A 99/00-22(1)

Legislative Council

Agenda


Wednesday 15 March 2000 at 2:30 pm


I. Tabling of Papers

Subsidiary Legislation / InstrumentsL.N. No.
1. Telecommunication (Amendment) Regulation 200062/2000
2. Public Health and Municipal Services (Fees) Regulation 63/2000
3. Dumping at Sea (Exemption) Order 64/2000

Other Papers

1. Report of the Bills Committee on Securities (Margin Financing) (Amendment) Bill 1999

(to be presented by Hon Ronald ARCULLI, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

2. Report of the Bills Committee on Education (Amendment) Bill 1999

(to be presented by Hon YEUNG Yiu-chung, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

II. Questions

1. Hon TAM Yiu-chung to ask: (Translation)

With regard to the introduction of reverse mortgage schemes as a retirement protection option, will the Government inform this Council whether:

  1. it knows the countries in which reverse mortgage schemes are being operated, the mode of operation of such schemes, the participation rate of persons aged 65 or above, and the ages, family situations and financial positions of the participants, as well as their similarities; and

  2. it will examine the feasibility of introducing reverse mortgage schemes in Hong Kong and the matching measures required, including assessing the impact of such schemes on the structure of assets and liabilities of banks; if so, of the details; if not, of the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services

2. Hon James TIEN to ask:

It was reported that about one-sixth of the teachers employed under the Native English-speaking Teacher ("NETs") Scheme whose contracts will expire this year will not renew their contracts. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the present number of NETs employed; the numbers of those whose contracts will expire this year and those who have indicated that they will not renew their contracts, and whether it knows the reasons for their not renewing the contracts;

  2. whether it has examined the correlation between the wastage of NETs and the recruitment procedure involved; and

  3. whether it has assessed if the effectiveness of the Scheme will be compromised by the wastage of NETs; if so, of the details?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

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

The Government's goal is to have school-based management implemented in all schools by 2000. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:

  1. the respective numbers of schools which have implemented or will have implemented school-based management by the end of the last, current and next school years and their respective percentages in the total number of schools in Hong Kong in each school year, and provide a breakdown of such numbers and percentages by government and aided schools as well as primary and secondary schools;

  2. the experience gained and the difficulties encountered in the implementation of school-based management; and

  3. the specific measures to expedite the implementation of school-based management in schools?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

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

It was reported that, in order to enhance the competitiveness of its freight transport industry, the Mainland authorities plan to restructure and consolidate the administrative work and business development of nine ports, namely Shekou, Chi Wan, Ma Wan, Dongtoujiao and Huangtian etc, in the western part of Shenzhen. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. whether it has assessed the impact of the above-mentioned plan on the container transport industry of Hong Kong; if it has, of the results; if it has not, of the reasons for it;

  2. of the measures it will adopt to assist the container transport industry of Hong Kong in facing up to the challenge; and

  3. whether it will, in view of the Mainland authorities' plan, adjust the timetable for the development of container terminals in Hong Kong?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Economic Services

5. Ir Dr Hon HO Chung-tai to ask: (Translation)

In connection with the recent chain of incidents involving leakages or explosions of oxy-acetylene welding equipment, which resulted in a number of casualties, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the reasons for the absence of any legislation to govern the safety of such welding equipment;

  2. whether it has plans to introduce legislation which provides, inter alia, that workers using this kind of welding equipment should have passed tests and possess certificates; and to entrust the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department with the responsibility for enforcing the law and monitoring the safe use of this kind of welding equipment; and

  3. of the measures in place to remind employers and workers on the safety issues regarding the use of this kind of welding equipment, such as regular maintenance of the equipment and replacement of pipes?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

6. Hon Kenneth TING to ask: (Translation)

Recently, the initial public offer of shares by a company engaging in Internet business received an enthusiastic response from the public. Moreover, members of the public are also keen on trading in technology stocks, Internet stocks as well as stocks of those companies in respect of which there are rumours that they will be used for backdoor listing. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it has assessed if current investors' education concerning the risks associated with investments in high-technology stocks is sufficient; if it is assessed to be sufficient, of the rationale for that; if not, how it will strengthen such education?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services

