Council Meeting ( Agenda ) 31 May 2000

A 99/00-30(1)

Legislative Council

Agenda

Wednesday 31 May 2000 at 2:30 pm

I. Tabling of Papers

Subsidiary Legislation / Instruments		L.N. No.
1.	Air Pollution Control (Asbestos) (Administration) (Amendment) Regulation 2000	190/2000
2.	Optometrists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2000	191/2000
3.	Road Traffic (Traffic Control) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2000	192/2000
4.	Firearms and Ammunition (Amendment) Ordinance 2000 (14 of 2000) (Commencement) Notice 2000	193/2000
5.	Firearms and Ammunition (Amendment) Regulation 2000 (L.N. 146 of 2000) (Commencement) Notice 2000	194/2000
6.	Shipping and Port Control (Amendment) Regulation 2000 (L.N. 107 of 2000) (Commencement) Notice 2000	195/2000
7.	Electricity Ordinance (Cap. 406) (Commencement) Notice 2000	196/2000
8.	Electrical Products (Safety) Regulation (Cap. 406 sub. leg.) (Commencement) Notice 2000	197/2000
9.	Electrical Products (Safety) (Amendment) Regulation 2000 (L.N. 77 of 2000) (Commencement) Notice 2000	198/2000
10.	Securities (Stock Lending) Rules	199/2000

Other Papers

1. No.102	-	Securities and Futures Commission Approved Estimates of Income and Expenditure for the financial year 2000/01
(to be presented by Secretary for Financial Services)
2. Report of the Bills Committee on Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1999
(to be presented by Hon Albert HO, Chairman of the Bills Committee)
3. Report of the Bills Committee on Trade Marks Bill
(to be presented by Hon Margaret NG, Chairman of the Bills Committee)
4. Report of the Bills Committee on Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2000
(to be presented by Hon Mrs Miriam LAU, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

II. Questions

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

The Housing Ordinance stipulates that whenever the Hong Kong Housing Authority ("HA") has revised the rents of public rental housing ("PRH") units, the overall median rent to income ratio ("MRIR") after revision shall not exceed 10%. Regarding the determination of PRH rentals, will the Government inform this Council:

of the MRIR for all PRH households in Hong Kong for each quarter of the past twelve months and how these figures compare to those of the preceding four years;
when the family income of PRH households has generally decreased, whether HA is required to lower the rent as the case may be so as to ensure that the MRIR of PRH households does not exceed 10%; if not, whether the Administration will consider making amendments to the Housing Ordinance to that effect; if this will not be considered, of the reasons for that; and
whether it knows if HA, in determining PRH rentals, will consider ensuring that the MRIRs applicable to various types of PRH blocks (not just the overall MRIR) do not exceed 10%; if it will not, of the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Housing

2. Dr Hon LEONG Che-hung to ask: (Translation)

It has been reported that there are nurses of public hospitals taking up outside jobs without obtaining permission at private hospitals outside working hours. Regarding medical, nursing and allied health staff (hereinafter "medical and health care staff") of public hospitals taking up outside jobs, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:

the respective numbers of applications received by the Hospital Authority from staff of various medical and health care professions for permission to take up outside jobs and among them, the number of approved cases, in each of the past three years;
if the Hospital Authority has assessed the seriousness of the problem of medical and health care staff taking up outside jobs without permission, and its impact on the quality of medical and health care services provided by public hospitals; and
the measures the Hospital Authority has in place to stop medical and health care staff from taking up outside jobs without permission?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

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

Regarding the Secretary for Transport's contacting officials of the Education and Manpower Bureau and the Education Department concerning the redevelopment of La Salle Primary School and the prevention of abuse of power by senior civil servants, will the Government inform this Council;

of the capacity in which the Secretary made such contacts and the details of such contacts;
whether it has assessed if the Secretary has acted appropriately or transgressed his authority; and
of the existing legislation and mechanisms for preventing senior civil servants from abusing their powers and seeking personal gains by such acts?

