LC Paper No. LS211/98-99

Date of Tabling in LegCo	:	16 June 1999
Amendment to be made by	:	14 July 1999 (or the next sitting if extended by resolution)

Employees' Compensation Ordinance (Cap. 282)
Employees' Compensation Ordinance (Amendment of Second Schedule) Order 1999 (L.N. 146)

This Order adds 2 occupational diseases, namely carpal tunnel syndrome and legionnaires' disease, to the list of occupational diseases in respect of which compensation is payable and also specifies in relation to each of these 2 diseases, the nature of the trade, industry or process in which a victim must be engaged and the minimum period of employment therein.

The Order also -

1. expands the coverage of the occupational disease of traumatic inflammation of the tendons of the hand or forearm, or of the associated tendon sheaths to include the elbow; and
   
   
2. adds "any other sensitising agent inhaled at work" to the list of agents which may irritate or sensitise the respiratory system for occupational asthma.

Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance (Cap. 509)
Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 2) Order 1999 (L.N. 147)

This Order makes changes corresponding to those made under the above item (L.N. 146) to the list of notifiable occupational diseases under the principal ordinance.

Banking Ordinance (Cap. 155)
Banking Ordinance (Declaration under Section 2(14)(d)) (No. 2) Notice 1997 (Amendment) Notice 1999 (L.N. 148)

This Notice amends the principal notice by extending the non-core use of the "Octopus" card to -

1. telephone call services available from any public payphone in the Hong Kong International Airport; and
   
   
2. facsimile transmission, electronic mail and electronic data transmission services available from any public payphone in any transport premises or transport carrier or in the Hong Kong International Airport.

Members may refer to LegCo Brief G4/16C issued in June 1999 by the Financial Services Bureau.

Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371)
Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Ordinance 1997 (93 of 1997) (Commencement) Notice 1999 (L.N. 149)

This Notice appoints 16 July 1999 as the day on which the remaining provisions of the amending ordinance that have not yet come into operation (except sections 11(a) and 12) shall come into operation.

Under section 1(3) and (4) of the amending ordinance, the said sections 11(a) and 12 are scheduled to come into operation on 31 December 1999 and the second anniversary of its enactment respectively.

The amending ordinance was enacted in June 1997 to introduce measures to control the use, sale and promotion of tobacco products.

Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371)
Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Regulation 1998 (L.N. 13 of 1998) (Commencement) Notice 1999 (L.N. 150)

This Notice appoints 16 July 1999 as the day on which the amending regulation is to come into operation.

The amending regulation provides for consequential amendments to the principal regulation upon the enactment of the Smoking (Public Health) (Amendment) Ordinance 1997 (93 of 1997) (referred to in the last item).

Merchant Shipping (Safety) Ordinance (Cap. 369)
Merchant Shipping (Safety) (Subdivision and Damage Stability of Cargo Ships over 100 Metres in Length) (Amendment) Regulation 1999 (L.N. 99 of 1999) (Commencement) Notice 1999 (L.N. 151)

This Notice appoints 1 July 1999 as the day on which the amending regulation shall come into operation.

The purpose of the amending regulation is to give effect to the amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 made on 4 June 1996.

Travel Agents Ordinance (Cap. 218)
Travel Agents (Amendment) Regulations 1998 (L.N. 240 of 1998) (Commencement) Notice 1999 (L.N. 152)

This Notice appoints 15 July 1999 as the day on which regulations 2, 3(g) and 4 of the Regulations shall come into operation.

As explained in LegCo Brief L/M (66) to TAR 2/2091/78, these regulations should have been brought into operation on 15 October 1993 as a consequence of the abolition of the Travel Agents Reserve Fund by the Travel Agents (Amendment) Ordinance 1988, the final phase of which came into effect on that day.

These regulations seek to consequentially repeal provisions made obsolete by that amending ordinance and to save the effect of those provisions in respect of some outstanding applications.

As these regulations are merely for tidying up the relevant subsidiary legislation, the delay in their commencement should not create legal complications.

Dogs and Cats Ordinance (Cap. 167)
Dogs and Cats (Amendment) Ordinance 1997 (97 of 1997) (Commencement) Notice 1999 (L.N. 153)

This Notice appoints 11 June 1999 as the day on which the amending ordinance comes into operation.

The object of the amending ordinance, enacted in June 1997, is to strengthen the control on dogs which are potentially or known to be dangerous.


Prepared by


CHEUNG Ping-Kam, Arthur
Assistant Legal Adviser
Legislative Council Secretariat
14 June 1999