*7. Hon Howard YOUNG to ask:

I have received complaints about holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ("HKSAR") and British National (Overseas) ("BNO") passports having been asked to pay US$30 and US$60 respectively at the immigration control points of Bangladesh because they did not have a visa, despite the fact that the country has granted visa-free access to these passport holders. Neither was a receipt issued nor a visa stamped on their passports after payment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:

  1. the measures it has taken to ensure that the immigration control points of those countries who offer visa-free access to holders of HKSAR and BNO passports are aware of such a policy; and

  2. its advice to such passport holders on the action they should take when asked to pay fees upon arrival at the immigration control points of such countries?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*8. Dr Hon David LI to ask:

While the Customs and Excise Department's special anti-piracy taskforce has decimated the number of outlets of pirated products, the suspects tend to be more violent when they are being arrested, as witnessed by the increased number of injuries sustained by Customs officers whilst performing such duties last year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

  1. it will consider providing additional training to Customs officers to ensure their personal safety while performing law-enforcement duties; and

  2. it will deploy extra manpower or weapons in such law-enforcement actions; if not, of the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Trade and Industry

*9. Hon Christine LOH to ask:

Given that the Government's stated policy is to ensure the efficient utilization of the radio frequency spectrum within Hong Kong, will the Administration inform this Council:

  1. whether it knows if the People's Liberation Army Military Force stationed in Hong Kong, which took over a set of Frequency Modulation ("FM") radio frequencies from the former British Forces Broadcasting Services, has any plan to broadcast;

    1. if it has, of the details of the plan;

    2. if not, whether the relevant frequency band will be returned to the HKSAR Government for allocation for other uses; if so, whether it will consider switching Radio 3, Radio 5 and the Putonghua channels of Radio Television Hong Kong ("RTHK") to FM broadcasting for better reception;

  2. whether it will consider introducing more commercial broadcasters to enable a more lively and diverse radio service provision;

  3. whether it will consider setting aside frequency bands for broadcasting by non-commercial or community based organizations to provide a richer civic environment; and

  4. of the results of RTHK's field tests on Digital Audio Broadcasting ("DAB") completed last year, and how DAB will assist in overcoming the shortcomings of FM and Amplitude Modulation ("AM") analogue broadcasting?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting

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

It is reported that the Administration plans to apply for funding under the Quality Education Fund to implement a two-year pilot scheme in which a total of 20 native English-speaking English teachers ("NETs") will be provided to 40 primary schools. In this connection, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council whether:

  1. they have studied if it is more effective in terms of teaching and learning performance to provide NETs at the primary school stage than at the secondary school stage; and

  2. they will consider allocating resources for the provision of NETs to all primary schools in Hong Kong?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

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

Regarding the speeding problem of franchised bus drivers, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the numbers of cases involving bus drivers speeding, as recorded by the Police in each of the past five years; among these cases, of the respective numbers of cases in which the drivers were prosecuted and convicted; in cases where the drivers found speeding were not prosecuted, of the reasons for that;

  2. whether the Police have encountered difficulties in prosecuting bus drivers found speeding; if so, of the details; and

  3. whether it knows the number of buses installed with automatic speed limitation system, and the percentage it represents in the total numbers of buses in each of the current bus fleets of the franchised bus companies; and whether the performance of the speed limitation systems is regularly inspected by the franchised bus companies?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

*12. Hon Emily LAU to ask:

On 6 January this year, a construction company responsible for substandard piling works was found guilty of allowing substantial deviation of the construction works from the approved plans, and was fined $250,000, which is the maximum penalty for such offence stipulated in the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123). The magistrate concerned called for an increase in the maximum penalty for breaching the building regulations so as to maintain an adequate deterrent effect. In this connection, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council of:

  1. the number of cases involving substandard piling works uncovered over the past three years;

  2. the action they have taken to strengthen the monitoring of such building works; and

  3. the legislative timetable for amending the maximum penalty for such offence?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning and Lands

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

Will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the respective amounts of loans made out by Hong Kong from the Exchange Fund through the International Monetary Fund in each of the past five years;

