A 98/99-7(1)


Legislative Council

Agenda

Wednesday 16 September 1998 at 2:30 pm


I. Papers

Subsidiary LegislationL.N.No.
1. Telecommunication (Mobile Earth Stations) (Exemption) Order 310/98
2. Rectification of Errors (No.3) Order 1998312/98

Sessional Papers

1.No.21-The Airport Authority of Hong Kong
Annual Report 1997/1998
(to be presented by Financial Secretary)

2.No.22-J.E. Joseph Trust Fund Report for the period 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998
(to be presented by Secretary for Economic Services)

3.No.23-Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Loan Fund Report for the period 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998
(to be presented by Secretary for Economic Services)

II. Questions

1. Hon Mrs Selina CHOW to ask: (Translation)

It is reported that there were cases in which the Social Welfare Department (SWD) had granted Child Care Centre Fee Assistance to foreign domestic helpers and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance to a multi-billionaire. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. whether it is a mistake to grant assistance to such persons; if so, the reasons for granting such assistance;

  2. of the number of such cases and the total amount of funds involved; and

  3. whether there is a need to review the SWD's vetting mechanism and monitoring system for the granting of financial assistance?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

2. Hon CHAN Wing-chan to ask: (Translation)

Does the Government know:

  1. about the operations of the Airport Express Line and Tung Chung Line managed by the Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC), including:

    1. whether the computerized signalling systems controlling the operations of the two lines have encountered failures;

    2. the average frequency of trains per hour;

    3. whether there have been cases of trains running behind schedule; if so, what the reasons were; and

    4. the average ridership per train; and

  2. whether the MTRC has any plan to increase the frequency of trains running on these two lines; if so, what the details are?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

3. Hon Albert HO to ask: (Translation)

At present, the respective traffic volume of the Eastern Harbour Crossing (EHC) and the Western Harbour Crossing (WHC) is less than that of the Cross-Harbour Tunnel (CHT). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the original forecast traffic flows of the three tunnels respectively;

  2. of the current traffic flows of the three tunnels during rush hours; and how they compare with the original forecast for rush hours;

  3. the effectiveness of EHC and WHC in easing traffic congestion at the CHT;

  4. whether it has examined if the low traffic volume of WHC constitutes a waste of social resources; and

  5. whether it has examined if the lower traffic volume of EHC and WHC is related to their higher tolls; if so, whether it will take measures such as adjusting the tolls of the three tunnels in order to ease traffic congestion at the CHT?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

4. Hon Howard YOUNG to ask: (Translation)

When the airport was situated in the urban area, the Government imposed stringent restrictions on the installation of neon signboards and electronic flashing signboards in the urban area, in order not to affect the safe flight of aircrafts. Now that the airport has moved out of the urban area, will the Government inform this Council whether it will shortly review the feasibility of relaxing such restrictions; if so, what the review schedule is; if not, why not?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Economic Services

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

Some time ago, an accident occurred at a bend near Nam Wai section of the Hiram's Highway, resulting in a large concrete piling machine, which was placed in a trailer dragged by a tractor, being tossed off the trailer and hitting a private car head-on, with casualities caused. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. whether the existing legislation and safety guidelines can adequately monitor the carriage of heavy machinery on vehicles; and

  2. how the relevant legislation and safety guidelines are enforced by the authorities, in order to ensure that drivers comply with the relevant legal provisions and safety guidelines?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

*6. Hon Fred LI to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the relationship between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Taiwan, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the changes to the policies of and the procedures for issuing entry visas to residents of Taiwan after Hong Kong's reunification with China;

  2. of the government official who decided to adopt the earlier practice of placing a warning sentence on the passports of visiting Taiwanese residents, and the justifications for so doing;

  3. of the existing criteria for issuing entry visas to the government officials of Taiwan; and

  4. as a founding member of the World Trade Organization, whether the Government has supported Taiwan's application for joining that Organization; if so, what specific actions have been taken; if not, why not?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

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

In connection with the low traffic volume of the Western Harbour Crossing (WHC), will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the average monthly traffic volume of the WHC at present;

