Legislative Council
LC Paper No. CB(3) 1122/98-99
Ref : CB(3)/M/FU
Paper for the House Committee meeting on 22 January 1999
Follow-up on motions with no legislative effect passed in Council
Purpose
At the last meeting of the House Committee held on 15 January 1999, Members asked to be informed of the current position of the motions that have been passed since the beginning of the current Legislative Council term. This paper provides the information and explains how such motions are currently followed up.
Background
2. The essence of the current procedure was agreed by the former Legislative Council House Committee at its meeting held on 29 September 1993. Since November 1993, the procedure for following up motions that are passed is as described below.
Current follow-up procedure
3. Shortly, usually within two to three days, after a motion which has no legislative effect has been passed by the Council, the Secretariat writes to the relevant Bureau Secretary for a report within two months on the action the Administration proposes to or has taken in response to the motion. When the Bureau's reply is received, it is circulated to all Members of the Council. Any Member who wishes to pursue the matter may either do this on his/her own or approach the clerk to the relevant LegCo Panel with suggestions that the matter be followed up by the Panel. The decision on whether or not and how a Panel should pursue the matter rests with the Panel chairman in consultation with its members.
4. At the end of a LegCo session, the Secretariat prepares, in table form, a summary of the progress of the action taken/not taken by the Administration on all the motions passed in Council. The summary is distributed to all Members for reference.
5. The
Appendix is a summary of the position of the motions so far passed in this session.
Legislative Council Secretariat
19 January 1999
Appendix
Summary of follow-up actions on
motions carried in LegCo 1998/99 Session
(Position as at 19 January 1999)
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Title of Motion
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Date motion carried
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Date letter to Admin. seeking follow-up
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Date reminder sent to Admin.
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Date Admin. replied
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Summary of Admin.'s reply
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Date Admin.'s reply sent to Members |
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Alleviating the hardship of people's livelihood
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8.7.98
(as amended)
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9.7.98
|
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16.9.98
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- The Housing Authority had approved the overall freeze on increases of public housing rents for one year as from 1.9.98 and the rent re-assessment exercise for commercial tenants as from 1.7.98.
- The proposals for reducing petrol duty by 30% and a rebate of 20% salaries tax and profits tax paid for 1996-97 were not accepted by the Administration.
- The Administration did not see the need to set up a Social Welfare Services Development Fund as the existing resource allocation mechanism had functioned well and the Lotteries Fund would continue to be used for the purpose of financing social welfare services.
- For the formulation of a long-term industrial policy, the Chief Executive's Commission on Innovation and Technology planned to submit its first report to the Chief Executive before the end of September 1998 and to complete all its tasks by July 1999.
- The Finance Committee had approved $2.5 billion for the establishment of a Special Finance Scheme for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Other new services were being introduced to support the development of SMEs.
- The Services Support Fund had decided to allocate $1.97 million for the organization of an SME Week in February 1999.
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21.9.98 |
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Rescuing the service industry
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15.7.98
(as amended)
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16.7.98
|
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5.11.98
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- The Business and Services Promotion Unit (BSPU) would continue to spearhead, support and coordinate Government initiatives under the Services Promotion Programme.
- The implementation of 24 recommendations contained in the Report on Financial Market Review was satisfactory. Measures for the implementation of the 30-point programme had been put into place and the remaining ones were being implemented in a timely manner.
- The Government would conduct studies to examine the importance of information technology to the future development of the financial markets as well as the business flow in various financial markets with a view to compiling a detailed report by the first half of 2000.
- The Government would introduce an Electronic Service Delivery scheme to provide Government services to the community electronically and set up a public certification authority to provide a suitable environment to enable electronic business to take hold in Hong Kong.
|
6.11.98 |
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Ensuring employment opportunities for local personnel engaging in infrastructural projects
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22.7.98
(as amended)
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23.7.98
|
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22.9.98
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- A meeting was held between the Hon David CHU and senior officials of the Works Bureau on 10.9.98.
