Revised version

OP 95/96-28(1) (Issued at 11.00 a.m. on 13.5.96)

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
ORDER PAPER

Wednesday, 15 May 1996 at 2.30 p.m.

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I. PAPERS

Subsidiary Legislation
Sessional Paper 1995/96

II. QUESTIONS
III. BILLS

FIRST READING
SECOND READING

• Debates to be adjourned
COMMITTEE STAGE AND THIRD READING

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I. PAPERS

Sessional Paper 1995/96

No. 81 - Hong Kong Monetary Authority Annual Report 1995

(to be presented by the Financial Secretary)

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II. QUESTIONS

1. Mr. CHOY Kan-pui to ask : (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council whether the Education Department has devised a comprehensive curriculum on environmental protection for primary and secondary schools; if so, what the contents of the curriculum are and what effects have been achieved so far; if not; why not?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

2. Mr. HO Chun-yan to ask : (Translation)

Regarding the Government's handling of the issue concerning the transition of judges and other members of the judiciary, will the Government inform this Council:

1. how the Government interprets the stipulation in Article 93 of the Basic Law of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the SAR Government) that judges and other members of the judiciary may all remain in employment; whether they need to be invited by the SAR Government or some other organisations before they can continue to serve in the SAR Government; and whether those who remain in employment will be able to retain their original ranks; and
2. whether, in handling the above issue, the Government will request the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group to explain the meaning of "may all remain in employment"; if not, why not?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Constitutional Affairs

3. Mrs. Miriam LAU to ask : (Translation)

In order to minimise pollution caused by lead content in the air, the Government introduced unleaded petrol (ULP) in 1991 and prohibited the import of vehicles using leaded petrol as from 1992. It has also been levying lower duties on ULP so as to encourage drivers to switch to the use of ULP. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

1. whether the lead content in the air has been reduced after the implementation of the above measures; if so, please provide information on the improvement in air quality achieved in the past five years;
2. of the total reduction in petrol duties collected since the introduction of ULP; and
3. of the criteria adopted by the Government for assessing whether 'the policy on unleaded petrol' has fulfilled the 'cost-effectiveness' principle and achieved the purpose of reducing air pollution?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

4. Mr. Andrew CHENG to ask : (Translation)

Under section 18A(1) of the Public Finance Ordinance, the Legislative Council may by resolution award compensation, by way of either a single payment or periodical payments, from the general revenue of the Colony to any person injured in the execution of a moral or legal duty to assist in the prevention of or resistance to crime or any offence, or to the dependants of a person so injured who dies as a result of such injury. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

1. of the specific policy governing the application of this provision;
2. of the circumstances under which the Government will apply this provision; and
3. of the criteria adopted by the Government for determining the amount of compensation?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Treasury

5. Miss Emily LAU to ask : (Translation)

Regarding the countries of origin of goods procured by the Government Supplies Department, will the Government inform this Council:

1. of the criteria for determining the countries from which goods are to be procured;
2. of the percentage of the value of the goods procured from Britain out of the total value of all the goods procured in the past two years; and
3. whether it has any plans to procure more goods manufactured in China in the future; if so, what the reasons are; and whether it will in future continue to adopt the criteria mentioned in the answer to (a) above for determining the countries from which goods are to be procured?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Treasury

* 6. Mr. LEE Wing-tat to ask : (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council whether the Governor has any authority to appoint a date after 30 June 1997 as the ending date of the 1996-97 Legislative Council session; if so, what the legal basis for such authority is; if not, whether the Governor shall appoint a date on or before 30 June 1997 as the ending date of the 1996-97 Legislative Council session?

Public Officer to reply : Chief Secretary

* 7. Mr. LEE Wing-tat to ask : (Translation)

As the contractor of the project for the construction of the Lai King station of the Airport Railway has repeatedly carried out construction works late at night without the permission of the authority concerned, will the Government inform this Council whether the contractor has been prosecuted; if so, what the result was; and how it will prevent such unauthorised activities from recurring?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

* 8. Mr. LO Suk-ching to ask : (Translation)

In view of the occurrence of several incidents of pre-sale of uncompleted small houses involving fraud and other disputes in recent months, will the Government inform this Council:

1. whether the pre-sale of uncompleted small house is illegal;
2. whether it will consider legalising the sale and purchase of uncompleted small houses and monitoring such activities; if not, whether it will consider introducing measures to prevent prospective buyers from being cheated; and
3. which government department is responsible for controlling the sale and purchase of uncompleted small houses?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

