A 12/13-37

Legislative Council

Agenda

Wednesday 17 July 2013 at 11:00 am

I. Tabling of Papers



Subsidiary Legislation / InstrumentsL.N. No.
1.Waterworks (Amendment) Regulation 2013121/2013
2.Designation of Libraries (Amendment) (No. 4) Order 2013122/2013

Other Papers

1.No. 115-Clothing Industry Training Authority
Annual Report 2012
(to be presented by Secretary for Labour and Welfare)

2.No. 116-Sir Robert Black Trust Fund
Report of the Trustee on the Administration of the Fund and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2013
(to be presented by Secretary for Home Affairs)

3.Committee on Rules of Procedure Progress Report for the period October 2012 to July 2013
(to be presented by Hon TAM Yiu-chung, Chairman of the Committee, who will address the Council)

4. Report No. 21/12-13 of the House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments
(to be presented by Hon Andrew LEUNG, Chairman of the House Committee)

3.Report of the Bills Committee on Trust Law (Amendment) Bill 2013
(to be presented by Hon NG Leung-sing, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

3.Report of the Bills Committee on Pesticides (Amendment) Bill 2013
(to be presented by Hon SIN Chung-kai, Chairman of the Bills Committee)

7. Report of the Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon Alan LEONG, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

8.Report of the Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon WONG Yuk-man, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

9.Report of the Panel on Manpower 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon LEE Cheuk-yan, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

10. Report of the Panel on Development 2012-2013
(to be presented by Dr Hon LAU Wong-fat, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

11. Report of the Panel on Commerce and Industry 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon Vincent FANG, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

12. Report of the Panel on Public Service 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon Mrs Regina IP, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

13. Report of the Panel on Education 2012-2013
(to be presented by Dr Hon LAM Tai-fai, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

14. Report of the Panel on Housing 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon WONG Kwok-hing, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

15. Report of the Panel on Welfare Services 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon CHAN Yuen-han, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

16. Report of the Panel on Environmental Affairs 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon Cyd HO, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

17. Report of the Panel on Transport 2012-2013
(to be presented by Hon CHAN Kam-lam, Chairman of the Panel, who will address the Council)

II. Questions



1. Hon LEE Cheuk-yan to ask: (Translation)


The Finance Committee of this Council approved at its meeting on 21 June this year the injection of an additional $15 billion into the Community Care Fund ("CCF"), the main uses of which include the provision of assistance to low-income persons who cannot benefit from the Budget's relief measures, i.e. those commonly known as the "N have-nots". Such assistance programmes are expected to be launched in the second half of this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the details of the programmes for assisting the N have-nots, including the target recipients of assistance, amount of subsidies and implementation date;

    (b)given that some N have-nots, including those low-income persons living in sub-divisions of a flat (commonly known as "sub-divided units") and illegal rooftop structures of industrial buildings, cannot benefit from the "Subsidy for low-income persons who are inadequately housed" programme launched under CCF last year, whether the authorities will consider including them in the scope of assistance in the new round of assistance programmes; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (c)whether it will consider providing recurrent funding on an annual basis, so that those programmes for assisting the N have-nots can be implemented as regular measures; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

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


The 20th of July, which is three days later, is the 40th anniversary of Mr Bruce Lee's death. Some members of the public have relayed to me that Mr Bruce Lee, who was an internationally renowned martial arts master, director and actor, has all along been revered by the public. The public also have high aspirations for the establishment of a Bruce Lee memorial hall. While the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will also hold a large-scale exhibition in commemoration of Mr Lee this year, the public have every wish for the early conversion of Mr Lee's former residence in Kowloon Tong ("the former residence of Bruce Lee") into a permanent memorial hall. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether it has assessed the social values and effects to be brought about by converting the former residence of Bruce Lee into a permanent memorial hall, as well as the public aspirations for realization of such a proposal; if it has, of the conclusion; if not, the reasons for that;

    (b)despite that the authorities had announced two years ago the temporary shelving of the negotiation with the owner of the former residence of Bruce Lee on the conversion of the premises into a Bruce Lee memorial hall, as the press has reported that the owner is still eager to donate that property and hopes for the early establishment of a Bruce Lee memorial hall, whether the authorities will proactively reconsider various possible ways and means to implement the proposal of converting the former residence of Bruce Lee into a Bruce Lee memorial hall; and