- The Administration would proceed with appropriate follow-up action upon receipt of Hon David CHU's confirmation of the notes of meeting.
|
|
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Review of district organisations
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29.7.98
(as amended)
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30.7.98
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7.11.98
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10.12.98
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- A "Consultation Report" which summarized the views received on the review of district administration and set out the recommendations for the way forward was issued in October 1998. Copies of the Report had been passed to LegCo Panel members for reference.
- Officials from the Constitutional Affairs Bureau attended meetings of the Constitutional Affairs Panel on 21.9.98, 19.10.98 and 16.11.98 as well as the special Panel meeting on 9.11.98 to listen to views. They would update Members on the development of the review.
- As regard LegCo Members' request for the Administration to "actively consider the one municipal council and one municipal services department", the Administration's position remained as what had been set out in the speech made by the Secretary for Constitutional Affairs in reply to the motion.
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16.12.98 |
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Central harbour reclamation
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29.7.98
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30.7.98
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7.11.98
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19.11.98
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- The Town Planning Board (TPB) gave preliminary consideration of all objections for the three draft Central District (Extension) Outline Zoning Plans during their meeting on 23.10.98. TPB members decided to proceed with further consideration and to hold public hearings in early 1999. After these hearings, the TPB would decide on whether or not any amendments needed to be made to the gazetted Outline Zoning Plans.
- TPB had requested the Government to undertake a further study to determine the minimum practicable reclamation option for Central District.
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24.11.98 |
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Attacks on the Hong Kong currency
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9.9.98
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10.9.98
|
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21.11.98
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- In early September 1998, the Government introduced 7 technical measures to strengthen the currency board arrangements and announced 30 measures to strengthen regulation of the stock and futures markets.
- The Government would continue to monitor closely developments in the markets and introduce timely measures to preserve the stability and integrity of the monetary and financial markets so as to maintain Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre.
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24.11.98 |
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Urban renewal
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9.9.98
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10.9.98
|
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14.12.98
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- The Administration was finalizing its initial proposals for an Urban Renewal Strategy and drawing up the suggested terms of reference, powers and operational guidelines for the new Urban Renewal Authority.
- The Housing Bureau would explore with the Housing Authority how it might help to rehouse those people affected by urban redevelopment projects.
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16.12.98 |
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Relaxing the ceiling for residential mortgage loans
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16.9.98
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17.9.98
|
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23.12.98
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- The Government's position remained that the maximum 70% loan-to-valuation ratio (LVR) guideline should not be relaxed.
- The 70% LVR guideline was a useful risk management tool to maintain the stability of the banking sector, especially in times of market volatility and uncertainty.
- However, to help home-buyers to purchase properties, the Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation (HKMC) had announced in early December 1998 of its approval in principle for the Corporation to partner with mortgage insurers to launch a mortgage guarantee scheme which would enable home buyers to secure mortgage loans up to 85% LVR.
- The scheme was expected to be launched in the first quarter of 1999.
|
8.1.99 |
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Promoting industrial development in Hong Kong
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16.9.98
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17.9.98
|
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19.11.98
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- The Government continued to provide a wide range of infrastructural and other support services for the development of the manufacturing and service industries.
- The Government accepted the major recommendations of the first report of the CE's Commission on Innovation and Technology (the Commission) to further strengthen the support given to the manufacturing and service industries towards the development of high value-added activities.
- In August 1998, the Government launched a $2.5 billion Special Finance Scheme to ease the credit crunch faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
- The Commission would submit its final report in June 1999 and the Government would carefully consider the Commission's recommendations when available and consider how further improvements could be made.
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24.11.98 |
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Restoring confidence in Hong Kong's air cargo service
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23.9.98
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25.9.98
|
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8.12.98
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- The Airport Authority (AA) continued to monitor the actual air cargo operations on the ground and the interface between the two operators and users closely and to meet with the parties concerned to exchange views on ways to further improve their operations, and also regularly collected comments of airlines and cargo handling agents through interviews and questionnaires.