Public Officers to reply

Secretary for Education and Manpower
Secretary for the Civil Service

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

According to the findings of a study commissioned by the Education and Manpower Bureau on the manpower and training needs of the information technology ("IT") industry, there will be a shortfall of 7 000 to 50 000 IT personnel with degree qualifications in Hong Kong by 2010 if the supply of such personnel remains at the existing level. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

of the number of places in IT degree courses run by tertiary institutions funded by the University Grants Committee ("UGC") in the next academic year, the increase of such places as compared to those offered in the current academic year, and the guiding policy as well as the mechanism for determining the number of places in IT degree courses;
of the approving mechanism and the time required for revising the existing number of places in courses run by various tertiary institutions; and
whether the UGC-funded tertiary institutions have taken the initiative in recent years to increase the number of places in IT courses to cater for market demands; if so, of their specific plans in this regard; if not, of the measures it will take to encourage and ensure that such institutions will increase the number of places in their IT courses, so as to tie in with the Government's policy to actively promote IT development and to meet the future demand on IT personnel?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

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

Will the Government inform this Council whether:

it knows the respective numbers of exhibitions held in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre ("HKCEC") and its extension in each of the past two financial years, the exhibition area and the number of booths in each exhibition, as well as the respective revenue received by the HKCEC operator and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council from each exhibition; and
it has assessed the economic benefits that Hong Kong has derived from the exhibitions held in the HKCEC and its extension during the above-mentioned period?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Trade and Industry

6. Hon Andrew CHENG to ask: (Translation)

The Railway Development Strategy 2000, announced two weeks ago, proposes that a Shatin-Central rail corridor be built under a project comprising the Tai Wai to Diamond Hill Link, the East Kowloon Line and the Fourth Rail Harbour Crossing. Both the Mass Transit Railway Corporation and the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation will be invited to submit proposals to develop this project. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

of the anticipated phased completion date of each rail line of the rail corridor;
of the date on which the selection of the railway corporation to undertake the project is expected to complete; and
whether, in deciding to accept the proposal of a railway corporation, it will place emphasis on balancing the competitiveness of the two railway corporations in the future railway transport market, as well as consumers' right to choose?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

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

Regarding the use of precast paving slabs for pavements, will the Government inform this Council:

how the cost per square metre for pavements using such materials compares to that for pavements using cement;
of the average frequency of repair required for these pavements and the average cost per square metre for such repairs; and
whether rugged surfaces or damaged slabs are common on these pavements; if so, of the reasons for that and the improvement measures that can be taken?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Works

*8. Hon Kenneth TING to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council whether it has assessed the adverse impact of the persistent rise in Hong Kong dollar lending rates in the past several months on Hong Kong's export, industrial and commercial sectors as well as Gross Domestic Product; if it has, of the details and whether it will consider lowering the profits tax rate, the percentage charge for rates and the fees and charges for various government services relating to the industrial and commercial sectors, so as to reduce the adverse impact of the persistent rise in Hong Kong dollar lending rates on the local economy; if it has not, whether such an assessment will be made expeditiously? Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Treasury

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

On 21 February this year, a 500-pound bomb dropped during the Second World War was unearthed at a construction site in Yau Ma Tei. There are speculations that there might still be wartime bombs lying in areas such as Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui, Lei Yue Mun, the Peak and Western District. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

it has kept records of cases in which undetonated bombs were found lying underground in the aforesaid districts since the end of the War; if it has, of the number of such cases and the casualties caused by accidental explosion of such bombs; and
it has plans to make use of detecting devices to find out if there are still bombs lying underground in the aforesaid districts; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*10. Hon LEE Wing-tat to ask: (Translation)

It was reported in several newspapers on 7 May this year that the owner of a residential property at Bowen Road on Hong Kong Island, which is currently owned by a senior government official, had made unauthorized structural alterations to and erected an unauthorized structure in the property. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it has investigated if such unauthorized works exist in the property; if the investigation result is in the affirmative:

of the details of the works;
whether the works have affected the structural safety of the building concerned; and
whether it has assessed if the present owner of the residential property breaches the relevant provisions of the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123); if there is a breach, of the follow-up actions it will take; if no breach has been committed, of the rationale for it?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning and Lands