    (c)as quite a number of members of the public consider that Mr Bruce Lee is a symbol of Hong Kong, of the form, contents and vehicle to be adopted by the Government to convey and pass on the Hong Kong spirit displayed by Mr Lee following the activities organized in commemoration of him this year; if concrete proposals are not available, whether it will actively study the issue and put forth proposals in this regard?
Public Officers to reply:Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
Secretary for Home Affairs

3. Hon Mrs Regina IP to ask: (Translation)


Regarding the number of graduates of post-secondary programmes in the coming few years and their employment prospects, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the respective numbers, as projected by the authorities, of graduates of subsidized and self-financing undergraduate and sub-degree programmes in each year from 2015 to 2018, with a breakdown by their major subjects;

    (b)of the total number, as projected by the authorities, of the job vacancies available for application by graduates of post-secondary programmes in each year from 2015 to 2018, with a breakdown by type; whether they have assessed if the total number of such vacancies, and its breakdown by type, will be commensurate with the number of job seekers; and

    (c)given that two batches of secondary school graduates from the new and the old academic structures for senior secondary education respectively had been admitted last year to the Bachelor of Laws Degree programmes and they will be graduating in the same year, whether the authorities have assessed the impact of such a situation on these students' opportunities for admission to the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws courses after graduation, securing employment thereafter as trainee solicitors or seeking pupillage as barristers, and pursuing a career in the legal profession?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education

4. Hon Emily LAU to ask: (Translation)


Regarding the contents and timetable for public consultation on constitutional reform, will the executive authorities inform this Council:
  • (a)given that the Convenor of the Non-official Members of the Executive Council has recently expressed that a growing number of people who care about politics hope that the Government will expeditiously roll out the public consultation on constitutional reform because people will feel that the Government is procrastinating if it keeps on repeating that it will conduct public consultation at "a suitable time" and their patience is wearing out, why the authorities have not, after a long time, put forward a proposal on constitutional reform for public consultation; and

    (b)whether the consultation paper on constitutional reform will include, apart from electoral arrangements, other important issues of constitutional reform, such as amending the law to abolish the stipulation that the Chief Executive ("CE") must not be a member of any political party, so that CE may form a ruling coalition with the major political party (parties) in the Legislative Council ("LegCo") for sharing power and responsibilities, as well as for joint governance of the Special Administrative Region, so that CE no longer has to rely on the current "one-off approach" in seeking the support from various political parties in LegCo for each and every issue; whether they have studied if it will contravene the Basic Law and the spirit of "one country, two systems" for the Government to be headed by a political party (parties); if they have conducted such a study, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs

5. Hon Christopher CHEUNG to ask: (Translation)


It has been reported that the "Qualified Domestic Individual Investors Scheme" (i.e. QDII2), which is known as the "mini through-train for Hong Kong stocks", is said to have new development recently. It has also been reported that in April this year, the Guangdong provincial authorities submitted the QDII2 trial scheme to the State Council, under which initially two to three securities companies registered in the Guangdong Province would be selected to provide individual mainland investors with services for investing in the securities products listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and the investment quota would be RMB 20 million for each client. Regarding assisting local securities dealers in developing the mainland market through QDII2 and other channels, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the progress of the discussions on QDII2 between the relevant authorities of Hong Kong and the Mainland; whether it knows the specific contents, vetting and approving progress as well as the implementation timetable of the trial scheme;

    (b)whether it has assessed the business opportunities that will be brought to local securities dealers after the implementation of QDII2; how the authorities will ensure that small and medium securities dealers can engage in the business concerned; and

    (c)of the progress of the work undertaken by the authorities to facilitate local securities dealers to develop business on the Mainland; how the authorities will expand the room of operation for local securities dealers on the Mainland, so that the scope of their business will not be restricted to investment advisory business; and whether the authorities will seek approval from the mainland authorities for local securities dealers to operate wholly-owned business on the Mainland to provide securities related services?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