- There was a power failure at certain parts of the Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (HACTL)'s Super Terminal 1 (ST1) in mid-October. The fact that the incident had caused no serious disruption illustrated the effectiveness of the contingency measures and the liaison mechanism among concerned parties.
- Competition in air cargo handling already existed at the new airport. The AA would regularly and closely monitor the need for the introduction of new franchisees.
- The Government was committed to providing a world class industrial infrastructure to support the development of different manufacturing and services industries. Various initiatives would also be taken to ensure that the infrastructure remained sensitive to the changing needs of Hong Kong's industries.
- On the public relations front, the Government and all the other parties concerned including the AA, HACTL, Trade Development Council, Hong Kong Tourist Association, airlines, etc. would continue to be active in promoting the new airport.
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16.12.98 |
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Liberalization of the telecommuni-cations and television markets
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30.9.98
(as amended)
|
7.10.98
|
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Reply not yet received.
|
|
|
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Sustainable development in Hong Kong
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14.10.98
(as amended)
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15.10.98
|
|
14.12.98
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- The SUSDEV 21 Study was commenced in September 1997 and was expected to finalize by end of 1999. Its main objective was to formulate a development management tool to evaluate and monitor the relevant parameters relating to the overall sustainability of future development in Hong Kong.
- The Study involved extensive public awareness-raising and consultation and its results were consolidated in a Public Consultation Report which was released to the public on 12.11.98.
- A Consultation Forum on the Report was held on 3.12.98 and more public forums would be organized to tap views on the key findings of the Study.
- A range of activities, including exhibitions, seminars and workshops would be organized as an on-going awareness-raising exercise.
- The Administration would consider how to implement the system as soon as recommendations of the Study were available.
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16.12.98 |
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Rehousing all cage home lodgers and single persons
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14.10.98
|
15.10.98
|
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17.12.98
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- The Housing Authority could not accord priority treatment to bedspace apartments (BSAs) lodgers for public rental housing (PRH). However, BSA lodgers in hardship would be referred to the Social Welfare Department. Elderly lodgers would be accorded priority to PRH under the existing schemes for elderly persons.
- Any person displaced from BSAs would, however, at least be offered a place in a transit centre as an interim and no one would be rendered homeless.
- Staff of the Housing Information Centres would continue to provide outreaching services to BSA lodgers to encourage and assist the lodgers to register on the waiting list for PRH.
- The Social Welfare Department had assisted in rehousing and providing counselling services to BSA lodgers. Urban hostels for single persons had been set up to provide lodgers with temporary residential service.
- Among the four urban hostels for single persons mentioned at the motion debate, the one operated by Yan Chai Hospital commenced service in Tsuen Wan in October 1998 and the other three hostels would be set up in the coming three years.
- The Government would continue to implement the licensing scheme under the Bedspace Apartments Ordinance. Those lodgers displaced by the licensing of BSAs would be offered alternative accommodation.
|
8.1.99 |
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Developing Hong Kong's tourism industry
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11.11.98
(as amended)
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12.11.98
|
|
Reply not yet received.
|
|
|
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Resumption of land sales
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18.11.98
(as amended)
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19.11.98
|
|
Reply not yet received.
|
|
|
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Information technology strategy
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25.11.98
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26.11.98
|
|
Reply not yet received.
|
|
|
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Improving air quality
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25.11.98
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26.11.98
|
|
Reply not yet received.
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|
|
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Promoting the development of the agriculture and fisheries industries
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2.12.98
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3.12.98
|
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Reply not yet received.
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|
|
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Combating pirated compact discs
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16.12.98
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17.12.98
|
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Reply not yet received.
|
|
|
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Reducing the weight of schoolbags
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16.12.98
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17.12.98
|
|
Reply not yet received.
|
|
|
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Reviewing the waste management policy
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6.1.99
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7.1.99
|
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Reply not yet received.
|
|
|
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Developing continuing education
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13.1.99
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14.1.99
|
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Reply not yet received.
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