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

Regarding the proposals of the Education Commission to allocate 85% of Primary One places on the principle of "vicinity" and to encourage primary and secondary schools to link among themselves to facilitate direct admission of Primary Six students to the linked secondary schools, there are comments that such proposals will result in more parents giving false residential addresses or moving to districts which fall within the school nets of their preferred schools so as to enhance the chance of their children being admitted to those schools. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

of the number of complaints received in each of the past five years about parents giving false residential addresses; the ways these complaints were handled and the results thereof; and
whether any measures are in place to prevent parents from giving false residential addresses; if so, of the relevant details; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

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

It has been reported that the tests conducted by the California Department of Health Services of the United States ("US") on the composition of Chinese patent medicines sold there have found in some of the samples the presence of heavy metals exceeding the relevant standards or of western pharmaceutical ingredients. Some of these Chinese patent medicines are sold or manufactured in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

it has approached the relevant US authorities for the findings of the tests; if so, of the details of the findings; and the follow-up measures taken or to be taken by the Government to regulate the Chinese patent medicines sold or manufactured locally which have been found to contain heavy metals in excess of the relevant standards; and
it has assessed the adequacy of the measures to regulate the Chinese patent medicines sold in Hong Kong, and the basis on which the Government determines the regulatory standards?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*13. Hon Howard YOUNG to ask:

I have received a complaint from some Southern District residents about "Green Cancer" which refers to climbing plants killing any healthy tree they cover. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

whether it knows the cause of the death of healthy trees which are covered by Green Cancer;
of the areas in which Green Cancer is prevalent;
whether it has received any similar complaints about Green Cancer covering trees grown in public places; if so, of the follow-up action that it has taken;
of the impact of Green Cancer on the environment;
of the measures to contain the growth of Green Cancer; and
of the action that it would advise the public to take should their trees be covered by Green Cancer?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

*14. Hon Christine LOH to ask:

In view of the fact that the number of notified tuberculosis ("TB") cases in Hong Kong has increased over the last few years to 115 per 100 000 persons in 1998, will the Administration inform this Council:

of the types of people more susceptible to TB;
whether it has evaluated the reasons for the persistently high incidence of TB cases in Hong Kong in the last decade and the rising trend in the past three years;
whether Hong Kong has been placed by the World Health Organization in the category of "highly affected" countries or places in respect of TB; if so, of the reasons for that;
whether the Department of Health has put in place a comprehensive information collection system to monitor the incidence of the disease and the effectiveness of treatments for TB patients, including those treated by private medical practitioners; if not, of the reasons for that;
whether it will review its policy and priorities relating to the management of TB; and
whether the Administration will put in more resources to fight the persistently high incidence and the rising trend of TB cases?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

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

Will the Executive Authorities inform this Council whether patient record systems have been installed in all public hospitals and the Department of Health's clinics; if so, of the details and the costs incurred; if not, the scheduled timing for such systems to be set up and the costs required?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*16. Hon MA Fung-kwok to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council:

of the number of air quality tests conducted in government office buildings in the past three years and the results of the tests, as well as the number of such tests in which the air quality was found to be poor; and
whether it has formulated or will commence any plan to improve the air quality inside government office buildings; if so, of the details, and whether it has considered replacing or improving the air-conditioning systems that have been in operation for a long time?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

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

Regarding the management of the Exchange Fund, will the Government inform this Council whether:

the situation will arise in which the fiscal reserves deposited by the Government in the Exchange Fund will be frozen and cannot be withdrawn in order to pay for public expenditure, when a substantial amount of the assets of the Exchange Fund has been utilized for stabilizing the monetary and financial systems of Hong Kong;
any criteria have been set to specify the respective ratios in respect of which the assets of the Exchange Fund could be allocated for such purposes as defending the exchange value of the Hong Kong dollar, maintaining the stability of the financial system and safeguarding the long-term purchasing power of the assets etc., during crises in the financial market; and
any guidelines are in place to specify the prime purposes and asset allocation of the various components of the Exchange Fund, as well as the ceiling of the Exchange Fund assets transferable by the Financial Secretary in case of emergency and the principles he should follow?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services