6. Hon LEUNG Kwok-hung to ask: (Translation)


The organizer of the march on 1 July of this year estimated that the number of participants was 430 000, whereas the figure estimated by the Police was 66 000. Quite a number of people who participated in the march have complained to me, expressing dissatisfaction with the Police's under-estimation of the figure allegedly with the intent to mislead the public and the Central Government, as well as to play down the demands made by the people during the march (including the demand for the incumbent Chief Executive to step down). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether it has heard the demand made by the people during the march for the Chief Executive to step down; if it has, whether it will follow up; whether the authorities have assessed the number of people taking to the street which will make such a demand realized;

    (b)of the number of police officers deployed by the Police on the day of the 1 July march to count the number of participants, how the counting was conducted, and how the number of participants was arrived at (including whether only those participants setting off from the Victoria Park had been counted); whether the participants who joined the march midway had been counted; if so, of the respective numbers of participants who joined the march in Tin Hau, Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, Admiralty and Central, and the boundary lines for each of these districts; and

    (c)whether the current training for police officers includes the counting of the number of participants in marches; of the rank of the police officer who decides to release to the media the number of participants in a march as estimated by the Police, and the legislation based on which such a number is released; whether the authorities have a mechanism in place to impose severe punishment on police officers for releasing to the media a wrong estimate of the number of participants in a march?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

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


Recently, a newspaper has reported that, upon receipt of an email complaining about problems in the fire service equipment in the building where the office of that newspaper is situated, the Fire Services Department ("FSD") had deployed officers to inspect the premises, without first contacting the complainant to gather more information. As a result, the normal operation of that media organization was affected, but the complaint was later confirmed to be a false report. Regarding FSD's handling of complaints and reports, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the number of complaints or reports received by FSD in each of the past three years; the current procedure of FSD for handling complaints and reports, and whether verification of the identities of the complainants and informants as well as the relevant matters are included in such procedure; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (b)of the number of complaints or reports received by FSD through emails in each of the past three years, as well as the fire safety problems and types of buildings mainly involved in such complaints and reports; how FSD verified the contents of such complaints and reports;

    (c)of the number of inspections carried out in each of the past three years by FSD arising from the complaints or reports received, the effectiveness of such inspections and, among such inspections, the number of prosecutions instituted;

    (d)of the specific procedures followed by FSD from receipt of a complaint to the making of a decision to conduct an inspection; whether FSD will notify the occupier of the relevant premises before deploying officers to inspect such premises, and whether FSD will conduct such an inspection without affecting the occupier; if not, of the reasons for that; and

    (e)whether FSD has put in place a mechanism for penalizing those people who make false reports or abuse the complaint mechanism; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Security

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


At present, quite a number of Legislative Council ("LegCo") Members are also serving as District Council ("DC") members ("Members with dual membership"). However, as the meeting schedules of these two Councils frequently clash, such Members have often found it difficult to attend the meetings of both Councils. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the numbers of Members with dual membership in the current term and the past three terms of LegCo (set out in the table below);

    LegCoNumber of
    LegCo Members
    returned by
    geographical
    constituencies    		Number of
    LegCo Members
    returned by
    functional constituencies    		TotalPercentage in the
    total number of
    LegCo Members
    Second    
    Third    
    Fourth    
    Fifth    

    (b)of the situations of Members with dual membership being absent from full meetings of the two Councils from 1 October last year to 30 June this year:

    (i)of the highest number of times of absence from LegCo meetings among the LegCo Members returned by geographical constituencies ("GCs"), and the absence rate of the Member concerned;

    (ii)of the highest number of times of absence from LegCo meetings among the LegCo Members returned by functional constituencies ("FCs") and the absence rate of the Member concerned;

    (iii)of the highest number of times of absence from DC meetings among the LegCo Members returned by GCs and the absence rate of the Member concerned; and

    (iv)of the highest number of times of absence from DC meetings among the LegCo Members returned by FCs and the absence rate of the Member concerned;

    (c)whether the authorities have conducted studies and surveys on the difficulties encountered by Members with dual membership when performing the duties of the two Councils, so as to understand their situations and collect their views; if they have, of the details; if not, whether they will expeditiously conduct such studies and surveys with a view to making improvements;

