if the Airport Authority will consider setting up more taxi stands at various locations at the airport, such as outside the commercial area, aircraft catering area and Cathay Pacific City?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Transport

6. Hon Ambrose CHEUNG to ask: (Translation)

On the 13th of this month, a riot occurred at Pillar Point Vietnamese Refugee Centre ("PPVRC") in Tuen Mun and a number of persons were injured in the incident. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:

  1. the number of criminal cases in each Vietnamese refugee centre or detention centre for Vietnamese migrants in each of the past three years and, among these, those that involved the use of weapons and caused casualties;

  2. the responsibilities that the organisation managing the PPVRC must fulfil in security matters; and

  3. the respective numbers of Vietnamese refugees and migrants currently accommodated in the PPVRC, and the plans to completely resolve the problem of these persons being stranded in Hong Kong?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*7. Hon James TIEN to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council of the numbers of employment visas issued each year since 1994 in respect of the categories of "Technical Professionals" and "Administrators, managers and professionals", with a breakdown by age and salary of the applicants?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*8. Dr Hon LUI Ming-wah to ask: (Translation)

As electricity tariffs account for a considerable proportion in the operating costs of industrial and commercial enterprises, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:

  1. the proportion of the monthly tariffs paid by the "bulk tariff" group of consumers in the monthly total tariff revenue of the China Light and Power Company Limited ("CLP") at present;

  2. apart from the inclusion of all public holidays in the off-peak period for bulk tariff consumers, whether the CLP will consider offering other concessions to such consumers; and

  3. whether the CLP will further reduce the bulk tariff so as to lower the operating costs of the industrial and commercial enterprises and facilitate the industrial and economic development of Hong Kong; if so, the details of it; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Economic Services

*9. Hon Mrs Miriam LAU to ask: (Translation)

The Government revealed last month that it would explore with the public light bus trade the feasibility of launching a trial scheme for Liquefied Petroleum Gas public light buses. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. whether it has finalised the outline of the trial scheme; if so, the details of the outline; if not, why not;

  2. whether it has started to explore with the public light bus trade the feasibility of the trial scheme; if not, the reasons for that; and

  3. when the trial scheme is expected to be launched?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

*10. Hon Mrs Sophie LEUNG to ask: (Translation)

It was reported that, as revealed in a study conducted in Canada, ice resurfacers used in indoor ice skating rinks emit nitrogen dioxide when in use, and the nitrogen dioxide concentration in the air of 30% of all ice skating rinks in the world exceeds the safety standard. This may contribute to the triggering off of the symptoms of asthmatic persons present in such rinks. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether there is any stipulation on the maximum level of nitrogen dioxide emission by ice resurfacers in ice skating rinks; if so, whether the nitrogen dioxide concentration in ice skating rinks in Hong Kong is within the stipulated standard; if there are ice skating rinks not meeting the standard, whether the operators concerned have been required to take improvement measures to ensure that the nitrogen dioxide concentration is within the standard?

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

*11. Dr Hon HO Chung-tai to ask: (Translation)

It was reported that, in order to alleviate the air pollution problem caused by traffic congestion in Central District, the Transport Department plans to cut the number of franchised bus routes entering Central District and to provide transfer stations on Green Island and the Wanchai reclamation areas, whereby passengers for Central District will have to change bus midway. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the details and feasibility of the plan, as well as its impact on passengers?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Transport

*12. Hon Fred LI to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council of:

  1. the respective current numbers of households in public rental housing ("PRH") estates with a living density below 4.5 square metres per person and a density between 4.5 to 5.5 square metres per person (referred to as "overcrowded households" hereafter), broken down by the eight geographical districts for PRH allocation ("PRH allocation districts");

  2. the current number of overcrowded households in the PRH estates in the Kowloon East Constituency, the boundaries of which are as demarcated in the 1998 Legislative Council Elections; and

  3. the respective numbers of PRH flats available for relieving overcrowded households in each of the PRH allocation districts?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Housing

*13. Hon CHEUNG Man-kwong to ask: (Translation)

According to Section 168A of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32), if the minority shareholders of a company suffer from unfair prejudice against their interests, they may apply to the court by petition for orders as a remedy. Such orders may be made (1) to restrain the commission of any such act that constitutes the unfair prejudice; (2) to the effect that proceedings shall be brought in the name of the company against such person as the court may so order; (3) to appoint a receiver or manager to deal with the company's property or business; (4) for the repurchase of shares of shareholders by the company. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the number of cases over the past three years in which applications were made to the court by petition for orders under the above-mentioned section; the number of cases in which the court made such orders (with a breakdown by the nature of the orders); the reasons for those cases in which the applications were rejected by the court; the difficulties and constraints encountered in the actual enforcement of the section;

