A 99/00-16(1)

Legislative Council

Agenda


Wednesday 19 January 2000 at 2:30 pm


I. Tabling of Papers

Subsidiary Legislation / InstrumentsL.N. No.
1.Electronic Transactions (Fees) Regulation

6/2000
2.Electronic Transactions Ordinance (1 of 2000) (Commencement) Notice 2000

7/2000
3.Industrial Training (Clothing Industry) (Amendment) Ordinance 1999 (82 of 1999) (Commencement) Notice 2000

8/2000
4.Import and Export (Registration) (Amendment) Regulation 1999 (L.N. 322 of 1999) (Commencement) Notice 2000

9/2000

Other Papers

1.No.61-Police Welfare Fund
Annual Report 1998/1999

(to be presented by Secretary for Security)

2.No.62-Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation
Annual Report 1998-99

(to be presented by Secretary for Education and Manpower)

3. Report of the Bills Committee on Organized and Serious Crimes (Amendment) Bill 1999

(to be presented by Hon James TO, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

II. Questions

1. Hon CHAN Kam-lam to ask: (Translation)

The Government has advised that the Trade Department will review the Rice Control Scheme which has been in place since 1955, and study the pace and arrangements for full liberalization of the rice trade. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the current number of registered rice stockholders in Hong Kong; the respective numbers of rice stockholders who were newly registered and those who had their registration cancelled in the past five years;

  2. of the progress of the above-mentioned study on liberalization of the rice trade; and

  3. whether it has plans to lift all the restrictions on the import and storage of rice; if it has, of the implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Trade and Industry

2. Hon SIN Chung-kai to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the pilot scheme for training young school leavers and the unemployed to be junior information technology assistants, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the measures it has for ensuring that the training course is of a recognised standard;

  2. whether it will invite private training bodies to undertake the training work so as to expand the scheme; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

  3. whether it has plans to recognise completion of the training course as one of the acceptable academic qualifications for applying for relevant government posts; if so, of the details?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

3. Hon Howard YOUNG to ask:

Will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the time normally taken by the authorities concerned to process visa applications by holders of passports issued by those Middle East countries whose nationals need visas for visits to Hong Kong; and

  2. whether it has compared such processing time to that taken by the relevant authorities of each of our major competitors in tourism, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Mainland; if it has, of the detailed findings of such comparison?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

4. Hon Fred LI to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the provision of facilities for the disabled, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. whether there are plans to install audible signal devices for assisting the blind to cross the roads at all signalized pedestrian crossings; if so, of the implementation schedule for the relevant works; if not, the reasons for that;

  2. of the criteria and factors that it uses for determining the level of audible signals emitted by those devices; and

  3. whether it will consider giving statutory status to the principles and requirements as set out in the Transport Planning and Design Manual regarding the provision of facilities for the disabled; if not, of the measures to ensure the implementation of these principles and requirements?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

5. Dr Hon TANG Siu-tong to ask: (Translation)

In November last year, four persons fell ill and were admitted to hospital after eating pig livers which were suspected of containing clenbuterol, an asthma drug. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:

  1. the number of urine tests for the asthma drug on pigs before they were slaughtered in slaughterhouses, conducted last year by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (formerly known as the Agriculture and Fisheries Department); the percentage of the pigs which were tested in the total number of pigs slaughtered;

  2. the number of pigs whose urine samples showed positive responses in the tests, and how the pigs concerned were dealt with; and

  3. of the new measures the newly established Environment and Food Bureau has in place for preventing pigs containing the asthma drug and pigs which are imported or slaughtered illegally from reaching the market; and whether it will formulate work targets and performance pledges in order to assess the effectiveness of those measures?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

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

The Government plans to introduce a new statutory scheme to require building owners to carry out preventive maintenance works for their buildings. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the scientific standard or method it will adopt in identifying the target buildings;

  2. of the technical criteria it will adopt for assessing whether or not the preventive maintenance works that have been carried out are acceptable; and

  3. of the additional manpower resources it will allocate to the Buildings Department for implementing the new scheme?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning and Lands

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

It was reported that fuses and explosives had been found buried in a construction site near Cityplaza, which were suspected to have been left behind years ago by construction workers who carried out blastings for slope cutting works there. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. whether it has investigated the causes of the fuses and explosives being left there and the persons who should be held responsible for this; if it has, of the findings;

  2. of the number of cases in which explosives were unearthed at construction sites over the past five years;

