A 12/13-35

Legislative Council

Agenda

Wednesday 10 July 2013 at 11:00 am

I. Tabling of Papers



Subsidiary Legislation / InstrumentsL.N. No.
1.Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes (Contributions for Casual Employees) (Amendment) Order 2013118/2013
2.Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes (Contributions for Casual Employees) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2013119/2013
3.Import and Export (Strategic Commodities) Regulations (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order 2013 (Commencement) Notice120/2013

Other Papers

1.No. 103-Hong Kong Trade Development Council Annual Report 2012/13
(to be presented by Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development)

2.No. 104-Prisoners' Welfare Fund
Report by the Commissioner of Correctional Services on the administration of the Fund for the year ended 31 March 2013
(to be presented by Secretary for Security)

3.No. 105-Independent Commission Against Corruption
Complaints Committee Annual Report 2012
(to be presented by Hon Albert HO, member of the Committee, who will address the Council)

4.No. 106-Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation
Annual Report 2012-13
(to be presented by Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development)

5.No. 107-The Standing Committee on Legal Education and Training
Annual Report 2012
1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012
(to be presented by the Secretary for Justice)

6.No. 108-J.E. Joseph Trust Fund Report
for the period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013
(to be presented by Secretary for Food and Health)

7.No. 109-Kadoorie Agricultural Aid Loan Fund Report
for the period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013
(to be presented by Secretary for Food and Health)

8.No. 110-Sir David Trench Fund for Recreation
Annual Report 2012-2013
(to be presented by Secretary for Home Affairs)

9.No. 111-Hong Kong Deposit Protection Board
Annual Report 2012/13
(to be presented by the Financial Secretary)

10.No. 112-Annual Report of The Ombudsman 2013
(to be presented by the Chief Secretary for Administration)

11.No. 113-Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Independent Commission Against Corruption
Annual Report 2012
(to be presented by Hon Christopher CHUNG, member of the Advisory Committee on Corruption of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, who will address the Council)

12.No. 114-Report of the Public Accounts Committee on Report No. 60 of the Director of Audit on the Results of Value for Money Audits (July 2013 - P.A.C. Report No. 60)

(to be presented by Hon Abraham SHEK, Chairman of the Committee, who will address the Council)

13.Report of the Finance Committee on the examination of the Estimates of Expenditure 2013-2014
(to be presented by Hon Tommy CHEUNG, Chairman of the Finance Committee, who will address the Council)

14.Report of the Committee on Members’ Interests on a complaint against Hon Albert HO Chun-yan
(to be presented by Hon IP Kwok-him, Chairman of the Committee, who will address the Council)

15.Report No. 20/12-13 of the House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments
(to be presented by Hon Andrew LEUNG, Chairman of the House Committee)

16.Report of the Bills Committee on Arbitration (Amendment) Bill 2013
(to be presented by Dr Hon Priscilla LEUNG, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

17.Report of the Bills Committee on Hong Kong Arts Development Council (Amendment) Bill 2013
(to be presented by Hon IP Kwok-him, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

18.Report of the Bills Committee on Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2013
(to be presented by Hon Kenneth LEUNG, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

19.Report of the Bills Committee on Inland Revenue and Stamp Duty Legislation (Alternative Bond Schemes) (Amendment) Bill 2012
(to be presented by Hon CHAN Kam-lam, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

20.Report of the Bills Committee on Air Pollution Control (Amendment) Bill 2013
(to be presented by Hon Charles Peter MOK, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

21.Report of the Panel on Security 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon IP Kwok-him, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

22.Report of the Panel on Home Affairs 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon MA Fung-kwok, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

23.Report of the Panel on Economic Development 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon Jeffrey LAM, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

24.Report of the Panel on Health Services 2012-2013
(to be presented by Dr Hon LEUNG Ka-lau, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

25.Report of the Panel on Constitutional Affairs 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon TAM Yiu-chung, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

26.Report of the Panel on Financial Affairs 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon Starry LEE, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

27.Report of the Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services 2012-2013
(to be presented by Dr Hon Priscilla LEUNG, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

II. Questions



1. Hon Steven HO to ask: (Translation)


The Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (Typhoon Shelters) Regulation prescribes different permitted lengths overall for local vessels entering or remaining in various typhoon shelters ("length limits"). While the length limit of seven of the 14 existing typhoon shelters is 30.4 metres ("m"), the length limit of the other typhoon shelters is either 50 m or 75 m. The owner of an overlength vessel may apply to the Director of Marine for permission for his vessel to enter a typhoon shelter to conduct activities such as repairs to the vessel or delivery of its catch, etc. Some fishermen have relayed to me that fishery is one of the oldest industries in Hong Kong, and fishermen have since a very long time ago made typhoon shelters their home. However, as the overall length of quite a number of fishing vessels is longer than 30.4 m at present, the length limits of typhoon shelters have given rise to a series of issues affecting both the operation of fishing vessels and the daily lives of fishermen. For example, as the length limit of Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter is 30.4 m, the fishermen who operate in Aberdeen waters may only have their overlength fishing vessels berthed in the far-away Hei Ling Chau Typhoon Shelter, which has caused great inconvenience to them. Besides, the additional voyage will add to the risk of accidents. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the berthing places made available by the Government for vessels the overall length of which exceeds the length limits of the typhoon shelters within their operating areas; if such fishing vessels have to berth at other districts or outside typhoon shelters, whether the Government has considered if such an arrangement would make it impossible for the fishermen concerned to return to their homes, thereby causing them inconvenience and exposing them to additional risk of accidents;

    (b)since overlength fishing vessels granted with permission may enter typhoon shelters, which reflects that the design of the typhoon shelters concerned is capable of accommodating overlength fishing vessels, whether the Government will consider permitting a certain number of overlength fishing vessels to berth in the typhoon shelters within their operating areas during periods other than the fishing moratorium and the Lunar New Year, so as to cater for the operational needs of the fishing industry; if it will, of the details, including the implementation date; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (c)whether the Government will consider amending the law, introducing administrative measures and conducting a comprehensive review to improve the facilities and planning of the various typhoon shelters, so that the length limits of and the various ancillary facilities in typhoon shelters can cater for the development of the fishing industry and integrate well with the areas in the vicinity, with a view to facilitating the development of the fishery-related wholesale and retail trades, and supporting the sustainable development of the fishing industry; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport and Housing

