PLC Paper No. CB(2) 11/97-98
(These minutes have been cleared
with the Chairman)
Ref. : CB2/PL/SE/1

LegCo Panel on Security

Minutes of Meeting held on Friday, 13 June 1997 at 10:30 am in Conference Room B of the Legislative Council Building
(Closed meeting)

Members present :

Hon James TO Kun-sun (Chairman)
Hon Mrs Selina CHOW, OBE, JP (Deputy Chairman)
Hon Howard YOUNG, JP
Dr Hon LAW Cheung-kwok

Members absent :

Hon TSANG Kin-shing*
Hon CHEUNG Man-kwong*
Hon Emily LAU Wai-hing, JP*
Hon Fred LI Wah-ming#
Dr Hon Philip WONG Yu-hong#
Hon Zachary WONG Wai-yin#
Hon Andrew CHENG Kar-foo#
Hon CHEUNG Hon-chung#
Hon Albert HO Chun-yan#
Hon IP Kwok-him#
Hon Bruce LIU Sing-lee#
Hon LO Suk-ching#
Hon Margaret NG#
Hon Lawrence YUM Sin-ling#

Attendance by invitation :

Representatives from the Sham Shui Po District Board

Mr CHOW Kwok-leung

Member

Mr WONG Kam-kuen

Member

Clerk in attendance :

Mrs Sharon TONG

Chief Assistant Secretary (2) 1

Staff in attendance :

Mr Alan YU

Senior Assistant Secretary (2) 1

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1. The Chairman said that the meeting was convened at the request of the Sham Shui Po District Board (SSPDB) to discuss the problem of licensing for massage establishments. The meeting would be an informal exchange of views between members of the SSPDB and the Panel.

2. Members of the SSPDB outlined their concerns as follows :

1. At present, the Police was the sole licensing authority. Departments concerned and the residents were not fully consulted.

2. No channel was available to allow residents to appeal against the decision of the Police.

3. The presence of massage establishments in the residential premises affected adversely the security of the building.

4. The massage establishments usually required restructuring of the premises in violation of the Deed of Mutual Covenant.

5. The presence of over-size signboards might, among other things, affect the structural safety of the building.

3. Members of the Panel agreed that the following proposals be further looked into :

1. to improve the consultation process so as to ensure that the departments and the residents concerned were fully consulted;

2. to enhance transparency and fairness, an independent licensing authority with wider representation be set up;

3. a requirement on the size of signboards of the massage establishments to be approved by the Buildings Department as one of the licensing criteria;

4. new licences would only be issued to massage establishments operated in commercial buildings; and

5. a transitional period, say three to five years, be provided to existing licensees to relocate their operations to commercial buildings.

4. The Chairman agreed to forward members’ proposals to the Administration for comments. The Administration would also be requested to provide details of the existing policy and procedures in handling applications for massage establishment licences for members’ reference.

Adm

5. The meeting ended at 11:30 am.

Provisional Legislative Council Secretariat
3 July 1997

* .. away from Hong Kong
# .. other commitments

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