  3. whether it has assessed the possibility of explosives being buried in other construction sites in Hong Kong, and if such explosives will endanger the safety of workers as well as the lives and property of residents in the neighbourhood; and

  4. whether it has assessed if the existing measures to control the use of explosives at construction sites are adequate and effective?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Works

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

With regard to the staff recruitment exercises conducted by the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes ("MPFS") Authority, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. whether it knows

    1. the establishment of the MPFS Authority; the respective numbers of posts at various ranks for which letters of appointment have been issued and are yet to be issued as at the end of last year, together with a breakdown by departments;

    2. how the current progress of the staff recruitment exercises of the MPFS Authority compares with the original schedule; if the progress has lagged behind the original schedule,

      1. the reasons for that;

      2. whether the work of the MPFS Authority has been adversely affected; if it has not, the reasons for that; and

      3. the measures the Management Board of the MPFS Authority will adopt to expedite the progress of the recruitment exercises;

    3. if the Administration and the Management Board of the MPFS Authority have set deadlines for the completion of the recruitment exercises to ensure smooth operation of the MPFS Authority; if they have, the deadlines and the measures the Administration or the Management Board of the MPFS Authority will adopt to ensure that the recruitment exercises will be completed before the deadlines;

    4. the entry salaries for various ranks as set by the Management Board of the MPFS Authority, with a breakdown by departments; how they compare with the entry salaries for comparable posts in other organizations; and

    5. if the Management Board of the MPFS Authority had made reference to the current situation of the labour market when it set its remuneration policy; and

  2. whether the Administration has expressed its concern to the MPFS Authority about the latter's remuneration policy and requested the MPFS Authority to review it?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services

*9. Hon Christine LOH to ask:

With regard to the unsightly and environmentally unfriendly dumping of scrap vehicles on private land in the New Territories, will the Administration inform this Council:

  1. of the estimated area of land used for storing scrap vehicles and the estimated number of scrap vehicles on private land in the New Territories;

  2. whether it has assessed if there has been an increase in the use of private land for storing scrap vehicles over the last five years;

  3. of the existing legislation restricting the use of private land for storing scrap vehicles and how it is enforced;

  4. whether it has plans to make legislative amendments prohibiting owners of private land from storing scrap vehicles on their land;

  5. of the alternative means of disposing scrap vehicles; and

  6. whether it has offered any incentives for car owners to have their unwanted vehicles recycled?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning and Lands

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

Regarding the Liquefied Petroleum Gas ("LPG") Taxi Scheme and the trial scheme for LPG light buses, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the current average market price of a LPG taxi; how this compares to the average quarterly market prices over the past two years; whether the market prices are on the rise; if they are, whether it has assessed the impact of the price increase on the promotion of the LPG Taxi Scheme; if it is assessed to have no impact, of the reasons for that;

  2. it has plans to monitor the prices of LPG taxis; if not, of the reasons for not planning to do so;

  3. whether LPG light buses suitable for use in Hong Kong are available in the market at present; and

  4. of the current market price for a LPG light bus and whether it has assessed if light bus operators can afford the costs of purchasing LPG light buses?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

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

The Hospital Authority ("HA") is planning to reform the medical staff structure by replacing the current ranks of Medical Officer, Senior Medical Officer and Consultant with the ranks of Resident Doctor, Specialist I and Specialist II, and to reduce the starting salary of newly recruited doctors. In this connection, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council:

  1. whether they know:

    1. if the level of remuneration set by the HA for its newly recruited doctors is comparable to the level of remuneration for newly recruited staff of a comparable rank in government departments for this year;

    2. of the total number of Consultant posts created by the HA in the past five years, together with a breakdown of such posts by reasons for their creation; and

    3. of the HA's target establishment of Specialists II and how it compares with the current establishment of Consultants; and

  2. of the measures in place to ensure that the adoption of a new medical staff structure by the HA will not result in an increase in public spending?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*12. Hon Christine LOH to ask:

Regarding the measures to reduce air pollution, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the respective weights of major pollutants, including total suspended particulates, respirable suspended particulates, Nitrogen Dioxides and volatile hydrocarbons, emitted by all pollution sources in 1998;

  2. of the expected amount of annual reduction in the coming five years, in absolute and percentage terms, in the emission of each of these pollutants resulting from the implementation of the measures to reduce vehicle emissions, as outlined in the reply to a written question of this Council of 27 October 1999, and provide a breakdown of such figures attributable to each measure;

