A 00/01-12(1)

Legislative Council

Agenda
Wednesday 13 December 2000 at 2:30 pm

I. Taking of Legislative Council Oath

Hon Audrey EU Yuet-mee to take the Legislative Council Oath.

IA. Presentation of Petitions

Hon Albert HO to present a petition.

II. Tabling of Papers

Subsidiary Legislation / Instruments L.N. No.
1. Country Parks and Special Areas (Amendment) Regulation 2000 349/2000
2. Marine Parks and Marine Reserves (Amendment) Regulation 2000 350/2000
3. Electricity (Registration) (Amendment) Regulation 2000 351/2000
4. Electricity (Wiring) (Amendment) Regulation 2000 352/2000
5. Electrical Products (Safety) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2000 353/2000
6. Entertainment Special Effects (General) Regulation 354/2000
7. Entertainment Special Effects (Fees) Regulation 355/2000
8. Entertainment Special Effects Materials List Regulation 356/2000
9. Statutes of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Amendment) (No. 2) Statutes 2000 357/2000


Other Papers

1. No.38 - Social Work Training Fund Thirty-ninth Annual Report by the Trustee for the year ending on 31 March 2000
(to be presented by Secretary for Health and Welfare)
2. No.39 - Emergency Relief FundAnnual Report by the Trustee for the year ending on 31 March 2000
(to be presented by Secretary for Health and Welfare)
3. No.40 - Queen Elizabeth Foundation for the Mentally Handicapped Report and Accounts 1999-2000
(to be presented by Secretary for Health and Welfare)
4. No.41 - Equal Opportunities CommissionAnnual Report 1999/2000
(to be presented by Secretary for Home Affairs)


III. Questions

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

It is learnt that the Education Department will soon conduct a three-year trial scheme on "two-mode teaching" in junior secondary classes. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:
    (a) the names of the schools which will participate in the scheme;
    (b) the resources required for the scheme; and
    (c) the impact of the scheme on the existing policy on the medium of instruction, and how it ties in with the policy of mother-tongue teaching?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

2. Hon Andrew CHENG to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of the number of traffic accidents involving light goods vehicles and the number of the drivers causing such accidents who had been issued a relevant driving licence for less than one year, in each of the past three years;
    (b) as the probationary driving licence system for motor cycles already came into operation on 1 October this year, whether it will extend the system to cover driving licences for light goods vehicles and other classes of motor vehicles; if so, of the implementation date; if not, the reasons for that; and
    (c) given that it is stipulated in existing legislation that goods vehicles with a gross weight not exceeding 5.5 tonnes are classified as light goods vehicles, whether it will consider amending the legislation to the effect that a goods vehicle having a gross vehicle weight of 5.5 tonnes is classified as a medium goods vehicle, so that any person who drives such a goods vehicle is required to hold a driving licence for medium goods vehicle; if so, when the legislative amendment will be made; if not, of the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport

3. Hon LEUNG Fu-wah to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the protection of labour rights and benefits of Government employees on non-civil service contract terms, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of the number of complaints received from these employees last year in respect of their employment conditions, with a breakdown by subject of the complaint and outcome; of the measures to ensure that the complaints of these employees are handled in an impartial, fair and proper manner;
    (b) given that these employees are not civil servants, whether it will consider extending the applicability of the Employment Ordinance to them for the sake of protecting their rights and benefits; if not, of the reasons for that; and
    (c) whether it will consider authorizing the Labour Department and conferring statutory powers on the Labour Tribunal to handle such complaints; if not, of the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply: Secretary for the Civil Service

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

It has been reported that, according to a study of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Hong Kong's expenditure on research and development ("R&D") in science and technology represents only 0.25% of the gross domestic product, and such percentage ranks 40th among the 47 major territories in the world. Moreover, it is estimated that on average, only 1.5 in 1 000 persons in Hong Kong are engaged in R&D in science and technology. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of the amount of public funds used in supporting researches in science and technology in each of the past three years, and the reasons for the changes in such amounts;
    (b) whether priority funding is given to certain specified types of researches in science and technology; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
    (c) of the number of employees currently engaged in researches in science and technology, together with a breakdown by the country of origin of such employees?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Commerce and Industry