    (d)given that currently LegCo Members returned by the two FCs of DC must be DC members and that the meeting schedules of LegCo and DC frequently clash, whether the authorities have assessed the impacts of such a situation on the operations of the two Councils; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (e)given that Members returned by the DC (Second) FC (commonly known as "super DC members") not only need to attend to both the businesses of LegCo and DC, but also need to serve over three million voters who do not have voting right in other FCs, whether the authorities will, in the long run, review the functions of, the difficulties faced by and the resources issues for Members of this FC, so as to provide more support for Members of this FC in future?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs

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


In order to encourage the retirement of incandescent light bulbs ("ILBs") and replacement by more energy-efficient lighting products (e.g. compact fluorescent lamps ("CFLs")), the Environment Bureau rolled out last month an Energy Saving Charter on "No Incandescent Light Bulbs". By signing the Charter, suppliers and retailers pledge to stop replenishing stock of specified ILBs, and to stop selling such light bulbs by the end of this year. However, it has been reported that some research studies have found out that the gas released by CFLs when they break contains mercury and phenol, which is harmful to human body, and the strong ultraviolet radiation emitted from CFLs may also cause skin cancer. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether the authorities have assessed, before rolling out the Energy Saving Charter, the impact of the light rays emitted from CFLs on the health conditions of photosensitive patients (e.g. patients suffering from Lupus Erythematosus); whether, after the sale of ILBs has completely stopped, safe lighting products will be available on the market for these patients to choose; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (b)apart from disposing of spent CFLs from government departments at the Chemical Waste Treatment Centre in Tsing Yi and encouraging the relevant recycling activities, what specific measures the authorities have put in place to properly dispose of spent CFLs, so as to prevent the toxic substances released by spent CFLs from causing harm to the health of the public and cleaners; and

    (c)how the authorities will promote and educate the public on the correct use of CFLs and the risks involved, and how they will teach the public the safe way to clean up broken CFLs safely?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment

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


It is learnt that due to the appreciation of Renminbi and continuous rise of commodity prices on the Mainland in recent years, more and more Hong Kong elderly people who had moved to and settled on the Mainland have returned to Hong Kong for resettlement and admission to local residential care homes for the elderly ("RCHEs"). Although the Social Welfare Department ("SWD") intends to introduce a scheme within this year to allow eligible Hong Kong elderly people who have moved to and settled in Guangdong Province to continue to receive the Old Age Allowance without requiring them to return to Hong Kong, such elderly people are still unable to enjoy other welfare benefits in Hong Kong, such as elderly health care vouchers and Old Age Living Allowance ("OALA"). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether it knows the number of elderly people returning from various provinces on the Mainland to Hong Kong for resettlement in each of the past three years, as well as the respective percentages of such numbers in the total number of Hong Kong elderly people who had moved to and settled on the Mainland;

    (b)among the elderly people who had returned to Hong Kong from the Mainland for resettlement in the past three years, of the number of those who had sought assistance from SWD after returning to Hong Kong, such as applying for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance and for admission to subsidized RCHEs, together with a breakdown by type of assistance sought;

    (c)whether the authorities have analysed the reasons for Hong Kong elderly people returning from the Mainland for resettlement in Hong Kong, and assessed the impact of their return to resettle in Hong Kong on the demand for social welfare services in Hong Kong; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (d)given that there are quite a number of RCHEs on the Mainland at present which are operated by non-governmental organizations in Hong Kong for accommodating elderly people from Hong Kong, but their occupancy rates have persistently remained on the low side, whether the authorities have considered including such RCHEs in the Enhanced Bought Place Scheme, with a view to, on the one hand, providing more choices to the elderly people waiting for admission to subsidized RCHEs and, on the other, providing services to those Hong Kong elderly people who have moved to and settled on the Mainland; and

    (e)given that Hong Kong elderly people who have moved to and settled on the Mainland are entitled to neither the medical benefits and social services on the Mainland nor certain social welfare benefits in Hong Kong, whether the authorities will expeditiously study the feasibility of providing OALA to elderly people residing in Guangdong and, in the long run, consider providing such elderly people with the social welfare benefits enjoyed by local elderly people, such as elderly health care vouchers and community care service vouchers for the elderly; if they will, of the relevant study and timetable?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Labour and Welfare