  2. of the comparison between the average monthly volume and the originally estimated volume; and

  3. whether the traffic volume of the WHC has increased since the opening of the new airport; if so, what the rate of increase is?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

*8. Hon Bernard CHAN to ask:

Regarding the Employees Compensation Assistance Fund Board (the Board), will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the respective numbers of settled claims in 1997/98 and outstanding claims as at 1 April 1998;

  2. of the total amount paid in respect of the settled claims in 1997/98;

  3. of the surplus of the Employees Compensation Assistance Fund as at 31 March 1998;

  4. whether the surplus of the Fund is adequate for settling the outstanding claims; and

  5. whether the Board will consider taking a more active approach in negotiating and settling claims at an early stage before going to court, so that the resources of the Fund can be enhanced?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*9. Hon Mrs Miriam LAU to ask: (Translation)

On 19 July this year, a serious traffic accident occurred at the Nam Wai Section of Hiram's Highway in Sai Kung resulting in casualties. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. how motorists were advised not to use that section of the road concerned after the accident had happened, so as to minimize traffic congestion on that day;

  2. of the total number of traffic accidents which occurred on Hiram's Highway in the past three years as well as their respective causes and, among these accidents, the number of those involving goods vehicles or container trucks;

  3. whether it has any plan to improve Hiram's Highway as well as the critical bends and traffic black spots along it, especially the Nam Wai, Pak Wai and Ho Chung sections and the section of Clear Water Bay Road leading to the Highway; if so, what the details are; if not, why not;

  4. whether it will consider prohibiting heavy goods vehicles from using Hiram's Highway before the completion of such road improvement works; and

  5. whether it will consider widening Hiram's Highway on a large scale in order to improve the traffic between Sai Kung and the urban areas?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

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

In view of the exceedingly low placement rate of the disabled as compared with the overall placement rate in the territory, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the total number of disabled persons currently employed by the Government, the departments they are working in and the highest rank in which they are employed;

  2. of their present percentage against the total number of Government employees and how this percentage compares to the relevant percentage in private companies; and

  3. how the current median wage of the disabled persons compares to that of the entire working population in the territory?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*11. Hon Mrs Sophine LEUNG to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council whether any contingency measures are in place to ensure that, in the event of serious contamination of the quality of raw water supplied to Hong Kong, there will still be an adequate supply of drinking water for Hong Kong residents, with its quality complying with the standards prescribed by the World Health Organization; if so, what the details of the measures are; if not, why not?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Works

*12. Hon CHAN Yuen-han to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the "Certificate of Absence of Marriage Record" ("the Certificate") issued by the Immigration Department, will the Government inform this Council of:

  1. when the Immigration Department started issuing the Certificate, and the total number issued;

  2. the total number of applications for the Certificate received by the Immigration Department and the number issued, since January this year; and

  3. whether the Certificates issued have legal effect; if not, what remedial measures the Government will adopt?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*13. Dr Hon LEONG Che-hung to ask:

In connection with the provision of emergency medical treatment in the new airport at Chek Lap Kok, and the recent reports that patients requiring emergency medical treatment in the new airport, including passengers on board aircrafts, had to pay medical expenses before they are attended to, will the Administration inform this Council whether it knows:

  1. the rationale for requiring such patients to pay before they are attended to;

  2. the number of private doctors allowed to provide medical service in the new airport;

  3. the amount of fees charged by these doctors and the criteria for referring cases to these doctors;

  4. the target arrival time of an emergency ambulance attending to a patient at the new airport; and

  5. whether the Port Health Section of the Department of Health at the new airport may provide emergency medical service to patients?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*14. Hon TSANG Yok-sing to ask:(Translation)

It was ruled by the High Court in a case early this year that arbitral awards made by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) could not be enforced through applications to the courts of Hong Kong after the handover. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. how the ruling affects contracts containing arbitration clauses of CIETAC which were made before the handover; and how the Administration will assist the parties concerned if the arbitral awards are rendered unenforceable through applications in Hong Kong after the handover;

  2. of the impact of the ruling on the enforcement of arbitration law in Hong Kong; and