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

Regarding the existing policy whereby elderly recipients of the disability allowance are not eligible for the old age allowance, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of the rationale for implementing such a policy;
    (b) whether the Equal Opportunities Commission ("EOC") has been consulted to ascertain if such a policy contravenes the provisions in the Disability Discrimination Ordinance; if so, of the outcome of the consultation; if not, the reasons for that; and whether it knows the EOC's specific stance on the policy; and
    (c) of the number of elderly persons who received the disability allowance and, among them, the respective numbers of those who were not allowed to apply for the normal or higher old age allowance because they had been granted the disability allowance, in each of the past two years; as well as the annual amount of old age allowance required to be paid out if these persons were granted the allowance?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

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

Will the Government inform this Council how it will coordinate with the soon-to-be established Urban Renewal Authority ("URA") in order to avoid the situation in which URA resumes a building for development soon after the owners concerned have completed maintenance works on the building?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning and Lands

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

The Government announced early last month that it had reached an agreement with the New Zealand Government to set up a Working Holiday Scheme ("the Scheme") for young people of the two territories. Under the Scheme, 200 young people each from Hong Kong and New Zealand can take up short-term educational courses or short-term employment while they are on holiday in each other's territory each year. The Government also hopes to recruit some of the New Zealand holiday makers as English language teaching assistants in local schools to reinforce the Native-speaking English Teachers Scheme. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) how it will assess if the New Zealand participants are qualified to work as English language teaching assistants, and of the party who will pay for their salaries as well as their board and lodging; if the expenses are to be borne by the schools concerned, whether it will provide funding for such schools;
    (b) of the restrictions the New Zealand participants will be subject to while working in Hong Kong, and the kinds of evidence they need to produce to the Government to show that they have sufficient means to pay for their return journeys and to maintain themselves in Hong Kong;
    (c) whether it will assist Hong Kong participants in seeking employment in New Zealand; if so, of the relevant details;
    (d) whether it will consider increasing the quota of participants under the Scheme; if so, of the relevant details; if not, the reasons for that; and
    (e) whether it will consider holding discussions with other countries on setting up similar schemes; if so, of the relevant details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education and Manpower

*8. Prof Hon NG Ching-fai to ask: (Translation)

A test report published by the Consumer Council last month reveals that of the 14 health food products containing ginkgo biloba leave extract available for sale in Hong Kong, none could meet the relevant standards prescribed by the World Health Organization in terms of its composition. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of the follow-up actions it has taken in respect of the above report; and
    (b) whether it plans to enact legislation to regulate the composition of health food products; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*9. Hon Frederick FUNG to ask: (Translation)

Will the Government inform this Council whether there are redress channels for prostitutes operating one-woman brothels to lodge complaints about harassment by police officers; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Security

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

According to the statistics supplied by the Government, between June last year and August this year, there were 1 376 cases in which the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients who had participated in the Active Employment Assistance Programme were transferred from the "unemployment" to the "low earnings" category after securing employment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of a breakdown of these cases by:
    (i) age band and gender of the recipients, as well as household size;
    (ii) the number of children aged 12 or below in the recipient families; and
    (iii) post and trade of the jobs found by the recipients, as well as employment mode and duration of their employment; and
    (b) of the number of cases in which the recipients became unemployed again after finding jobs?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

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

Will the Government inform this Council whether it plans to bid for staging the All China Games in Hong Kong; if so, of the details and whether it will expedite the implementation of building a large multi-purpose sports stadium which meets international standards; if it has no such plans, of the reasons for that?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

*12. Hon LAU Wong-fat to ask: (Translation)

Regarding the classification of land use in the New Territories, will the Government inform this Council of:

    (a) the respective total areas of land in the New Territories currently designated as country parks, coastal protection areas, sites of special scientific interest, green belts or for other specified uses that promote conservation or protection of the environment;
    (b) the current total area of the land in the New Territories declared as water gathering grounds, together with a breakdown by category (direct, indirect, minor supply and flood pumping) of water gathering grounds; and
    (c) the respective areas of privately-owned land in respect of each type of land mentioned above?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning and Lands

*13. Hon IP Kwok-him to ask: (Translation)

It has been reported that according to a survey, 60% of the elderly respondents have expressed interest in learning how to operate a computer and among them, 80% have indicated that they can only afford a maximum tuition fee of $250. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of the public-funded organizations currently organizing basic computer literacy courses for the elderly, and the alternative means available to them to learn computer operation;
    (b) whether it will consider sponsoring the elderly to attend relevant courses; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
    (c) of the other measures in place to encourage more organizations to offer opportunities for the elderly to learn computer operation?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Health and Welfare

*14. Hon Albert CHAN to ask: (Translation)