  3. how the expected overall emission reduction in (b) above

    1. compares to the targets set out in the 1999 Policy Address; and

    2. translates into improvement in the air quality and assists in achieving the Air Quality Objectives for various districts; and

  4. whether it has assessed, upon implementation of all such measures in (b) above, if the air quality in Hong Kong will meet all the Air Quality Objectives by 2005, and if the assessment result is in the negative, of the other measures it will take?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

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

Will the Executive Authorities inform this Council if they know:

  1. the current procedure adopted by licensed banks for handling remittance by telegraphic transfer from overseas to their local customers' accounts and the time required for completing such procedure;

  2. whether the Hong Kong Monetary Authority ("HKMA") has issued guidelines to licensed banks on the handling of various matters in connection with remittance by telegraphic transfer (such as the date for crediting the remitted amount to the recipient's account and the point of time at which the interest on the remittance payable to the recipient starts to accrue, etc); if it has not, whether the HKMA will consider formulating such guidelines; and

  3. whether the HKMA has clearly defined the terms commonly used in the banking industry (such as the date for crediting the amount in a remittance transaction), so that the industry has the ground rules to follow?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services

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

Will the Government inform this Council:

  1. whether it has received complaints from drivers of red public light bus ("PLB") over the past year about the vicious competition arising from the excessive number of PLBs running on the same route;

  2. whether it will consider restricting the number of red PLBs running on each route, through legislative or administrative means; and

  3. of the specific measures to encourage red PLB operators to convert red PLBs to green PLBs?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

*15. Hon Bernard CHAN to ask:

It was reported that, upon the expiry of the relevant short-term leases, the artists now accommodated in a former Government Supplies Department building on Oil Street would be offered leases for space in the former To Kwa Wan Abattoir for a period of three years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

  1. it has plans to offer long-term accommodation for the artists concerned; and

  2. it has formulated specific measures, such as the provision of low-cost exhibition venues and workshops, in order to promote art development in Hong Kong and help local artists in developing their talents?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

*16. Hon LEUNG Yiu-chung to ask: (Translation)

Early this month, the Air Pollution Indexes ("API") recorded by the Environmental Protection Department's roadside monitoring stations in various districts in the territory were abnormally high for several days. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the causes of the sharp rise in the API early this month, and the major source of the air pollutants; and

  2. whether it has immediate and specific measures to prevent the air quality in the territory from further deteriorating?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

*17. Hon Howard YOUNG to ask:

The Hong Kong International Airport ("HKIA") has been commended a number of times by different international travel magazines and institutes since it came into operation in 1998. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows if the Airport Authority has any plans to develop the HKIA into an international aviation hub; if so, of the measures it has taken so far?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Economic Services

*18. Hon Bernard CHAN to ask:

Will the Government inform this Council whether it knows if the relevant parties have plans to extend the use of Octopus cards to cover payments such as those made when shopping in convenience stores etc; if there are such plans, whether and how the Government will regulate such uses?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

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

It is learnt that recently lawless elements sold pirated optical discs by post in order to evade crackdown by the Customs and Excise Department. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the measures it has taken to:

  1. combat crimes of selling pirated optical discs by post; and

  2. eradicate crimes of selling pirated optical discs?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Trade and Industry

*20. Hon Cyd HO to ask:

According to a survey conducted by the Public Doctors Association, Consultants and Senior Medical Officers in public hospitals work on average 60 hours a week, whereas Medical Officers and Housemen work on average 70 and 100 hours respectively, including on-call time. In this connection, will the Administration inform this Council whether:

  1. it knows if the Hospital Authority ("HA") has compiled any statistics on the average number of hours worked by Medical Officers in various ranks; if it has, of the details; if it has not, the reasons for that;

  2. it has assessed the impact of Medical Officers' long working hours on the quality of hospital services; if it has, of the assessment results; if not, the reasons for that;

  3. it knows if the HA will adopt measures to reduce Medical Officers' working hours; if HA will not adopt such measures, the reasons for that; and

  4. it will request the HA to review the work schedules for its Medical Officers in the light of Article 7(d) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which recognizes the right of enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work which includes, among others, rest, leisure and reasonable limitation of working hours?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*For written reply.