*18. Hon LEE Wing-tat to ask: (Translation)

It is learnt that on two occasions in November 1998 and February 1999, the dioxin concentrations in emissions from the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre ("CWTC") on Tsing Yi exceeded the permitted level prescribed in the operating licence. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

of the reasons for not instituting prosecutions against or imposing penalties on the CWTC operator in respect of the two incidents;
whether it has plans to amend the relevant legislation to prohibit emissions with dioxin concentration exceeding the prescribed limit and stipulate penalties for non-compliance with the requirement; and
whether it will consider providing health screening for residents nearby to ascertain if excessive dioxins have accumulated in their bodies?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

*19. Hon Christine LOH to ask:

Regarding the construction of the East Rail Extension - Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau Spur Line which was gazetted on 8 October 1999 and the proposed amendments to the scheme which were gazetted on 28 April 2000, will the Government inform this Council:

of the studies that have been undertaken to justify the construction of the railway extension;
of the reasons for gazetting the alignment of the spur line before the relevant planning and environmental studies were completed and whether a mechanism is in place to ensure that all relevant planning and environmental studies must be completed before rail and road projects are gazetted;
whether alternative alignments that do not encroach on the ecologically valuable Long Valley have been considered; if not, of the reasons for that; and
whether other alternative alignments have been considered and of the environmental and planning merits of each alignment?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

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

Regarding the management of the public housing estates sold under the Tenants Purchase Scheme ("TPS estates"), will the Executive Authorities inform this Council:

whether they have found management companies set up by members of political parties bidding for management contracts of the TPS estates;
whether they have assessed if a conflict of interests or roles will arise should the TPS estates be managed by such management companies; if the assessment result is in the affirmative, of the counter-measures it will adopt; if the assessment result is in the negative, the rationale for that; and
of the measures in place to assist the owners' corporations concerned to formulate a definite and transparent tendering mechanism for the maintenance and repair works of their buildings?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Housing

*For written reply.

III. Bills

First Reading

Arbitration (Amendment) Bill 2000

Second Reading (Debate to be adjourned)

Arbitration (Amendment) Bill 2000 : Secretary for Justice

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

1. Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1999	:	Secretary for Justice
2. Trade Marks Bill	:	Secretary for Trade and Industry
3. Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2000	:	Secretary for Transport
4. Adaptation of Laws (No.8) Bill 1999	:	Secretary for the Environment and Food

IV. Motions

1. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Secretary for Financial Services to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Financial Resources Rules, published as Legal Notice No. 103 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 3 May 2000, be amended -

in section 2, in the definition of "introducing broker" -
1. in paragraph (a)(i) by repealing everything after "in the name of such person to exchange participants" and substituting ", or members of a stock market specified in Schedule 5 or a futures or options market specified in Schedule 6; or";
2. in paragraph (a)(ii) by repealing "introducing another person to exchange participants of the Unified Exchange, or members or exchange participants of" and substituting "introducing another person to exchange participants, or members of";
in section 7(b) by repealing "during any 5 business days" and substituting "on more than a total of 4 business days";

in Part I of Schedule 2, by repealing Table 2 and substituting -

"TABLE 2 - "Maturity"
		(I)	(II)
Remaining term to maturity		Fixed coupon bonds/normal floating rate bonds	Any bonds other than those set out in (I)
		Haircut %	Haircut %
(a)	less than 6 months	1	1
(b)	6 months to less than 3 years	3	3
(c)	3 years to less than 5 years	4	5
(d)	5 years to less than 10 years	7	10
(e)	10 years or more	10	22".

2. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Secretary for Education and Manpower to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that -

the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279) be amended -
1. in section 18A(2), by repealing "of $5,000" and substituting "at level 3";
2. in section 63(3) and (5), by repealing "of $5,000" and substituting "at level 3";
3. in section 76(4) and (5), by repealing "of $5,000" and substituting "at level 3";
4. in section 78, by repealing "of $5,000" and substituting "at level 3";
5. in section 84(3), by repealing "5,000" and substituting "250,000";
6. in section 86A(3), by repealing "of $10,000" and substituting "at level 4";
7. in section 86B(2), by repealing "of $10,000" and substituting "at level 4";
8. in section 87 -
  1. in subsection (1), by repealing "25,000" and substituting "250,000";
  2. in subsection (2), by repealing "of $10,000" and substituting "at level 6";
  3. in subsection (3), by repealing "of $5,000" and substituting "at level 5";
  4. in subsection (3A), by repealing "of $5,000" and substituting "at level 3";
9. in section 89(6), by repealing "of $5,000" and substituting "at level 5";

the Education Regulations (Cap. 279 sub. leg.) be amended -

by repealing regulation 102 and substituting -

"102. Penalties

(1)	Subject to paragraph (2), any person who is guilty of an offence under these regulations shall be liable on conviction to a fine at level 5 and to imprisonment for one year.
(2)	The supervisor or principal of a school who is guilty of an offence under regulation 101(6) by virtue of a contravention of regulation 87 shall be liable on conviction to a fine of $250,000 and to imprisonment for one year.";

in the Third Schedule -
1. in Form 1, under the part headed "WARNING", in paragraph 1(b), by repealing "25,000" and substituting "250,000";
2. in each of Forms 6, 8, 10 and 11, under the part headed "WARNING', in paragraph (b), by repealing "25,000" and substituting "250,000".

3. Proposed resolution under the Fixed Penalty (Criminal Proceedings) Ordinance

Secretary for the Environment and Food to move the following motion:

RESOLVED -

that the Schedule to the Fixed Penalty (Criminal Proceedings) Ordinance be amended in item 29 by repealing "$450" and substituting "$1,000"; and
that this Resolution shall come into operation on a day to be appointed by the Secretary for the Environment and Food by notice in the Gazette.

Amendments to Secretary for the Environment and Food's motion

(i) Hon Christine LOH:

RESOLVED that the motion to be moved by the Secretary for the Environment and Food under section 12 of the Fixed Penalty (Criminal Proceedings) Ordinance (Cap. 240) at the Legislative Council meeting on 31 May 2000 be amended in paragraph (a) by deleting "$1,000" and substituting "$5,000".

(ii) Hon James TIEN:

V. Members' Motions

1. Women's Commission

Hon Cyd HO: (Translation)

That this Council expresses regret that the Women's Commission to be established by the Government will only play an advisory role and deal with women's health and welfare issues, and as such cannot effectively protect women's rights and interests, and urges the Government to:

set up a central mechanism to examine various government policies, public finance and legislative proposals from the angle of safeguarding equality for both sexes;
entrust the Women's Commission with the responsibility for overseeing the operation of the central mechanism and include women representatives from the grassroots in the Commission's membership; and
direct the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office to provide administrative support to the Commission and co-ordinate the relevant work of the various government departments.

Amendments to Hon Cyd HO's motion

(i) Hon Albert HO: (Translation)

To add ", if the Women's Commission to be established this year only plays an advisory role and is set up under the Health and Welfare Bureau, it cannot comprehensively and effectively protect women's rights and interests; in this regard," after "That"; to delete "expresses regret that the Women's Commission to be established by the Government will only play an advisory role and deal with women's health and welfare issues, and as such cannot effectively protect women's rights and interests, and" after "this Council"; to delete "a central mechanism" after "(a) set up" and substitute with "an Office of the Women's Affairs Commissioner under the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office to implement the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women and"; to add "legislation," after "to examine various government policies,"; to delete "entrust the Women's Commission with the responsibility for overseeing the operation of the central mechanism and include women representatives from the grassroots in the Commission's membership; and (c)"; to delete "Commission" after "to provide administrative support to the" and substitute with "Office of the Women's Affairs Commissioner"; and to add "; and (c) vest the Women's Commission with sufficient power to oversee the work of the Office of the Women's Affairs Commissioner, to review and examine issues relating to the promotion of equality for both sexes, and to make recommendations to the Government; draw into the Commission a broad range of people who are concerned with women's rights and interests, including representatives from women's organizations, academics and professionals" after "the relevant work of the various government departments".