2. Dr Hon LAM Tai-fai to ask: (Translation)


The Chief Executive indicated in the 2013 Policy Address that "it is time to consolidate our education policies, and avoid drastic changes to give stakeholders some respite. Our future priority will be to ensure the quality of our education by further improving relevant measures in accordance with existing policies." However, quite a number of people from the education sector have pointed out to me that the education sector is facing many long-standing challenges and problems, including the declining population of secondary students, insufficient subsidized tertiary education places, the difficulties encountered by Direct Subsidy Scheme ("DSS") schools in teacher recruitment, etc., but the Government's existing policies have not been able to resolve these long-standing problems. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

  • (a)whether it will draw up specific policies and a relevant timetable to resolve the problem of insufficient tertiary education places; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (b)whether it will set up a dedicated committee to review the class-teacher ratios of secondary and primary schools; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (c)whether it will set up a dedicated committee to review the functions and roles of DSS schools; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education

3. Hon CHAN Han-pan to ask: (Translation)


Recently, quite a number of members of the public have complained to me that the Government has granted, without consulting those members of the public who will be affected, approval to telecommunications service operators ("TSOs") for installing a large number of telecommunications transmitters ("transmitters") at public pleasure grounds such as playgrounds (e.g. Tsuen King Circuit Recreation Ground) or parks. These members of the public feel that they have been kept in the dark. It is learnt that some of the transmitters have been installed at locations only 10 metres away from the areas where the elderly do exercises and the children play. These members of the public are worried that prolonged exposure to the radiation generated by such transmitters is harmful to health. In addition, the number of transmitters installed at government or private buildings has also increased continuously. On the other hand, some press reports have pointed out that the non-ionizing radiation safety standards currently adopted by Hong Kong are outdated. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the criteria currently adopted by the authorities for vetting and approving applications by TSOs for installing transmitters at public pleasure grounds; whether consultation with members of the public is part of the vetting and approving process; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and whether they have reviewed the vetting and approving process to see if there is sufficient transparency; of the number of public pleasure grounds in which transmitters have been installed at present; whether the Government has taken measures to regulate the number of such transmitters; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (b)whether there is any restriction on the number of transmitters installed by TSOs at government or private buildings at present; whether the authorities concerned are required to consult those who will be affected and the public when vetting and approving such applications; if not, of the reasons for that; and

    (c)how the non-ionizing radiation safety standards currently adopted by Hong Kong compare with those adopted by the advanced countries in Europe and the United States, and whether the latter standards are more stringent; if so, why the authorities have not adopted the more stringent standards, and whether they will conduct a review in this regard?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development

4. Hon Christopher CHUNG to ask: (Translation)


Regarding the arrangements for the provision of medical records to patients by the public hospitals under the Hospital Authority ("HA"), will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)given that patients of public hospitals or their families are required to pay for access to medical records or the copies of medical records they apply for, but the hospitals provide the records in English only, and patients have to arrange for translation at their own cost if they need to have the records in Chinese, thus having to pay additional fees, whether the Government has assessed if such an arrangement has undermined patients' right to information and discriminated against patients who are illiterate in English; whether it knows the difficulties of HA in providing medical records in Chinese at patients' requests;

    (b)given that according to the Official Languages Ordinance, the Chinese and English languages are the official languages of Hong Kong which possess equal status, but in reply to my enquiry, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital ("the Hospital") under HA indicated that patients' medical records were all written in English, and the Hospital was unable to provide the service of translating those records into Chinese, it could however provide a list of translation service agencies to facilitate patients' arrangement for the translation of the medical records into Chinese, yet the English version of all the treatment records issued by the Hospital should prevail, whether the Government knows the justifications for the English version of treatment records to prevail; since the relevant Chinese translation is prepared by a translation service agency on the list provided by the Hospital, why the Chinese version still does not have the same effect as the English version; whether it has assessed if the practice of the Hospital has discriminated against the legal status of the Chinese language; and

    (c)whether it knows if HA has plans at present to use Chinese comprehensively in the documents prepared by it and the public hospitals, as well as in recording the treatment methods, names of diseases and names of drugs, etc.; if HA has, of the progress; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Food and Health

5. Hon LEUNG Che-cheung to ask: (Translation)


The "Poverty Analysis (1st half of 2012)" published by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service showed that the number of working-poor households in the first half of 2012 was as high as 200 000, or an increase by 15 000 households from that of 2011, reflecting that the problem of working poverty was deteriorating. It is learnt that many overseas countries or regions have adopted measures to support their low-income households. For example, the Taiwanese Government provides living allowances to households in poverty of different amounts according to their income levels, and those low-income households with children will receive a larger sum of allowances. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the dedicated measures currently taken by the Government to support the working-poor households, whether it has reviewed the effectiveness of such measures and the number of beneficiaries, and how it will improve such measures;

    (b)why the Government does not follow the practices of other countries or regions in providing low-income households with living allowances; and

    (c)whether, apart from the existing Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme, the Government will consider improving the second-level safety net, including changing the subsidy provided under the Work Incentive Transport Subsidy Scheme to direct living allowance for low-income households; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Labour and Welfare

6. Hon James TO to ask: (Translation)


A Hong Kong tour group was taken hostage in Manila, the Philippines, on 23 August 2010 ("the hostage-taking incident"). In the end, eight Hong Kong people were shot dead and several others were injured with some of them still receiving follow-up treatment such as operations to date. On 1 September 2011, the then Premier of the State Council said that he hoped that "the Philippine Government will accord great importance to the demands made by the Hong Kong SAR Government as well as the people of Hong Kong, and handle the issues arising from the incident properly". However, nearly three years have lapsed since the hostage-taking incident but the Philippine Government has yet to make any apologies and compensation to the victims and their family members. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the follow-up actions taken by the Central Government and the SAR Government since the occurrence of the hostage-taking incident with a view to urging the Philippine Government to respond to the demands of the Hong Kong people, the victims and their family members, so as to enable Hong Kong people to "share the dignity and glory of being Chinese", together with a list of the details, including the dates and contents, of such follow-up actions?

Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*7. Hon YIU Si-wing to ask: (Translation)


It was reported two months ago that a number of employees working at the Hong Kong International Airport ("the airport") had been found sleeping on the seats near the boarding gates with their shoes and socks off thereby emitting odors. The scene caused a lot of travellers to look askance at them. After the report was published in the press, my Member's Office received telephone calls from people who claimed to be working at the airport complaining about the plight of the manual workers of the service contractors ("contractors") of the Hong Kong Airport Authority ("HKAA"), which included excessively long working hours, insufficient rest rooms and canteen facilities as well as the lack of shower facilities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:

  • (a)the current total number of manual workers working at the airport and, among them, the respective numbers of those directly employed by HKAA and by the contractors;

    (b)the rest facilities available at the airport at present for use by manual workers; whether HKAA has assessed if such facilities are adequate; whether the contractors' employees are permitted to use such facilities;

    (c)whether HKAA has any plans to increase the rest facilities for staff; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (d)the measures HKAA has taken to prevent the recurrence of the aforesaid incident in order to avoid damaging the image of Hong Kong?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport and Housing

*8. Hon WONG Kwok-kin to ask: (Translation)


At present, the Airport Authority Hong Kong ("HKAA") and various airlines respectively engage service contractors ("contractors") to provide services (e.g. cleaning, ground handling and maintenance services) within the precinct of the Hong Kong International Airport ("the airport"). Some members of the public consider that the service performance of these contractors directly affects travellers' impression of the airport and even affects the civil aviation industry and tourism industry of Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council if it knows whether HKAA has, by itself or through the respective airlines:
  • (a)laid down specific requirements on the scope and workload of the outsourced services as well as the manpower needed for the provision of such services; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (b)assessed and monitored the respective performances of the various outsourced services; if it has, whether there are dedicated staff to conduct the assessment and monitoring work; if not, whether it will allocate manpower dedicated to undertaking such tasks; and

    (c)established a mechanism for imposing penalties on contractors with poor performance; if it has, of the details of the mechanism, and the number of times the contractors concerned were issued warnings and penalized in the past three years; if not, whether it will establish the relevant mechanism?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport and Housing

*9. Hon Jeffrey LAM to ask: (Translation)


It has been reported that some scholars have initiated the Occupy Central movement, one of the actions of which is to call for more than 10 000 people to block the roads in Central next year ("the road occupation action"), with the intent to force the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Central Government to accept the proposal for universal suffrage recognized by these people. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the respective numbers of people currently working, studying and residing in Central, as well as the current daily vehicular traffic volume in Central;

    (b)whether the authorities have assessed the impact the road occupation action will bring about to people working, studying or residing in Central and other road users, and whether they have formulated contingency measures in this regard; if an assessment has been conducted and contingency measures formulated, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (c)of the respective numbers of banks, other financial institutions and registered companies which have set up offices in Central at present;

    (d)whether it has assessed the impact the road occupation action will bring about to the banks and the financial industry in Hong Kong, and whether it has formulated contingency measures in this regard; if an assessment has been conducted and contingency measures formulated, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (e)whether it has assessed, when 10 000 people participate in the road occupation action, the rescue services that need to be deployed; and whether it has assessed the impact of the deployment of police manpower and rescue services in this regard on the police manpower and rescue services in other districts; whether the Police will draw up different corresponding plans to deal with the road occupation action (e.g. how to disperse people who illegally block the roads)?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*10. Hon Starry LEE to ask: (Translation)


The Department of Health set up the Elderly Health Service in 1998, under which one elderly health centre ("EHC") was established in each of the 18 District Council districts in Hong Kong to enhance primary health care for the elderly, improve their self-care ability and encourage healthy living. Yet, some members of the public have recently relayed to me that quite a number of elderly people do not know the services provided by EHCs, and at present, elderly people wishing to enrol as members of EHCs have to wait for more than one year to receive the first health assessment service. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the ways through which the Government promotes the services of EHCs to the elderly people at present; whether it has reviewed the effectiveness of such promotional efforts; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (b)of the numbers of members of various EHCs at present and the percentages of such numbers in the total numbers of elderly people eligible for enrolling as members in the relevant districts, as well as the respective average waiting time for elderly people to become members of various EHCs;

    (c)whether it has recently reviewed the effectiveness of EHCs' services; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (d)whether the Government has considered increasing the number of EHCs in tandem with the rising elderly population; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Food and Health

*11. Dr Hon Priscilla LEUNG to ask: (Translation)


Under the Fire Safety (Building) Ordinance (Cap. 572), the authorities may issue Fire Safety Directions ("Directions") to require the owners or occupiers of composite and domestic buildings to improve, by a specified date, the fire service installations (including the installation of automatic sprinkler systems) and fire safety construction (including the provision of fire resisting construction) for the parts of their properties intended for non-domestic purposes. However, it is learnt that quite a number of old Chinese tenement buildings cannot comply with the requirements of the Directions due to technical problems, e.g. the building structure is unable to bear the loading of a water tank required for an automatic sprinkler system. Moreover, according to the guidelines on fire resisting construction of buildings issued by the authorities, no opening may be made on any fire resisting walls and floors in buildings or on the fire resisting walls and doors of protected lobby (such as the opening for an exhaust fan). Nevertheless, quite a number of residents have relayed that poor ventilation in buildings of old designs renders it necessary for them to install exhaust fans and make additional openings so that the corridors will have better ventilation. Should these openings be sealed, these residents are worried that this will cause thick smoke trapped within confined corridors in the event of fire, which will pose threats to residents' lives. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the number of Directions, issued in the past three years by the authorities after inspection, which required the installation of automatic sprinkler systems (and the percentage of such number in the total number of Directions issued) and, among these Directions, the respective numbers of those which had not been complied with by the deadline, those which had been complied with, and those for which extension had been granted;