* 9. Mr. CHEUNG Man-kwong to ask : (Translation)

According to a recent survey on lunch arrangements for school children conducted by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, there is a rising trend of school children staying in school for lunch and the number of schools using the delivery service provided by lunch box suppliers has also increased. As the choice of food will directly affect the health and physical development of the next generation, will the Government inform this Council whether, and if so how, it will address the recommendations made in the survey report, including:

1. undertaking a comprehensive assessment and planning on lunch arrangements for school children, and introducing effective monitoring measures to ensure that school children are provided with hygienic and nutritious meals;
2. reviewing the existing measures and guidelines concerning lunch arrangements for school children and monitoring their implementation to ensure that the prescribed standards are met;
3. incorporating the provision of venues for having lunches in the list of standard facilities for new school premises; and
4. promoting and encouraging parent-teacher associations to monitor and manage the lunch arrangements for school children, and stepping up publicity to remind parents and students of the effects of eating habits on health?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*10. Mr. Henry TANG to ask : (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council:

1. of the existing capacity of the telephone lines, including optical-fibre network, used for calls transmission;
2. of the proportion of the total capacity of the optical-fibre network that is used for calls transmission;
3. whether the Government has any information on the number of telephone lines used for other value-added services, and its proportion in the total number of telephone lines; and
4. whether the existing optical-fibre network can cope with the load when all telephone lines are used for other value-added services; if not, what the future development plan for the optical-fibre network is?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Economic Services

*11. Mr. Albert CHAN to ask : (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council:

1. of the number of redevelopment projects which have been undertaken since the adoption of the Comprehensive Redevelopment Area (CRA) planning approach;
2. how it will assess whether such a planning approach has been successful; and
3. how it can ensure that the property ownership rights of residents in the CRAs will not be affected by the redevelopment projects undertaken by the Land Development Corporation and the Hong Kong Housing Society?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

*12. Mr. CHAN Kam-lam to ask : (Translation)

As the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) is planning to apply to the Government for the development of commercial and residential premises on top of its stations at Kowloon Tong and Shatin, will the Government inform this Council:

1. of the progress of the negotiation between the Government and the KCRC on the matter; and
2. whether the Government will require the KCRC to include the construction of multi-storey carparks in its development plan, thus putting into effect the "park-and-ride" concept, so as to alleviate traffic congestion in the Lion Rock Tunnel and urban areas?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

*13 Mr. LEUNG Yiu-chung to ask : (Translation)

The Government published the consultation paper "Cleaner Air - Further Proposals to Reduce Emissions from Diesel Vehicles" last year to seek the views of the public on the proposed mandatory Diesel-to-Petrol (DTP) Scheme for diesel vehicles of four tonnes or below, and the consultation period expired at the end of last year. A motion was also carried by this Council on 13 December last year urging the Government to review the scheme and replace the proposed mandatory scheme with incentive measures to attract owners of diesel vehicles to change to petrol vehicles on a voluntary basis. Up to the present moment, the Government has still not released the results of the consultation and its review of the scheme. In view of this, will the Government inform this Council:

1. of the public response to the recommendations put forward in the consultation paper and the ratio between the views in favour of the DTP Scheme and those against it;
2. of the progress in collating the views submitted by the public in response to the consultation paper, and the date of making a formal announcement of the results of the consultation; and
3. whether it has considered shelving the proposed mandatory DTP Scheme?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands

*14. Dr. John TSE to ask : (Translation)

In view of the frequent occurrence of tram accidents recently, will the Government inform this Council:

1. given that the authorities concerned at present do not conduct periodic checks on trams, whether the Government will consider changing the existing mechanism for inspecting tram safety and conducting periodic checks on trams in the near future;
2. of the training period which tram drivers are currently required to undergo before they are permitted to drive trams; and whether the Government will consider introducing legislation to regulate the training of tram drivers; and
3. in regard to the review being undertaken jointly by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and the Hong Kong Tramways Limited on the maintenance programme of trams, of the items covered in the review, the progress of the review and when it is expected to complete?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

*15. Mr. CHOY Kan-pui to ask : (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council of:

1. the current number of staff in the Labour Department responsible for inspecting industrial, commercial as well as services organisations to ensure that employers have taken out insurance policies for their employees; and whether the present staff establishment of the Department is adequate to cope with such work; and
2. the number of employers who were found failing to take out insurance policies for their employees, as well as the number of employers who were found taking out insurance policies at an insured amount which did not meet the statutory requirement, in each of the past three years; how the Labour Department came to know of such cases; whether the employers concerned were prosecuted and if so, what the results were?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*16. Miss Emily LAU to ask : (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council:

1. whether it knows of the criteria adopted by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for classifying whether a country is a developed country;
2. whether the OECD has carried out any assessment regarding the category into which Hong Kong should be put; if so, what category does Hong Kong come under; and
3. if the answer to (b) is in the affirmative, whether the Government is aware of the factors which the OECD has taken into account in classifying Hong Kong; whether the Government has assessed the impact of the influx of Chinese immigrants in recent years on the territory's economy and whether such impact will be helpful to Hong Kong in obtaining the 'developed territory' classification from the OECD?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Trade and Industry

*17. Mr. Henry TANG to ask : (Translation)

The data provided by the Government show that under the existing flat-rate pricing scheme for telephone services, light users have been cross-subsidising heavy users in both residential and business telephone services. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

1. whether out-going long distance calls are incorporated in the relevant data on the monthly usage of residential and business lines; if so, what the usage pattern of out-going long distance call service is(ie. a breakdown of the percentages of customers according to long distance call time per month) in the residential and business sectors in the past year; if not, how the overall usage situation would be affected, and whether the amount of cross-subsidy on heavy users from light users would vary, if the data on out-going long distance calls are incorporated;
2. of the proportion of long distance calls in the total out-going calls made by heavy users (ie. those with an average call time of over 400 minutes per month), as well as the respective proportions of out-going long distance calls made by such users in the total long distance calls made locally in terms of call time and in terms of profits in the past year; and
3. of the proportion of long distance calls in the total out-going calls made by light users (ie. those with an average call time of 0-400 minutes per month), as well as the respective proportions of out-going long distance calls made by such users in the total long distance calls made locally in terms of call time and in terms of profits in the past year?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Economic Services

*18. Dr. John TSE to ask : (Translation)

Regarding the respite service provided for the mentally handicapped, will the Government inform this Council:

1. of the number of residential places currently provided by the Social Welfare Department and the establishment of staff who are directly involved in providing such service;
2. of the requirements for applying for such service;
3. whether it has provided financial assistance to voluntary organisations for the provision of such service; if so, how many residential places provided by these organisations are funded by the Government; and
4. whether it will consider enhancing such service in the near future?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*19. Mr. James TIEN to ask : (Translation)

The Government has recently approved 49 applications, which have been recommended by the Industrial and Technology Development Council, for financial support under the Industrial Support Fund scheme. Of these, 30 applications came from tertiary institutions whereas only 17 applications came from industrial establishments and industrial support agencies. In this regard, will the Government inform this Council:

1. of the criteria adopted for assessing applications made by industrial support agencies;
2. whether the same criteria are adopted for assessing applications made by tertiary institutions and industrial establishments; and
3. whether the Government will step up the promotion of the scheme in order to encourage more industrial establishments applying for financial support under the scheme to undertake projects which will contribute to the territory's industrial and technological development, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of the territory's industry?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Trade and Industry

* For written reply.

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III. BILLS

FIRST READING

1. Veterinary Surgeons Registration Bill

2. Public Health and Municipal Services (Amendment) Bill 1996

SECOND READING

Debates to be adjourned

1. Veterinary Surgeons Registration Bill

:

Secretary for Economic Services

2. Public Health and Municipal Services (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for Recreation and Culture

3. Gas Safety (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for Economic Services

4. Biological Weapons Bill

:

Secretary for Security

5. Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

6. Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

7. Business Registration (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

8. Estate Duty (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

9. Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

10. Motor Vehicles (First Registration Tax) (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

11. Air Passenger Departure Tax (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

12. Betting Duty (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

13. Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

COMMITTEE STAGE AND THIRD READING

1. Gas Safety (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for Economic Services

2. Biological Weapons Bill

:

Secretary for Security

3. Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

4. Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

5. Business Registration (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

6. Estate Duty (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

7. Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

8. Motor Vehicles (First Registration Tax) (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

9. Air Passenger Departure Tax (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

10. Betting Duty (Amendment) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

11. Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 1996

:

Secretary for the Treasury

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