  2. of the following information about those loans: average maturity, average interest rates, borrowing countries and the respective status of the repayments; and

  3. how the interest rates of such loans compare to the rates of return from other investments of the Exchange Fund over the same period?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services

*14. Hon NG Leung-sing to ask: (Translation)

On 15 February this year, a serious traffic accident occurred on the Tolo Highway in which a bus crashed into a broken-down lorry stopping on the hard shoulder, causing injuries to several bus passengers on board. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the number of traffic accidents, and the resultant casualties, involving vehicles stopping on the hard shoulders of expressways in the past five years, and whether there is an upward trend in such figures;

  2. whether the hard shoulders of expressways in Hong Kong are wide enough to accommodate the stopping of large vehicles, and how the design standards of such hard shoulders compare to those adopted in advanced countries; and

  3. whether it has assessed if there are adequate facilities for emergency stopping on the sides of expressways in Hong Kong; if so, of the assessment results; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

*15. Hon Howard YOUNG to ask:

Will the Government inform this Council of the number of persons, broken down by nationality, to whom Hong Kong permanent identity cards have been issued in accordance with Article 24(2)(4) of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region since the reunification?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*16. Hon Eric LI to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council whether:

  1. it knows the respective amounts of different categories of expenses pertaining to listing work incurred by companies currently listed on the Growth Enterprise Market ("GEM"); the respective ratios of such expenses to the funds raised by the companies concerned upon listing; and

  2. it has assessed if the cost of applying for listing on the GEM of Hong Kong is competitive in comparison with those required for listing on similar stock markets in the United States and Singapore?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services

*17. Hon Timothy FOK Tsun-ting to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council whether there are plans to convert the former Yaumati Theatre into a venue dedicated to the performance of Chinese traditional operas, and to designate an area in its vicinity for folk-culture activities; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning and Lands

*18. Hon Eric LI to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council whether it knows the details in respect of the investigations carried out by the Securities and Futures Commission, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and the organizations under their respective ambits on companies which have applied for listing on the Growth Enterprise Market, including:

  1. the number of enquiry letters seeking information from such companies and the number of written questions raised with them; and

  2. the number of meetings held with the management of such companies?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services

*19. Hon TAM Yiu-chung to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the number of venues under its management which are dedicated to gateball games and the geographical distribution of such venues;

  2. whether it has plans to increase the number of such venues; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

  3. whether it has plans to launch promotional activities to encourage elderly people to participate in gateball games with a view to strengthening their health; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

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

It was reported that a foreign company which offered unsanctioned Mark Six betting activities on the Internet had planned to hold a press conference in Hong Kong to promote such betting activities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. whether it is an offence to organize such promotional activities in Hong Kong; if so, of the relevant legislation and penalties; and

  2. of the follow-up actions it has taken in respect of such promotional activities?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

*For written reply.

III. Bills

First Reading

1. Air Cargo Transhipment (Facilitation) Bill 2000

2. Securities and Futures Legislation (Provision of False Information) Bill 2000

3. Revenue Bill 2000

4. Karaoke Establishments Bill

Second Reading (Debates to be adjourned)

1. Air Cargo Transhipment (Facilitation) Bill 2000 : Secretary for Trade and Industry
2. Securities and Futures Legislation (Provision of False Information) Bill 2000 : Secretary for Financial Services
3. Revenue Bill 2000 : Secretary for the Treasury
4. Karaoke Establishments Bill : Secretary for Security

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

1. Securities (Margin Financing) (Amendment) Bill 1999 : Secretary for Financial Services
2. Education (Amendment) Bill 1999 : Secretary for Education and Manpower

IV. Motions

Proposed resolution under the Public Finance Ordinance

Secretary for the Treasury to move the motion in the Appendix

V. Members' Motions

1. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon James TO to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that in relation to the Road Traffic (Traffic Control) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 39 of 2000, and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 16 February 2000, the period referred to in section 34(2) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap.1) for amending subsidiary legislation be extended under section 34(4) of that Ordinance to the meeting of 29 March 2000.