  2. whether it has any plan to review the section; if so, of the timetable, scope and reasons for conducting the review; if not, the reasons for that;

  3. whether the Securities and Futures Commission has rendered assistance to minority shareholders in their applications to the court by petition for orders under the section over the past three years; if so, of the number of such cases; if not, the reasons for that; and

  4. how it will follow up the recommendations on the protection of minorities' interests, made in 1997 by the consultant responsible for reviewing the Companies Ordinance in Hong Kong?
Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Financial Services

*14. Hon YEUNG Yiu-chung to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council of:

  1. the number of complaints received in each of the past five years about professional misconduct of teachers; the way these complaints were handled; and the number of teachers whose registration as a teacher was cancelled on the grounds of professional misconduct, broken down by the types of professional misconduct;

  2. the existing procedure for cancelling the registration of teachers; and whether there is any plan to review such procedure; and

  3. the measures in place to enhance teachers' understanding of professional conduct?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*15. Hon Christine LOH to ask:

With regard to the use of water-cooled central air-conditioning ("A/C") systems, will the Administration inform this Council:

  1. whether it has assessed:

    1. the potential savings in energy and costs when water-cooled central A/C systems are installed in place of air-cooled central A/C systems;

    2. the potential savings in energy when all air-cooled central A/C systems are replaced by water-cooled central A/C systems, as a percentage of the total energy demand in Hong Kong;

    3. the total volume of fresh water that will be needed in a year when all air-cooled central A/C systems are replaced by water-cooled central A/C systems;

  2. of the total volume of potable water overflowed from Hong Kong's reservoirs in the past three years;

  3. of the savings in costs when all air-cooled central A/C systems in Government premises are replaced by water-cooled central A/C systems;

  4. whether it has any plan to adopt the policy of installing water-cooled central A/C systems only in new Government premises; if so, the earliest date for implementing the policy; and

  5. whether it has assessed if the widespread use of water-cooled central A/C systems will defer the need to construct new electricity generating plants; if so, the details of such assessment?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

*16. Hon Emily LAU to ask: (Translation)

At present, all the eight tertiary institutions funded by the University Grants Committee employ on contract terms overseas teaching and research staff who are allowed to retain their original posts in overseas universities on a no-pay basis while working in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council whether:

  1. they know the number of such persons employed in each of the institutions and among them, the number of those holding managerial posts, as well as the reasons for their being appointed to such posts by the institutions;

  2. they know the respective percentages of essays published by such persons in their capacity as teaching and research staff of local institutions and those published in their capacity as teaching and research staff of the overseas universities in which they were originally employed, in the total number of essays that they published in the past year;

  3. they have assessed if the practice, of allowing such persons to publish essays in their capacity as teaching and research staff of the overseas universities in which they were originally employed while receiving remuneration and conducting researches in Hong Kong, is in the public interest of Hong Kong; and

  4. they have considered requesting local institutions to require all overseas teaching and research staff to use their job titles in the local tertiary institutions concerned whenever they publish essays and engage in external liaison work?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*17. Hon LAU Kong-wah to ask: (Translation)

All adult passengers of the Mass Transit Railway ("MTR") using Octopus cards are currently given a 30% Staggered Hours Discount ("the Discount") when travelling before 8.00　am or between 9.00 am and 9.30 am from Monday to Friday. However, with effect from 2 July 1999, the Mass Transit Railway Corporation ("the Corporation") will cancel the Discount. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:

  1. the current average number of passenger trips per day that enjoy the Discount;

  2. if the Corporation has assessed the possible increase in the number of passenger trips per day between 8.00 am to 9.00 am, with the cancellation of the Discount; and

  3. if the Corporation will consider reviewing the decision three months after the cancellation of the Discount?
Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Transport

*18. Hon Ambrose LAU to ask: (Translation)

As civic education and moral education have all along been overlooked in Hong Kong, the youth problem is becoming increasingly serious. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it has considered including civic education in the core curricula of secondary and primary schools, so as to foster good virtues and positive values among students, thereby developing Hong Kong into a community that attaches equal importance to moral and intellectual development; if so, of the specific timetable for the implementation of such a plan; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Education and Manpower

*19. Hon Howard YOUNG to ask:

It was reported that an injured tourist who was sent to a public hospital for treatment was asked to pay a deposit on medical and hospital expenses, which amounted to $19,000. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows if the Hospital Authority has any plans to accept payment by credit cards, especially when it involves a large amount of money and tourists; if so, of the details of such plans; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*20. Hon Mrs Sophie LEUNG to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council of:

  1. the details of the 3-level indoor air quality objectives to be introduced this year; and

  2. the measures it will adopt to increase the public's awareness of the effects of indoor air quality on health?
Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

* For written reply.