III. Bills

First Reading

1. Medical and Health Care (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2000

2. Companies (Amendment) Bill 2000

Second Reading (Debates to be adjourned)

1. Medical and Health Care (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2000

 : Secretary for Health and Welfare
2. Companies (Amendment) Bill 2000 : Secretary for Financial Services

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

Organized and Serious Crimes (Amendment) Bill 1999 : Secretary for Security

IV. Motions

1. Proposed resolution under the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance

Secretary for Security to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (Italy) Order, made by the Chief Executive in Council on 14 September 1999, be approved.

(Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (Italy) Order has been issued on 3 January 2000 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 389/99-00)

2. Proposed resolution under the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance

Secretary for Security to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (South Korea) Order, made by the Chief Executive in Council on 14 September 1999, be approved.

(Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (South Korea) Order has been issued on 3 January 2000 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 389/99-00)

V. Members' Motions

1. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon Ronald ARCULLI to move the following motion: 　

RESOLVED that the Electoral Affairs Commission (Printing of Name of Organization and Emblem on Ballot Paper) (Legislative Council) Regulation, published as Legal Notice No. 306 of 1999 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 December 1999, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Constitutional Affairs

2. Proposed resolution under Article 159 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China

Hon LEUNG Yiu-chung to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that this Council consents to forwarding the following amendments to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China to the delegation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to the National People's Congress, for submission to the National People's Congress -

"Article 1

Article 74 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China which provides that "Members of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may introduce bills in accordance with the provisions of this Law and legal procedures. Bills which do not relate to public expenditure or political structure or the operation of the government may be introduced individually or jointly by members of the Council. The written consent of the Chief Executive shall be required before bills relating to government policies are introduced." shall be amended as: "Members of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may, individually or jointly, introduce bills in accordance with the provisions of this Law and legal procedures. The written consent of the Chief Executive shall be required before bills, the object or effect of which may, in the opinion of the President of the Council, be to dispose of or charge any part of the revenue or other public moneys of Hong Kong, are introduced individually or jointly by members of the Council."

Article 2

The last two paragraphs of Item II of Annex II of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China which provide that "The passage of bills introduced by the government shall require at least a simple majority vote of the members of the Legislative Council present." "The passage of motions, bills or amendments to government bills introduced by individual members of the Legislative Council shall require a simple majority vote of each of the two groups of members present: members returned by functional constituencies and those returned by geographical constituencies through direct elections and by the Election Committee." shall be amended as: "All questions put to the Legislative Council shall be decided by a majority of the votes of the Members present and voting." "The President of the Legislative Council shall, if the votes be equally divided, have a casting vote in addition to his original vote." ".

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Constitutional Affairs

3. Enhancing the functions of District Councils

Prof Hon NG Ching-fai: (Translation) 　

That, as the two municipal councils have been dissolved and it is necessary to allow the 18 District Councils (DCs) to take on more powers and responsibilities at the district level, this Council urges the Government to ensure that it attaches importance to the DCs' consultative role, and to expand the DCs' functions and provide them with additional funding and corresponding powers in deciding on the district affairs relating to community building, improvements to the local environment, provision and management of community facilities, organization of cultural and recreational activities, etc., so as to nurture political talents, promote civic awareness and strengthen social solidarity.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Home Affairs

4. Creating employment opportunities by providing support for the waste recovery and recycling industries

Hon CHAN Kwok-keung: (Translation)

That, as the waste recovery rate in Hong Kong is on the low side, this Council urges the Government to adopt recovery, recycling and reuse as its major strategy for waste reduction, so as to reduce the environmental pollution caused by wastes and, at the same time, to create more employment opportunities for the working population. In this connection, the Administration must:

  1. step up publicity and education on waste separation and recovery to enhance public awareness of waste recycling and reuse;

  2. provide appropriate facilities for the convenient separation and recovery of wastes by the public and collectors of recyclable wastes ;

  3. establish an industrial estate for the environmental industries and provide land and supporting infrastructure, in order to reduce the operating costs of the waste recovery and recycling industries; and

  4. formulate positive policies and measures to attract more investors to join the waste recovery and recycling industries.

Amendment to Hon CHAN Kwok-keung's motion

Hon LAW Chi-kwong: (Translation)

To add "implement the "polluter pays" principle and" before "step up publicity,"; and to add ", including a policy that gives priority to the procurement of green products in order to increase the demands for these products, as well as introducing commercial eco-labels that are suitable for Hong Kong to promote environmentally responsible purchasing among the public and exploiting the local green market, so as" after "policies and measures,".

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Environment and Food


Clerk to the Legislative Council