(ii) Hon CHOY So-yuk: (Translation)

To delete "expresses regret" and substitute with "considers"; to add "soon" after "Women's Commission"; to delete "will only play an advisory role and deal with women's health and welfare issues, and as such cannot effectively protect women's rights and interests, and urges the Government to" and substitute with "should be a high-level body in the government hierarchy and led by non-officials; it must comprise members who are broadly representative and include women representatives from the grassroots; the Commission must be provided with sufficient administrative resources and co-ordination support and its scope of work should include"; to add "immediately formulating a set of policy on women applicable in Hong Kong and ensuring the full implementation of the relevant policy; (b)" after "(a)"; to delete "set up a central" and substitute with "setting up a"; to delete "(b) entrust the Women's Commission with the responsibility for overseeing the operation of the central mechanism and include women representatives from the grassroots in the Commission's membership"; and to delete "direct the Chief Secretary for Administration's Office to provide administrative support to the Commission and co-ordinate the relevant work of the various government departments" and substitute with "embarking on various initiatives to safeguard women's rights and interests, which should include: (i) stepping up publicity and education on anti-discrimination; (ii) providing women of different age groups with appropriate employment training according to their needs; (iii) improving child care services to assist parents in need of such services to concentrate on their work; (iv) enhancing medical and health services by providing additional woman health centres in various districts throughout Hong Kong; and (v) introducing active measures to strengthen the support for victims of sexual offences".

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Health and Welfare

2. Drawing up the blueprint for Hong Kong's social welfare policies over the coming decade

Hon CHAN Yuen-han: (Translation)

That, with the rapid social developments and drastic changes in recent years which have worsened the problems faced by individuals, social groups and the community at large, the Government should have expeditiously drawn up a blueprint for social welfare development and implemented reforms in the service systems to meet the public's needs; however, the Government has, without adequate consultation, rashly implemented a series of measures in the social welfare sector, such as the contracting out of services through competitive bidding, which are reforms in name, but in reality give rise to chaos; at the same time, the Government intends to implement the controversial Lump Sum Grant subvention mode; these measures not only arouse concern among social service organizations about their future development and deal a blow to staff morale, but also cause worries among service users that the service quality may deteriorate; the Government's approach has undoubtedly ignored the long-term development of social welfare policies; in this regard, this Council urges the Government to:

draw up the blueprint for the development of Hong Kong's social welfare policies in the coming decade in order to tie in with the political, economic and social changes in Hong Kong and, by adopting the following measures, formulate social welfare policies which will meet the needs of the public:
1. to review, in conjunction with the social welfare sector, the direction, objectives and development strategy of Hong Kong's social welfare policies in the 21st century; and
2. making reference to the approach adopted in the White Paper on Social Welfare into the 1990s and Beyond published in 1990 and consulting extensively the views of various sectors in the community, to prepare a consultation paper on the overall social welfare development; and
before the blueprint for the development of social welfare policies is drawn up, temporarily shelve all reform measures in this regard, including the Lump Sum Grant subvention mode and the contracting out of services through competitive bidding, and review these policies when preparing the consultation paper on the overall social welfare development.

Amendment to Hon CHAN Yuen-han's motion

Hon Mrs Sophie LEUNG: (Translation)

To delete "before the blueprint for the development of social welfare policies is drawn up, temporarily shelve all reform measures in this regard, including the Lump Sum Grant subvention mode and the contracting out of services through competitive bidding, and review these policies when preparing the consultation paper on the overall social welfare development" after "(b)" and substitute with "review the policies on the reform measures to ensure that these are consistent with, and beneficial to, the overall social welfare development".

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Health and Welfare

Clerk to the Legislative Council

Legislative Council

Agenda Wednesday 31 May 2000 at 2:30 pm

Agenda

Wednesday 31 May 2000 at 2:30 pm