III. Bills

First Reading

1. Legal Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 1999
2. Adaptation of Laws (No.17) Bill 1999
3. Dangerous Drugs, Independent Commission Against Corruption and Police Force (Amendment) Bill 1999
4. Prevention of Child Pornography Bill
5. Crimes (Amendment) Bill 1999

Second Reading (Debates to be adjourned)

1. Legal Practitioners (Amendment) Bill 1999:Secretary for Justice

2. Adaptation of Laws (No.17) Bill 1999: Secretary for Health and Welfare

3. Dangerous Drugs, Independent Commission Against Corruption and Police Force (Amendment) Bill 1999:Secretary for Security

4. Prevention of Child Pornography Bill: Secretary for Security

5. Crimes (Amendment) Bill 1999:Secretary for Security

Second Reading (Debates to resume), Committee Stage and Third Reading

1. Volunteer and Naval Volunteer Pensions (Amendment) Bill 1999 :Secretary for Health and Welfare

2. Adaptation of Laws (No.15) Bill 1999:Secretary for Economic Services

IV. Motions

1. Proposed resolution under the Public Finance Ordinance

Secretary for Trade and Industry to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that with effect from 30 June 1999 -

  1. there shall be established a fund to be called the Innovation and Technology Fund;

  2. the Fund shall be administered by the Financial Secretary who may delegate his power of administration, including the power to issue funds warrants and the power specified in paragraphs 4 and 6, to other public officers;

  3. there shall be credited to the Fund -

    1. such appropriations from the general revenue as may be approved by the Legislative Council for the purposes of the Fund;

    2. all income received by way of interest, dividend or distribution in whatever form from -

      1. any loan, advance, investment or payment in whatever form made from the Fund under paragraph 4;

      2. any sum invested under paragraph 6;

    3. all sums received by way of repayment of any loan or advance made from the Fund;

    4. the proceeds of the sale of any investment made from the Fund;

    5. such donations and other moneys as may be received for the purposes of the Fund;

  4. the Financial Secretary may apply moneys from the Fund for the purpose of -

    1. financing projects that contribute to innovation and technology upgrading in the manufacturing and service industries;

    2. financing projects that contribute to the upgrading and development of the manufacturing and service industries,

      in accordance with such terms and conditions as may be specified by the Finance committtee;

  5. the Director of Accounting Services shall, under the authority of a funds warrant issued by the Financial Secretary, pay from the Fund such sums as may be required to meet expenditures from the Fund;

  6. the Financial Secretary in his discretion may authorize the investment in such manner as he may determine of any moneys held in the Fund at any time.
2. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Secretary for Housing to move the following motion:

(See Proposed resolution at Appendix)

3. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Secretary for Housing to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Estate Agents (Determination of Commission Disputes) Regulation, published as Legal Notice No. 125 of 1999 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 26 May 1999, be amended, in section 16(1) -

  1. by repealing "10 working days" and substituting "7 working days"; and

  2. in paragraph (a), by repealing "and addresses".
V. Members' Motions

1. Promoting breast-feeding

Hon Michael HO: (Translation)

That, in view of the slow progress in the promotion of breast-feeding in Hong Kong, this Council urges the Government to expeditiously implement the "International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes' as well as the joint declaration of the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund.

Public Officer to attend: Secretary for Health and Welfare

2. Providing major venues for sporting events

Hon Timothy FOK:

That this Council requests the Government to expedite its undertaking to designate land for the building of a multi-purpose stadium and aquatic centre complex adequate for the hosting of the 2006 Asian Games; this Council also urges the Government to consider integrating an art and cultural centre with the complex for the economy of scale, synergy and generation of communal pride, civic identity, quality of life and the development of tourism.

Amendment to Hon Timothy FOK's motion

Hon Andrew CHENG:

To add "," after "a multi-purpose stadium and aquatic centre"; and to delete "complex adequate for the hosting of the 2006 Asian Games; this Council also urges the Government to consider integrating an art and cultural centre with the complex for the economy of scale, synergy and generation of communal pride, civic identity, quality of life and" and substitute with "in line with a comprehensive policy on sports which it should formulate in order to encourage the community to attach more importance to the sports culture, groom excellent athletic talents, and raise the standards of the Hong Kong people in sports, with the objective of strengthening Hong Kong's position for hosting international sporting events, thereby promoting".

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Home Affairs

Clerk to the Legislative Council