    (b)given that the authorities have indicated that they are happy to discuss with the owners or authorized persons of the owners' corporations and qualified contractors in relation to the aforesaid problem of building overloading for water tanks involved in the installation of sprinkler systems in old buildings, so as to come up with alternatives, of the details of the alternatives commonly adopted at present, and whether the owners or occupiers can apply for extension of the deadline for compliance when they are still in discussion with the authorities; of the number of cases in which alternatives had been adopted to replace the original instructions in the Directions in the past three years; and

    (c)regarding the concerns expressed by the aforesaid residents on fire resisting construction in buildings, whether the authorities will review the relevant guidelines or draw up more viable alternatives; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*12. Hon WONG Kwok-hing to ask: (Translation)


Some members of the public have relayed that there are a large number of unlicensed guesthouses in some districts, and that a fire which broke out earlier in an unlicensed guesthouse in Mong Kok has further raised concerns about the risks posed to the safety of the residents of the buildings in which unlicensed guesthouses operate. These members of the public question that this problem persists because the Home Affairs Department has been ineffective in its law enforcement. Moreover, according to the reply of the Government to my question on the Estimates of Expenditure 2013-2014, the number of complaints in relation to unlicensed guesthouses increased significantly from 205 in 2008 to 1 418 in 2012, while in the same period, the number of prosecutions increased from 28 to 128 and that of convictions increased from 30 to 110. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the respective numbers of complaints, prosecutions and convictions in relation to unlicensed guesthouses in each of the past five years, broken down by District Council district;

    (b)of a breakdown by District Council district of the number of inspections against unlicensed guesthouses conducted by the authorities in each of the past five years and, among such inspections, the number of those conducted by undercover officers posing as customers (commonly known as "covert operations");

    (c)given that among the 1 418 complaints in 2012, only 128 (i.e. 9%) prosecutions were instituted, of the reasons for such a low prosecution rate;

    (d)of the number of persons who were sentenced to imprisonment in each of the past five years for operating unlicensed guesthouses with a breakdown by term of imprisonment; whether the authorities will consider setting a heavier penalty in order to increase the deterrent effect; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (e)whether the authorities will review the existing legislation and draw up relevant measures in order to combat the operation of unlicensed guesthouses; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

*13. Hon Gary FAN to ask: (Translation)


A few years ago, the Hospital Authority ("HA") consulted the Tai Po District Council ("TPDC") on a proposal to build an integrated community medical centre ("medical centre") in Tai Po for partial or full replacement of the two existing general out-patient clinics (i.e. the Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic and the Wong Siu Ching Family Medicine Centre) in the district. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether it knows the progress of HA in identifying sites for building the medical centre, and set out the various considerations, the sites considered and the assessment results on the suitability of the various sites; if a suitable site has not yet been identified, whether the authorities will consider in-situ reprovisioning of the two clinics; of the latest progress and implementation schedule of the proposal to build the medical centre;

    (b)whether the Department of Health has any plan to re-organize the healthcare services provided in the original buildings upon the relocation of the aforesaid two clinics to the medical centre; if it has, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that;

    (c)whether it knows the respective average daily attendance of the aforesaid two clinics in the past three years; of the Government's anticipated changes in such attendance in the next five years; and

    (d)whether the authorities will consult the local community of Tai Po and TPDC again on the proposal to build the medical centre and the arrangements for the services provided in the buildings in which the two clinics are originally accomodated; if they will, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Food and Health

*14. Hon CHAN Hak-kan to ask: (Translation)


The World Wildlife Fund Hong Kong ("WWF") announced in May 2013 its decision to withdraw immediately from its partnership with the proponent of the Fung Lok Wai nature reserve project ("Fung Lok Wai project") as the proposal of WWF to run the proposed Fung Lok Wai project on the Wetland Trust model had not been accepted by the authorities, and WWF was concerned that the conservation objectives set for this project could not be achieved should the project be rushed through. Some environmentalists have pointed out that the incident has aroused public concerns over the effects and feasibility of implementing the nature conservation policy under the mode of public-private partnership ("PPP"). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether it has assessed the impact of WWF's withdrawal from the Fung Lok Wai project on the future conservation of Fung Lok Wai; if it has, of the results; how the authorities will follow up the project;

    (b)why the Government did not accept WWF's proposal to run the Fung Lok Wai project on the Wetland Trust model and proposed instead that the land ownership to remain with the developer and the Environment and Conservation Fund to take up the fund and appoint a management agent for managing the wetland site;

    (c)of the details concerning the PPP projects under the nature conservation policy, including the vetting criteria, procedures of vetting and execution, monitoring of the approved projects, the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved (including the Government and non-governmental organizations);

    (d)of the respective numbers of PPP projects approved and being vetted at present, and the contents as well as the progress of such projects;

    (e)as some environmentalists have pointed out that since the environmental impact assessment ("EIA") reports of the Fung Lok Wai project have been approved, the authorities will not require another EIA to be conducted because of the withdrawal of the project proponent or the participating green group at the current stage, which may have impact on the development of the project, whether the authorities will make up for the existing inadequacies in the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (Cap. 499); if they will, of the specific proposals; and (f) how the authorities will prevent the recurrence of the aforesaid situation in which conflicts arise between commercial development and nature conservation in future PPP projects?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment

*15. Dr Hon Helena WONG to ask: (Translation)


Recently, the plans of some aided schools to become Direct Subsidy Scheme ("DSS") schools have aroused wide public concern that DSS schools are becoming increasingly aristocratic. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)(i) of the school fees charged, (ii) the total number of students, (iii) the respective numbers of students who have been awarded scholarships and grants, and (iv) the respective total amounts of scholarships and grants awarded, in respect of each DSS school in each school year since 2002 (set out in table form);

    (b)whether it has any specific plans to enhance the transparency of the finances of DSS schools at present; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (c)whether it will draw up guidelines or codes to require DSS schools to broaden the representativeness of their school management committees, including the introduction of representatives of parents and teachers, so as to increase the channels for stakeholders to convey their views to the schools and participate in policy decisions in a democratic manner; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education

*16. Hon Alice MAK to ask: (Translation)