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


Last month, the Subsidized Housing Committee of the Hong Kong Housing Authority ("HA") endorsed the new arrangements for tackling under-occupation ("UO") in public rental housing ("PRH"), which will take effect from this October. Under the new arrangements, the threshold for one-person "Prioritized UO households" will be adjusted downwards from 34 square metres ("m2") to 30 m2, and the thresholds for households of other sizes will also be adjusted downwards accordingly. UO households with living space exceeding the relevant thresholds are required to transfer to PRH flats of appropriate size. Moreover, UO households with disabled members or elderly members aged 70 or above are not required to transfer. Other UO households with members aged between 60 and 69 will be placed at the end of the transfer list. Some PRH residents have pointed out that HA has revised the transfer policy for UO households without consultation, which not only is against the principle of democracy but also has brought about significant impact on elderly PRH residents. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the number of UO households with elderly members aged between 60 and 69, together with a breakdown by housing estate;

    (b)whether HA will hold the new arrangements in abeyance temporarily and conduct consultation on such arrangements; if it will not, of the reasons for that;

    (c)whether it has assessed if the new arrangements, which will force the elderly aged between 60 and 69 to move out of their residence where they have lived for many years, have violated the elderly-care principle of ageing in place; if the assessment result is in the negative, of the justifications for that;

    (d)whether the authorities have considered what difficulties UO households with elderly members aged between 60 and 69 will encounter with the transfer; how the authorities will help them overcome such difficulties, including whether these households will be exempted from the transfer; if they will, of the criteria adopted; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (e)whether the authorities will consult PRH residents before further tightening the thresholds for Prioritized UO households in future; if they will, of the consultation procedures; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport and Housing

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


Many residents in North West New Territories have relayed to me their dissatisfaction with the train services of the MTR West Rail Line ("WRL") and the Light Rail ("LR"). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:
  • (a)given that some residents have pointed out that the train frequency of WRL during night-time cannot meet the demand, resulting in passengers at the intermediate stations often finding it difficult to board the first arriving train heading towards Tuen Mun, the respective starting and ending time of the peak and off-peak hours for train services of WRL; the average patronage and the carrying capacity of the trains of various time slots;

    (b)given that the trains of WRL currently run at a frequency of approximately six to seven minutes during off-peak hours, whether the MTR Corporation Limited ("MTRCL") will increase the train frequency of that time slot; if MTRCL will not, the circumstances under which the train frequency will be increased;

    (c)given that some residents have relayed that the demand for train services in districts along WRL continues to rise, whether MTRCL will consider increasing the number of train cars of WRL from seven to nine which is the original design standard; if MTRCL will not, the circumstances under which the number of train cars will be increased;

    (d)the respective starting and ending time of the peak and off-peak hours for services of various LR routes at present; the average patronage and the carrying capacity of the trains of various time slots; the details of operating various LR routes with single-carriage or two-carriage trains;

    (e)as the new fare table issued by MTRCL shows that starting from 30 June this year, the Single Journey fares are lower than their corresponding Octopus fares for more than 1 300 fare combinations of LR, with differences ranging from $0.1 to $0.5, the causes for such differences; whether there is any solution and its implementation timetable; and

    (f)as LR is the main mode of transport providing connection for passengers of WRL to and from various locations in North West New Territories, but the last train-departure time of certain LR routes cannot cater for the needs of passengers of the last train of WRL, the details of these LR routes and the causes for this situation; whether MTRCL will consider extending the service hours of the relevant routes?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Transport and Housing

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


Mong Kok Stadium is a major base for staging high-level local soccer matches and other events. The Stadium was re-opened in October 2011 after 24 months of improvement works. However, quite a number of members of the public and soccer fans have complained to me about the failure of the covers of the Stadium to serve the required functions, including their inability to block sunlight and rainwater effectively, and rainwater dripping from the covers to the spectator stands. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the actual expenditure of the improvement works for Mong Kok Stadium; whether, when vetting and approving the works design for the reconstruction of spectator stands and the provision of covers at the Stadium, the authorities had assessed if the aforesaid problems would occur; if they had, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (b)whether the authorities have received complaints or enquiries from members of the public regarding the aforesaid problems; if they have, of the details of the replies made by the authorities to the complainants, and how they will follow up and remedy such situation; if no remedies will be made, of the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Home Affairs