Given that some factory operators of Wah Kai Industrial Centre in Tsuen Wan who were affected by the land resumption of the Government had to move out or close down their factories before the compensation issue was duly resolved, will the Government inform this Council how it will improve the land resumption procedure and the calculation method for compensation so that factory operators affected in the future will have sufficient preparation time to vacate the site and to do so only after having received reasonable compensation?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Planning and Lands

*15. Hon Cyd HO to ask:

Given that the widely-used dry cleaning solvent perchloroethylene ("PCE") is a carcinogenic and hazardous ground and air pollutant, will the Government inform this Council:

    (a) of the total quantity of PCE consumed by the dry cleaning industry in the past three years and the expected total consumption in the following three years;
    (b) of the respective numbers of dry cleaning machines using
    (i) PCE;
    (ii) petroleum-based solvents; and
    (iii) other solvents
    at present and at the end of each of the past three years, as well as the expected corresponding numbers at the end of each of the next three years;
    (c) of the respective percentages of PCE used by dry cleaners last year which was:
    (i) recycled;
    (ii) released into the atmosphere; and
    (iii) washed down the drains along with process water; and
    (d) whether it plans to take measures to phase out the use of dry cleaning machines running on PCE as a cleaning solvent; if so, of the relevant details, including the target time frame; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment and Food

*16. Dr Hon David LI to ask:

The Government is arranging to upload various parts of the Government Gazette (except Supplement No. 6) on its web-site by the end of this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:

(a) the measures it has taken to inform the current subscribers of the availability of the Gazette on the Government web-site; and
(b) the respective numbers of copies for the different parts of the Gazette now printed each week, and the projected numbers to be printed next year; and if the projected numbers of printed copies are not substantially reduced despite the availability of the Internet version, the reasons for that? Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Treasury

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

With regard to road excavation works, will the Government inform this Council of the following in the past three years:

    (a) the average time required for approving Excavation Permit ("EP") applications submitted by utility companies, and the average time gap between the expected commencement date of excavation works specified in the EP and the actual commencement date;
    (b) the respective numbers of road excavation projects proposed by government departments and utility companies, as well as the respective total numbers of days in which actual excavation works were carried out, together with a breakdown of these figures by the major excavation location (such as carriageways or pedestrian walkways) and the area of affected land; and
    (c) the respective numbers of cases in which the relevant government departments and utility companies applied for extension of the period of excavation works specified in the EP, and the respective average numbers of days granted for such extensions?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Works

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

Regarding the use of spyware by software manufacturers and Internet web-site operators to track the ways in which their software is being used by users and the Internet activities of individual surfers, will the Government inform this Council whether:

    (a) it knows which of the widely-used software in Hong Kong at present has spyware pre-installed by software manufacturers, and of a categorization of such software; and
    (b) it has assessed if the above tracking activities infringe upon personal privacy and breach the law; if they do not breach the law, whether it will consider enacting legislation to prohibit such activities?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting

*19. Hon Howard YOUNG to ask:

Will the Government inform this Council of the latest number of persons, broken down by nationality, to whom Hong Kong permanent identity cards have been issued in accordance with paragraph 2(4) of Article 24 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region since the reunification?

Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Security

*20. Hon CHAN Kwok-keung to ask: (Translation)

I have learned that the Hospital Authority ("HA") has decided to set up a new company to manage Lai Chi Kok Hospital, and it intends to employ its staff on the basis of the employment contracts adopted by voluntary agencies. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

    (a) it has evaluated if the above decision of HA complies with the requirements of the Hospital Authority Ordinance (Cap. 113); if the outcome of the evaluation is in the affirmative, of the provisions which confer such power on HA;
    (b) it knows the details of that company, such as its organization structure and mode of administration;
    (c) it is aware of the impact of this decision on the existing staff of Lai Chi Kok Hospital, and whether HA has discussed with the staff concerned in this regard; if it has, of the outcome of the discussion; if it has not, the reasons for that;
    (d) it has evaluated if Lai Chi Kok Hospital should retain the name 'hospital' when it is managed by the new company and provides long-term convalescence service only; and
    (e) it knows if HA plans to adopt the same management mode in the other hospitals under its aegis, if so, of the details?
Public Officer to reply: Secretary for Health and Welfare

*For written reply.