Quite a number of members of dragon and lion dance organizations have told me that as financial and other kinds of support by the Government are inadequate, the development of dragon and lion dance sports has been constrained. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether it knows the current number of affiliates of the Hong Kong Chinese Martial Arts Dragon And Lion Dance Association ("the Association"), which is subvented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department ("LCSD") through the Sports Subvention Scheme, and the total number of members of such affiliates; of the amount of subvention LCSD granted to the Association and the details, and whether it knows the respective numbers of applications for subventions from affiliates which were approved and rejected by the Association, in each of the past five years; whether the Government has promoted the development of dragon and lion dance sports through other forms of subsidies;

    (b)whether it has assessed the demand of dragon and lion dance organizations for practising venues; if it has, of the details; of the number of venues under LCSD available to dragon and lion dance organizations for practising (broken down by District Council district);

    (c)of the number of applications made by dragon and lion dance organizations for renting LCSD venues for practising, the number of those approved among such applications, and the reasons for some of those not being approved, in each of the past five years; whether the authorities have plans to provide additional practising venues for dragon and lion dances; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (d)given press reports that during practice, dragon and lion dance organizations are always complained by residents near the venues for causing obstruction and noise nuisances, of the respective numbers of such complaints received by the authorities in the past five years; whether the authorities have taken measures to assist dragon and lion dance organizations in finding suitable practising venues?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

*17. Hon Claudia MO to ask: (Translation)


It has been reported that two organizations, namely "Caring Hong Kong Power" and "Voice of Loving Hong Kong", have not been registered under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) or the Societies Ordinance (Cap. 151), and they have openly collected donations from the public and organized activities. Regarding regulation of organizations which have not been registered or exempted from registration under the law, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether it has investigated (i) if the aforesaid organizations have contravened the Societies Ordinance, and (ii) how such organizations manage the funds raised; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and whether it will take follow-up actions;

    (b)of the number of new societies registered or exempted from registration under the Societies Ordinance (with a breakdown by the objects for which they were formed) and the number of new companies registered under the Companies Ordinance in the past three years;

    (c)of the number of prosecutions instituted in the past three years against local organizations not registered under the law for illegal collection of donations and the penalties imposed by the court on the convicted persons in the past three years;

    (d)of the details of the current policies and measures regarding regulation of the fundraising activities carried out by organizations not registered under the law; and

    (e)whether there are policies and measures in place for regulating the meetings and other open activities held by organizations not registered under the law; if there are, of the details, including which party should be held legally liable in the event that some participants are injured, lose their properties or even die in the course of such activities; if not, whether it will consider introducing relevant measures?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

*18. Hon Abraham SHEK to ask:


A study report released by the Hong Kong Institute of Education ("HKIEd") in January 2013 indicated that in 2011, Hong Kong children from families in the top 10% income bracket were more likely (3.7 times) to receive university education than those from families earning half of the median household income or less. To reduce inter-generational poverty, the Child Development Fund ("CDF") was set up in 2008 which aims at promoting the longer-term development of children from a disadvantaged background through collaboration of the family, the private sector, the community and the Government. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the number of children living in families earning half of the median household income or less in each of the past six years; whether the Government will encourage more children to take part in CDF projects, which have only benefited about 4 000 children, such as by expanding the age range of targeted participants; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (b)as a paper submitted by the Labour and Welfare Bureau to this Council indicates that "among the 728 and 1 464 participants of the first and second batch participating children, respectively 721 (99.0%) and 1 441 (98.4%) successfully completed the two-year targeted savings programme [of CDF]", whether the Government will extend the programme's reach and make the programme a recurrent policy measure with matching contributions provided by the Government; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (c)whether the Government has assessed the progress made by CDF towards achieving its stated objectives; if the assessment outcome is in the affirmative, whether such an outcome explains why the Steering Committee of CDF met much less frequently in 2011 and 2012 (once a year) than in previous years (thrice a year); given the result of the study by HKIEd, whether the Government will take further action to help CDF achieve its objective of reducing inter-generational poverty, especially in relation to increasing the chance of children in poverty to receive university education; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (d)whether the Government will consider setting up a committee with representatives from relevant policy bureaux, including the Education Bureau and the Labour and Welfare Bureau, to study the problem of inter-generational poverty and come up with alleviation measures; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Labour and Welfare

*19. Hon Alan LEONG to ask: (Translation)


Since 2011-2012, the Government has funded the expansion of the clinical applications of long-acting bronchodilators listed in the Drug Formulary of the Hospital Authority, and it is estimated that 7 500 patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary ("COP") disease will benefit from the initiative each year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:
  • (a)the number of patients benefiting from the initiative each year since 2011-2012;

    (b)the number of patients of the Hospital Authority ("HA") who were referred, after being preliminarily diagnosed of suffering from COP disease, to the specialist out-patient clinics of the Family Medicine Division or the Medicine Division for treatment each year since 2011-2012;

    (c)the average waiting time for the referred cases mentioned in (b);

    (d)whether HA has compiled statistics on the utilization rate of the pulmonary function testing equipment in its hospitals and clinics in the past three years; if it has, of the details, and the average number of patients who had undertaken a pulmonary function test out of every 100 patients diagnosed by chest physicians; and

    (e)the current number of healthcare personnel in HA who have received relevant training on using the pulmonary function testing equipment?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Food and Health

*20. Hon James TIEN to ask: (Translation)


On 17 May this year, the Hong Kong Mercantile Exchange Limited ("HKMEx") decided to surrender its authorization to provide automated trading services because its revenues had fallen short of expenditure ("the HKMEx incident"). The incident has aroused grave public concern. However, representatives from the Government and the Securities and Futures Commission ("SFC") refused, on the ground that the incident was under investigation, to explain the details of the incident in reply to Members' questions raised at the meeting of the Panel on Financial Affairs of this Council held on 3 June. Subsequently, I proposed at the meeting of the House Committee ("HC") of this Council on 7 June that a select committee be formed and authorized by this Council to exercise the powers under section 9(1) of the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance (Cap. 382) ("the P&P Ordinance") to inquire into issues relating to the incident. At its meeting of 26 June this year, this Council also debated and voted on the resolution to set up a select committee on this matter. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)given that the senior officers of the Government and SFC had, prior to the aforesaid HC meeting, held a closed meeting with some Members of this Council from certain political groups, and such Members indicated after the closed meeting that as the authorities had addressed their prime concerns, they decided to object to the setting up of the select committee, whether the authorities can explain why they were willing to explain the details to some Members of this Council at that closed meeting only, and whether they can state openly to members of the public and this Council the justifications presented at the closed meeting; if not, of the reasons for that;