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


In September 2010, the Government of the last term launched a public consultation on Hong Kong's climate change strategy and action agenda ("strategy and action agenda"), which included proposals for revamping the fuel mix for electricity generation. The public consultation ended in December of the same year, but the Government has yet to announce the consultation outcome and the ultimate proposals on the strategy and action agenda. According to government information, as electricity generation accounts for as high as 67% of local greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing fuel mix for electricity generation is one of the important measures for reducing overall emission of carbon dioxide. However, the authorities have yet to draw up the strategy on the future fuel mix for electricity generation. On the other hand, the incumbent Chief Executive mentioned in his election manifesto the target that "[i]n response to the global concerted action to mitigate climatic change, we must study and set a target for reducing the emission of carbon dioxide by 2020 and devise an all-round action plan". However, the emission reduction targets set for 2015 and 2020 in collaboration with the Guangdong Province, as mentioned in CE's first Policy Address after assumption of office, have not included the targets for reducing the emission of carbon dioxide, and no specific measures and action plan have been introduced. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the differences between the Governments of the current and the last terms in relation to climate change strategy and action agenda; the latest emission reduction target for carbon dioxide; whether the Government plans to launch the public consultation afresh in this regard; if not, whether it will expeditiously announce the ultimate proposals on the strategy and action agenda;

    (b)whether it has assessed the impact of the long absence of any strategy devised by the authorities with regard to the fuel mix for electricity generation, on the reduction target set by the Government of the last term (i.e. the reduction in carbon intensity by 50% to 60% by 2020 as compared with the level in 2005), and whether the Government of the current term will adjust the emission reduction target for carbon dioxide in view of such impact; and

    (c)whether the Government of the current term will adopt the promotion of energy efficiency and the increase in the use of renewable energy as the major strategies for emission reduction (including a substantial increase in the proportion of renewable energy in the fuel mix for electricity generation, the introduction of demand side management on electricity consumption, etc.), and whether it will set a cap on the total amount of greenhouse gas emission, so as to replace the proposal of the Government of the last term to use carbon intensity as an emission reduction indicator; if it will not, of the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment

*15. Hon James TO to ask: (Translation)


The residents in the vicinity of Long Beach, Tai Kok Tsui have repeatedly complained to me that they see from time to time a large volume of dark smoke emitted by cargo vessels in the waters off their housing estates. The dark smoke covers the entire area and lasts for a long time, and its pungent smell affects the health of the residents. Regarding the reduction of emissions from vessels to mitigate the problem of air pollution in the coastal areas, the Government has studied various mitigating measures. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether the authorities have conducted tests to check if the levels of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and respirable suspended particulates in the dark smoke emitted by the cargo vessels sailing through the said area exceed the relevant standards, and whether the authorities have assessed the impact of the dark smoke on the health of the residents nearby; if they have, of the results and measures to mitigate the problem of air pollution in the area;

    (b)whether the authorities have assessed the effectiveness of the port facilities and light dues incentive scheme since its implementation last year in encouraging ocean-going vessels to switch to low-sulphur diesel oil from residual oil while berthing in Hong Kong waters ("fuel switch at berth"); of the expected time when public consultation on the implementation of mandatory fuel switch at berth will be conducted;

    (c)of the progress made by the authorities in exploring the feasibility of implementing fuel switch at berth in the Pearl River Delta ("PRD") waters with the relevant authorities of Guangdong, Shenzhen and Macao; whether any difficulties have been encountered; if so, of the reasons for that;

    (d)apart from the plan to install on-shore electricity supply in the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, whether it has any plans to install such facilities in other cruise terminals; if it does not have such plans, of the reasons for that;

    (e)whether the authorities have set up any project group to follow up the feasibility of establishing an Emission Control Area ("ECA") in PRD waters; if they have, of the progress, including whether they have discussed the issue with the relevant authorities of Guangdong, Shenzhen and Macao, and the data on the estimated reduction in emissions of pollutants; if they have discussed the issue, of the details, and the cities or regions which have undertaken to establish an ECA and the timetable for establishing ECA; if not, whether any difficulties have been encountered, and of those difficulties;