IV. Bills

First Reading

Employment (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2000

Second Reading (Debate to be adjourned)

Employment (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2000 : Secretary for Education and Manpower

V. Members' Bills

First Reading

Prior of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance Incorporation (Amendment) Bill 2000

Second Reading (Debate to be adjourned)

Prior of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance Incorporation (Amendment) Bill 2000 : Hon Ambrose LAU

VI. Members' Motions

1. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon CHAN Yuen-han / Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Waste Disposal (Permits and Licences) (Forms and Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 302 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be amended by repealing section 2(a), (c) and (h).

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

2. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon CHAN Yuen-han / Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Water Pollution Control (General) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 303 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be amended by repealing section 2(a), (b) and (d).

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

3. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon CHAN Yuen-han / Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Air Pollution Control (Asbestos) (Administration) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 304 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be amended by repealing section 2(a).

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

4. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon CHAN Yuen-han / Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Air Pollution Control (Specified Processes) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 306 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be amended by repealing section 2(a), (b), (c) and (d).

Public Officer to attend: Secretary for the Treasury

5. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon CHAN Yuen-han / Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Noise Control (General) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 307 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

6. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon CHAN Yuen-han / Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Noise Control (Air Compressors) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 308 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

7. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon CHAN Yuen-han / Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Noise Control (Hand Held Percussive Breakers) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 309 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

8. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon CHAN Yuen-han / Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Ozone Layer Protection (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 310 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

9. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon CHAN Yuen-han / Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Environmental Impact Assessment (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 311 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

10. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon James TIEN / Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 324 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be amended -

    (a) by repealing section 2(1)(a), (b) and (c);
    (b) by repealing section 2(2);
    (c) by repealing section 2(3);
    (d) by repealing section 2(4);
    (e) by repealing section 2(5).
Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

11. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Medical Registration (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 313 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

12. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Dentists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 314 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

13. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Ancillary Dental Workers (Dental Hygienists) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 315 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

14. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Midwives Registration (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 316 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

15. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Nurses (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 317 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

16. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Enrolled Nurses (Enrolment and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 318 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

17. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Medical Laboratory Technologists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 319 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

18. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Occupational Therapists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 320 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

19. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Optometrists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 321 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

20. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Physiotherapists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 322 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

21. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Radiographers (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 323 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

22. Proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Hon LAU Chin-shek to move the following motion:

RESOLVED that the Gambling (Amendment) Regulation 2000, published as Legal Notice No. 325 of 2000 and laid on the table of the Legislative Council on 15 November 2000, be repealed.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for the Treasury

23. Drug abuse among young persons

Hon James TO: (Translation)

That, in view of the recent trend of psychotropic substance abuse among young persons many of whom indulge in drug abuse when visiting places of entertainment in the Mainland and bring drugs into Hong Kong, and having regard to the drug abuse problem stemming from the growing popularity of rave parties in Hong Kong, this Council urges the Government to :

    (a) work out expeditiously with the Mainland authorities a co-operative mechanism and strategy to curb the problem of young persons abusing drugs in the Mainland, as well as stepping up the efforts to block the inflow of drugs to Hong Kong;
    (b) examine corresponding measures, such as regulating the organization of rave parties through licensing, for combating drug abuse in such parties;
    (c) consider imposing heavier penalties on persons who illegally traffic and possess psychotropic substances;
    (d) inject more resources to enhance outreach social work services, so as to guide young persons to resist dangerous drugs;
    (e) put in resources to analyze the trends of drug abuse and disseminate such information regularly, so that frontline staff can be better informed of the latest trends of drug abuse among young persons; and
    (f) adopt more effective publicity measures to increase young persons' awareness of the harms of psychotropic substance abuse.
Amendment to Hon James TO's motion

Hon Mrs Selina CHOW: (Translation)

To add "(d) enhance publicity and education in schools and to parents in order to prompt them to face up to the harms of psychotropic substance abuse, so that they will guide young persons to refrain from abusing psychotropic substances;" after "possess psychotropic substances;"; to delete "(d)" and substitute with "(e)"; to delete "(e)" and substitute with "(f)"; and to delete "(f)" and substitute with "(g)".

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Security

24. Deposit insurance system

Hon Albert HO: (Translation)

That this Council urges the Government to expeditiously implement a deposit insurance system for effectively protecting small depositors, and to formulate an appropriate framework aiming at reducing the risk of moral hazard.

Amendment to Hon Albert HO's motion

Hon Tommy CHEUNG: (Translation)

To add ", which is cost-effective and easy for depositors to understand," after "a deposit insurance system"; to delete "an" after "to formulate"; and to delete "framework" and substitute with "complementary measures".

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Financial Services

Clerk to the Legislative Council