2. Manpower in the information technology industry

Hon SIN Chung-kai: (Translation)

That this Council urges the Government to expeditiously adopt effective measures to tackle the problem of short-term and long-term manpower shortages in the information technology (IT) industry in Hong Kong, including:

  1. increasing the number of places in IT courses at sub-degree, degree and postgraduate levels to enhance the training of local IT personnel;

  2. instituting an academic accreditation mechanism for the IT discipline to assess the academic standards of IT personnel without formal training with a view to providing an advancement ladder, and considering the setting up of an IT institute to upgrade the quality of IT personnel in Hong Kong;

  3. encouraging local educational institutions to offer, individually and jointly with other institutions, various short-term courses and continuing education programmes in the IT field, and the contents thereof should closely tie in with IT development;

  4. establishing web sites to provide one-stop job-matching services for IT personnel as well as relevant information on training, etc., and at the same time analysing and assessing manpower supply and demand in the market to provide a basis for reviewing the policy on IT training from time to time; and

  5. motivating the public to pursue further studies in relevant courses by giving an incentive in the form of 'technology training vouchers', and encouraging enterprises, by way of offering tax incentives, to provide training aimed at increasing the IT knowledge of their employees.

Amendment to Hon SIN Chung-kai's motion

Hon MA Fung-kwok: (Translation)

To delete "sub-degree" and substitute with "diploma"; to delete "an academic" and substitute with "a qualification"; to delete "academic" and substitute with "technical"; to add "employment avenues and" after "a view to providing"; to delete ", and considering the setting up of an IT" and substitute with "in order"; to add "analysing and assessing regularly the manpower supply and demand in the market to provide a basis for reviewing the policy on IT training from time to time, as well as" before "encouraging local educational institutions"; to add "and" after "with IT development;"; and to delete "establishing web sites to provide one-stop job-matching services for IT personnel as well as relevant information on training, etc., and at the same time analysing and assessing manpower supply and demand in the market to provide a basis for reviewing the policy on IT training from time to time; and (5) motivating the public to pursue further studies in relevant courses by giving an incentive in the form of 'technology training vouchers', and encouraging enterprises, by way of offering tax incentives, to provide training aimed at increasing the IT knowledge of their employees" and substitute with "expediting the pace of promoting IT education in primary and secondary schools, and increasing by various ways and means the percentages of computer usage and ownership among the general public and students in Hong Kong to ensure that no one in the community will be deprived of the opportunities of acquiring and using IT due to economic factors".

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Education and Manpower

3. Details of promoting Mandatory Provident Fund schemes

Hon Mrs Sophie LEUNG: (Translation)

That, as the Mandatory Provident Fund schemes will affect the vast majority of industrial and commercial enterprises and employees in Hong Kong, in order to ensure that both employers and employees understand the schemes fully in order to protect their interests, this Council urges the Government and the authorities concerned to explain to this Council expeditiously the details in promoting the schemes and make full efforts to promote and publicize the schemes for their smooth implementation.

Amendments to Hon Mrs Sophie LEUNG's motion

(i) Hon LAW Chi-kwong: (Translation)

    To delete "in order to protect their interests" and substitute with "and to prevent employers from cutting back the salaries and benefits of their employees through the implementation of the schemes"; to add "take positive measures to encourage employers to retain the existing occupational retirement schemes that are more favourable than the statutory requirements, publicize and educate the public about the respective rights and interests of employees and employers under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance, and," after "the authorities concerned to"; to delete "and make full efforts to promote and publicize the schemes for their" and substitute with "so as to facilitate the"; and to add "of the schemes and provide more reasonable safeguards for employees" after "smooth implementation".

(ii) Hon LEE Cheuk-yan: (Translation)

    To add "; besides, as the employers of the existing registered occupational retirement schemes may apply to the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority for exemption from the schemes by 3 May this year, this Council urges the Government to require the employers and trustees concerned to inform the employees in writing as soon as possible whether they plan to apply for exemption, so as to protect the employees' right to information" after "their smooth implementation".

Amendment to Hon LEE Cheuk-yan's amendment

Hon LEUNG Yiu-chung: (Translation)

To delete "require" and substitute with "issue guidelines appealing for".

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Financial Services

Clerk to the Legislative Council