  3. whether the ruling will affect the status of Hong Kong as a financial, trade and arbitration centre; if so, what remedial measures will be taken?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Justice

*15. Dr Hon David LI to ask:

It is reported that canvas beds have been added to wards of public hospitals in order to cope with the rising demand. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:

  1. if patients who need to stay in hospitals for comprehensive treatment and observation are being released early due to the shortage of beds;

  2. whether the overcrowding has affected the efficiency and morale of the front-line medical staff in the hospitals; and

  3. if the Hospital Authority has any long-term solutions to the problem of overcrowding in public hospitals?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

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

In recent years, form five graduates in each year had to approach different schools to scramble for admission to form six classes immediately after the publication of the results of the Certificate of Education Examinations resulting in very chaotic situations. Some students with outstanding examination results could not even secure form six places. In this regard, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. whether it has reviewed the admission mechanism for form six classes; if so, what the outcome is; and

  2. whether it will consider allocating form six places by a central allocation system; if not, why not?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*17. Hon Christine LOH to ask :

The Government set up a committee to examine how best to replace the existing small house policy in September 1997. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the details and work of the committee including its terms of reference, membership, date on which it commenced work, and number of meetings held;

  2. whether the committee has completed its examination of the policy and reached any conclusions; if not, when it will do so; and

  3. whether the committee has consulted any interested parties in the course of its examination; if so, what the details are; if not, why not?

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

*18. Hon Albert HO to ask: (Translation)

In connection with the traffic accident problem in Hong Kong, will the Government inform this Council:

  1. of the major causes of traffic blackspots at various locations;

  2. of the casualty tolls involved in accidents which took place in all the traffic blackspots in Hong Kong in the past three year;

  3. of the measures to be taken to reduce the possible occurrence of traffic accidents in these blackspots;

  4. of the traffic accident rate in Hong Kong as compared with other major cities;

  5. whether the Transport Department and the Police have conducted any research on the causes of traffic accidents; if so, of the scope of the research and the amount of resources allocated for such purpose; and

  6. whether it has considered funding local academic institutions or commissioning consultants for conducting in-depth studies on the causes of traffic accidents in Hong Kong, so as to identify the ways to reduce traffic accidents?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

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

It is learnt that phase II of the Mass Transit Railway Tseung Kwan O Extension project will necessitate underground works to be carried out beneath certain private lots in Sai Kung. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

  1. it knows if the project will affect the geological structure of the lots concerned;

  2. it knows if the project will result in user restrictions on the future developments upon the relevant lots; if it will result in such restrictions, what the details are; if not, whether the Administration will give assurance to that effect to land owners of the relevant lots; if it has no intention to give such assurance, what the reasons are; and

  3. it plans to proceed with acquisition of the space underneath the relevant lots and to offer compensation to the land owners concerned; if so, of the details of the compensation plans; if not, why not?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

* For written reply.

III. Bills

First Reading

Hotel Accommodation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 1998

Second Reading (Debate to be adjourned)

Hotel Accommodation(Miscellaneous Provisions)Bill 1998 :Secretary for Home Affairs

IV. Members' Motions

1. Relaxing the ceiling for residential mortgage loans

Hon James TIEN :(Translation)

That, in view of the significant downturn in the property market in Hong Kong and the cessation of speculations on property, this Council urges the Government to relax the guideline on the 70% ceiling for residential mortgage loans, so that banks may, on the merits of individual cases and according to prudent principle, process residential mortgage lendings flexibly, with a view to assisting the public in buying their own homes.

Public Officer to attend :Secretary for Financial Services

2. Promoting industrial development in Hong Kong

Dr Hon LUI Ming-wah: (Translation)

That, as the relocation of manufacturing industries out of Hong Kong has seriously affected employment opportunities and the balanced development of the economy in Hong Kong, this Council urges the Government to expeditiously set up an independent organization vested with administrative powers, such as an industrial technology council or an industrial technology commission, to co-ordinate and formulate a long-term industrial policy, so as to promote industrial development and economic prosperity.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Trade and Industry

Clerk to the Legislative Council