    (b)given that, in response to the criticisms that there have been inconsistency and unfairness in SFC's regulation of HKMEx and securities brokers and that SFC is alleged to have given preferential treatment to the former, the Government has explained that the two differed remarkably in terms of functions, business operation and the level of regulation that they were subject to and the two therefore could not be compared, whether the authorities know if other international financial centres have adopted more lenient standards in regulating institutions akin to HKMEx; if they know; of the details; if not, the reasons for not conducting a study on it;

    (c)whether it has assessed the impact of the HKMEx incident on the credibility of SFC and the reputation of Hong Kong as an international financial centre; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (d)given that the Government has repeatedly stated that if this Council invokes the P&P Ordinance to inquire into the HKMEx incident, the investigations currently being carried out by the law enforcement agencies and the legal proceedings which may be initiated in the future will be affected, of the concrete examples to support such statement; and

    (e)whether it has assessed if the investigation initiated by SFC on the HKMEx incident will give the public the impression of "the industry investigating its own members", hence undermining the credibility of the investigation results; if the assessment result is in the affirmative, of the reasons for continuing with such investigation?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

*21. Hon Dennis KWOK to ask: (Translation)


Some members of the public have relayed that since the number of patients suffering from rare diseases (such as Mucopolysaccharidosis, myelofibrosis, cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes and Pompe disease, etc.) is small, the Government has not attached importance to their treatment and nursing needs. These members of the public have pointed out that regarding applications for subsidies to cover the expenses on treatment and medications required by patients with rare diseases to slow down the progression of their diseases or even to sustain their lives, the Hospital Authority ("HA") has been slow in vetting and approving such applications and the amounts of subsidies granted are insufficient. Moreover, the applications have to be vetted and approved on a case-by-case basis. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)given that the European Union at present defines a rare disease as a disease which affects fewer than a two-thousandth of the population, whether the Government will consider making reference to such a practice and adopting a definition for the rare diseases in Hong Kong; if it will, of the implementation timetable and details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (b)whether it knows the existing number of drugs for treating rare diseases that have been listed as drugs provided at standard fees and charges in the HA Drug Formulary ("the Formulary"); of the number of such drugs which had been considered to be listed as drugs provided at standard fees and charges in the past, and among them, the number of those which eventually had not been listed as such and the reasons for that;

    (c)whether it will consider making reference to Taiwan's Rare Disease Control and Orphan Drug Act and putting in place a mechanism independent of the Formulary for vetting and approving patients' applications for subsidies to cover the expenses on drugs for treating rare diseases; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (d)whether it will consider, by making reference to the practices of overseas places (e.g. the United States and Taiwan), (i) establishing an office of rare diseases research to coordinate researches on rare diseases, (ii) subsidizing the diagnosis and treatment of and medications for patients with rare diseases, and (iii) formulating specific policies and initiatives to comprehensively cater for the treatment and nursing needs of patients with rare diseases?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Food and Health

*22. Hon KWOK Wai-keung to ask: (Translation)


The Government launched the Qualifications Framework ("QF") in 2008, under which a "Recognition of Prior Learning" ("RPL") mechanism was set up. Under RPL mechanism, there is a five-year transitional period for each participating industry during which applicants may apply for recognition of qualifications at QF Levels 1 to 3 by producing documentary proofs of their years of relevant working experience, without the need to take any formal assessment tests. On 14 March this year, together with the trade union representatives of various Industry Training Advisory Committees ("ITACs") under QF, I had a meeting with the Deputy Secretary for Education to reflect the views of the trade unions on QF and to strive for the extension of the transitional period by five years. Recently, the Education Bureau has decided to extend the transitional period for three industries, namely Printing & Publishing, Watch & Clock and Hairdressing, by two years. Quite a number of trade unions have relayed their concerns to me that there is not enough time for them to motivate employees to apply for RPL within a short span of two years. The trade unions have also pointed out that in recent years, some training providers have launched QF-related training courses when ITACs have yet to be established, Specifications of Competency Standards drawn up and RPL mechanisms implemented for the industries concerned. They are concerned that taking such courses will turn out to be the only channel through which employees can acquire recognition of qualifications for certain specific industries or posts, thereby posing serious threats to the job security and livelihood protection of serving employees. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether the Education Bureau has new measures to motivate employees of the Printing & Publishing, Watch & Clock and Hairdressing industries to actively apply for RPL, in particular how it will enhance its cooperation with both the employers and the employees;

    (b)of the current number of QF-related training courses which have been launched when ITACs have yet to be established, Specifications of Competency Standards drawn up and RPL mechanisms implemented for the industries concerned; the industries and posts associated with such courses respectively; how the Education Bureau ensures that such courses can satisfy the needs of the industries; the channels through which employees can attain the same level of recognized qualifications apart from taking the relevant courses; and

    (c)whether the Education Bureau will, pursuant to the arrangement of extending the transitional period by two years, conduct a large scale interim review of QF, and comprehensively consult the public, in particular the employers and employees of the industries concerned, on the implementation of QF; if not, of the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education

* For written reply

III. Bills



First Reading

Securities and Futures (Amendment) Bill 2013

Second Reading (Debate to be adjourned)

Securities and Futures (Amendment) Bill 2013: Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

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

1.Arbitration (Amendment) Bill 2013:The Secretary for Justice

The Secretary for Justice to move Committee stage amendments

(The amendments were issued on 2 July 2013
under LC Paper No. CB(3)756/12-13)

2.Hong Kong Arts Development Council (Amendment) Bill 2013:Secretary for Home Affairs

Hon Cyd HO to move Committee stage amendments

(The amendments were issued on 8 July 2013
under LC Paper No. CB(3) 797/12-13)

3.Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 2013:Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

4.Inland Revenue and Stamp Duty Legislation (Alternative Bond Schemes) (Amendment) Bill 2012:Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
to move Committee stage amendments

(The amendments were issued on 4 July 2013
under LC Paper No. CB(3)770/12-13)

5.Supplementary Appropriation (2012-2013) Bill:Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

6.Air Pollution Control (Amendment) Bill 2013:Secretary for the Environment

Hon Dennis KWOK to move a Committee stage amendment

(The amendment was issued on 4 July 2013
under LC Paper No. CB(3)761/12-13)

IV. Motion



Proposed resolution under the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance

Secretary for Food and Health to move the following motion:

Resolved that the following Regulations, made by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board on 17 June 2013, be approved -

(a)the Pharmacy and Poisons (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulation 2013; and

(b)the Poisons List (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulation 2013.

(The two Regulations are in Appendices I and II and were also issued
on 20 June 2013 under LC Paper No. CB(3)702/12-13)

V. Members' Motions



1.Motion under Rule 49E(2) of the Rules of Procedure

Hon Andrew LEUNG to move the following motion:

That this Council takes note of Report No. 20/12-13 of the House Committee laid on the Table of the Council on 10 July 2013 in relation to the subsidiary legislation and instrument(s) as listed below:

Item NumberTitle of Subsidiary Legislation or Instrument

(1)Tate's Cairn Tunnel Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule) Notice 2013 (L.N. 70/2013).

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Transport and Housing

2.Promoting the waste recycling industry to create employment opportunities

Hon KWOK Wai-keung to move the following motion: (Translation)

That the Government published the 'Policy Framework for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste (2005-2014)' in 2005, formulating the strategies and measures for reducing waste production and promoting waste recovery, reuse and recycling; at present, the waste recovery rate in Hong Kong is about 48%, but when compared with the neighbouring regions such as South Korea, the recovery rate of which is 60%, the effectiveness of waste management in Hong Kong obviously lags behind other advanced countries; in May 2013, the Government published the 'Hong Kong: Blueprint for Sustainable Use of Resources 2013-2022', setting clear targets and timetables for waste recovery and reduction, but the relevant measures are 'old wine in a new bottle', lacking concrete plans for promoting the development of the waste recycling industry in Hong Kong; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to expeditiously put in place effective policies on waste recovery and recycling to drive the development of Hong Kong's waste recycling industry and create more employment opportunities; the relevant measures should include:

(1)by making reference to the experiences of places such as Taiwan and South Korea, to formulate more effective waste management strategies and measures;

(2)to expeditiously implement mandatory food waste recovery, provide land and related support, and train talents for processing recovered food waste, so that the food waste, which represents 40% of the wasteload in landfills, can be properly recovered and recycled;

(3)to encourage the industrial and commercial sectors (e.g. supermarkets) to donate foods that are still eatable, so as to reduce food waste;

(4)to gradually implement a mandatory garbage separation programme, make good use of community spaces to set up waste collection points, and perfect the community waste recovery networks, so as to facilitate the conduct of the first-round waste recovery separation at the community level;

(5)to provide waste recovery operators with land and berthing facilities with suitable lease periods, so as to promote the development of the waste recovery industry; to ensure the proper handling of recovered waste, the Government should proactively study the feasibility of establishing a licensing system for waste recovery operators in the long run;

(6)to expeditiously put in place the producer responsibility scheme for stepping up the recovery of waste with low recycling values, such as glass bottles as well as waste electrical and electronic equipment;

(7)to provide tax and land concessions, etc. to attract waste recycling enterprises to develop business in Hong Kong;

(8)to allocate additional resources to support technological research projects on green products, so as to create diversified green products and develop a global market for green products;

(9)to encourage various government departments to comprehensively implement a green procurement policy, and extend the relevant policy to the industrial and commercial sectors, so as to provide a stable demand for local green products; and

(10)to allocate funding to establish a 'waste resources recovery and recycling fund' for supporting the sustainable development of the waste recycling industry, and to transfer the levies related to environmental protection policies (e.g. levies from schemes on municipal solid waste charging and producer responsibility, etc.) to the fund for its sustainable operation.

Amendments to the motion
(i)Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok to move the following amendment: (Translation)

To delete "Government" after "That the" and substitute with "SAR Government already"; to delete "to expeditiously" after "(6)" and substitute with "in order to"; to delete "for stepping up the recovery of waste with low recycling values" after "producer responsibility scheme" and substitute with ", to offer financial incentives to support the industry's construction of modern recycling facilities for stepping up the recovery and recycling of waste requiring higher processing costs and technologies"; to delete "and" after "local green products;"; and to add "; (11) to set up a 'centre for industrialization and development of environmental protection technologies' to support the development of environmental protection technologies, vet new technologies, and promote technology transfer and co-operation; and (12) to support the industry's non-local sale of local green products and technologies for promoting a 'regional circular economy', and enhance the co-operation with the Mainland in the areas of waste recovery, handling and recycling, etc" immediately before the full stop.

(ii)Dr Hon Kenneth CHAN to move the following amendment: (Translation)

To add "waste reduction at source is the most important aspect of the solid waste handling policy in Hong Kong, and the Government must immediately take vigorous measures for its implementation;" after "That"; to delete "and" after "local green products;"; and to add "; (11) to organize community waste reduction and recovery programmes in the 18 districts, formulate waste reduction and recovery indicators for various districts, and set up a waste reduction promotion group to audit the volumes of community waste reduction and recovery, conduct planning for district waste recovery and reduction facilities, and plan and carry out waste reduction and recovery work in communities; and (12) to install more waste separation bins in various public premises and streets, and set an appropriate ratio of the number of waste separation bins to the number of rubbish bins" immediately before the full stop.

(iii)Hon Gary FAN to move the following amendment: (Translation)

To add ", under Hong Kong's waste management policy, neither the facilities nor the mindset are able to cope with the ever-increasing solid waste; for many years, the Government has relied solely on landfills as an end-of-pipe method for handling waste, neglecting resources recovery, waste reduction at source and the implementation of a producer responsibility scheme;" after "That"; to add "increase recovery facilities for food waste on building floors, and at the same time," after "(2) to expeditiously"; to add "at commercial premises and households" after "food waste recovery"; to delete "and" after "local green products;"; and to add "; (11) to encourage the industry to increase the recycling and reuse of construction waste, so as to reduce the amount of construction waste at landfills; (12) to increase the number of recycling bins by the roadside and in public facilities, so as to encourage and facilitate recovery by members of the public; and (13) to research on regulating 'excessive packaging' of goods to encourage simple goods packaging" immediately before the full stop.

(iv)Hon Cyd HO to move the following amendment: (Translation)

To delete "formulating" after "in 2005," and substitute with "but has not proactively implemented"; to add "(1) to continuously increase the proportion of recovery, reuse and recycling in waste management, with the aim of attaining no less than 72% for recovery and recycling, no more than 23% for incineration, and no more than 5% for landfilling; (2) to allocate an annual recurrent expenditure of $2 billion for creating 10 000 elementary posts for sorting and recovery, promote waste-sorting-at-source activities in communities, support the academic sector and the industry to conduct research on recycling technologies, product designs and the development of business opportunities, and subsidize the relevant business operation when the market values of recycled products fall short of the recycling costs;" after "measures should include:"; to delete the original "(1)" and substitute with "(3)"; to delete the original "(2)" and substitute with "(4)"; to delete the original "(3)" and substitute with "(5)"; to delete the original "(4)" and substitute with "(6)"; to delete the original "(5)" and substitute with "(7)"; to delete the original "(6)" and substitute with "(8)"; to delete the original "(7)" and substitute with "(9)"; to delete the original "(8)" and substitute with "(10)"; to delete the original "(9)" and substitute with "(11)"; and to delete the original "(10)" and substitute with "(12)".

Amendment to Hon Cyd HO's amendment
Hon LEE Cheuk-yan to move the following amendment: (Translation)

To add "on ways to achieve the aforesaid aim by the Government, to immediately conduct large-scale public consultation on the waste management policy, and formulate relevant policy measures, including: (i)" after "(2)"; and to add "(ii) to make concrete funding arrangements in next year’s Budget for the aforesaid recurrent expenditure of $2 billion, and before that, to withdraw the funding applications for landfill extensions submitted to the Legislative Council; and (iii) when granting lands for public and private development plans in the future, to add provisions on reservation of land for waste recovery;" after "recycling costs;"

(v)Hon WU Chi-wai to move the following amendment: (Translation)

To add "(3) to set up food waste recovery centres in the 18 districts of Hong Kong for handling food waste produced in the districts, so as to manifest the principle of all people bearing the responsibility for waste handling;" after "recovered and recycled;"; to delete the original "(3)" and substitute with "(4)"; to delete "to encourage the industrial and commercial sectors (e.g. supermarkets) to donate foods that are still eatable" before ", so as to reduce" and substitute with "through establishing community canteens in the 18 districts of Hong Kong for receiving foods that are still eatable (including food materials), to provide needy people with inexpensive food"; to add "and alleviate the pressure on landfills" after "reduce food waste"; to delete the original "(4)" and substitute with "(5)"; to delete the original "(5)" and substitute with "(6)"; to delete the original "(6)" and substitute with "(7)"; to delete the original "(7)" and substitute with "(8)"; to add "(9) to establish a government-funded body corporate for operating the waste recycling industry on its own, so as to reduce the existing reliance on overseas markets for absorbing recovered waste, and ensure the long-term operation of the relevant business;" after "business in Hong Kong;"; to delete the original "(8)" and substitute with "(10)"; to delete the original "(9)" and substitute with "(11)"; to delete "and" after "local green products;"; to delete the original "(10)" and substitute with "(12)"; and to add "; and (13) by making reference to the practices under the New Producer Responsibility Scheme on Glass Beverage Bottles, to provide market values for recyclable waste with low market values (e.g. plastics), so as to promote source separation of waste and foster the development of the waste recycling industry" immediately before the full stop.

Public Officers to attend: Secretary for the Environment
Under Secretary for the Environment

3.Impact of the United States' ending the quantitative easing measures Hon Andrew LEUNG to move the following motion: (Translation)

That, as the Federal Reserve Board of the United States will gradually end the quantitative easing measures, this Council urges the HKSAR Government to closely keep in view the impacts of the incident on the global economic and financial environment, ensure the stability and robustness of Hong Kong's financial system, maintain sustainable economic growth, and when necessary, introduce appropriate measures to assist members of the public and small and medium enterprises in facing a new market order.

Amendments to the motion
(i)Hon Christopher CHEUNG to move the following amendment: (Translation)

To delete "as" after "That," and substitute with "following the announcement by Bernanke, Chairman of"; to delete "will gradually end" after "the United States" and substitute with ", that"; to delete "," after "easing measures" and substitute with "will be ended gradually, which has immediately triggered a wave of global financial fluctuations,"; and to delete "to" after "appropriate measures" and substitute with ",including considering the revocation of 'the two harsh measures' in a timely manner, i.e. the Buyer's Stamp Duty and the Special Stamp Duty which are targeted at the property market, to prevent the recurrence of negative equity, and".

(ii)Hon NG Leung-sing to move the following amendment: (Translation) To delete "as" after "That," and substitute with "since 2008, an exceptionally-low interest rate environment has persisted and the governments of various developed countries have vigorously intervened in the financial market, resulting in an overflow of liquidity; and recently,"; to add "has indicated that it" after "the United States"; to add "in accordance with the situation of economic recovery, causing fluctuations in the financial market; in this connection" after "easing measures"; to add ", capital flows" after "global economic"; to add "and its normal operation" after "financial system"; to add "enterprises (especially" after "the public and"; and to add ")" after "medium enterprises".

(iii)Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok to move the following amendment: (Translation)

To add "has claimed that it" after "the United States"; to add "take precautions by fully evaluating the impacts of a market reversal, once occurred, on Hong Kong's overall economy and labour market, push forward infrastructure projects in a timely manner," after "financial system,"; and to add "and the momentum of the labour market" after "economic growth".

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

Clerk to the Legislative Council