    (f)whether the authorities will consider exploring, in collaboration with the authorities of the regions adjacent to the eastern waters of Hong Kong (including Daya Bay), the establishment of an ECA in those waters; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (g)whether the authorities will conduct public consultation on the plan to establish ECA; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment

*16. Hon Charles Peter MOK to ask: (Translation)


In January this year, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development stated that under the existing policy, there was no upper limit on the number of domestic free television programme service licences ("TV licences"). However, it has been reported that the Government has earlier sent letters to the three companies currently applying for new TV licences, making it clear that the licences would be issued selectively, and requesting them to provide, within a specified period, the justifications why their companies should be granted the licences. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the contents of the aforesaid letters, and whether such letters were issued pursuant to the Broadcasting Ordinance (Cap. 562) and established licensing procedure;

    (b)whether the Government has modified the policy of not setting an upper limit on the number of TV licences; if so, of the justifications for that; if not, why it intends to issue the licences selectively;

    (c)of the factors the Chief Executive in Council takes into consideration at the present stage for screening those applicants who may be granted the licences, and the procedure for making such decision; and

    (d)whether the Government currently has any plan to postpone the vetting and approval of the present three applications for new TV licences until such time when the existing licences expire, so as to handle these applications together with the applications for renewal of licences; if it has, of the reasons for that; if not, the Government's latest timetable for vetting and approval of the applications for new licences?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development

*17. Hon Kenneth LEUNG to ask: (Translation)


Some members of the securities industry have pointed out that although the Government has been advocating the development of the local bond market over the past 10-odd years and has launched measures to promote related developments, the local bond market is still developing at a slow pace, and the scale of issuance of bonds is not commensurate with Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the total amount of bonds issued in the bond market of Hong Kong in the past 10 years;

    (b)of the issuance of bonds by the Government and public organizations in the past 10 years (set out in the table below);

    Date of
    issuance    		Name of issuer
    (organization/
    government
    department)    		Name of
    bond    		Amount
    issued    		TenorSubscription
    amount for
    first issuance
          
          

    (c)whether the authorities have conducted any assessment on and set any target for the progress of development of the local bond market; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (d)apart from issuing inflation-linked retail bonds and developing the Islamic Bond market in Hong Kong, how the Government will further promote the development of the local bond market, including the retail bond market; given that some organizations have proposed that the Government should encourage public organizations such as the MTR Corporation Limited and the Airport Authority to issue bonds for financing various infrastructure projects, so as to increase the types and quantities of bonds issued, whether the authorities have studied and taken forward such proposal; if so, of the details; and

    (e)given that some organizations have proposed that the Government should expand the trading platform for local bonds, e.g. developing an electronic bond trading platform by making use of e-Cert certification services, so as to increase the turnover and facilitate the popularization of the bond market, whether the authorities have studied and taken forward such proposal; if so, of the details?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

*18. Dr Hon CHIANG Lai-wan to ask: (Translation)


The temperature in Hong Kong has continued to rise since June and the Hong Kong Observatory has issued Very Hot Weather Warnings for several consecutive days. Quite a number of members of the public keep their air-conditioners running for long periods of time to relieve the heat, but this may also cause the problem of water dripping from air-conditioners at the same time. Recently, my office has received quite a number of complaints about water dripping from air-conditioners. As the condensation drain pipes for air-conditioners installed at the external walls of some buildings have ruptured due to the lack of maintenance, and some air-conditioners are not provided with drain pipes at all, condensation water from air-conditioners falls like raindrops, and passers-by have to dodge such water drips. Moreover, pavements have been made slippery by the dripping water, which may easily cause accidents of passers-by slipping and falling. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)of the respective numbers of complaints received, Nuisance Notices issued and prosecutions instituted by the authorities in each of the past 10 years about water dripping from air-conditioners;

    (b)of the normal time gap between the receipt of a complaint and a site inspection conducted by the authorities; given that most complaints were lodged by members of the public who found water dripping from air-conditioners after they had returned home from work at night-time, whether the authorities will deploy staff to conduct investigations at night-time; if they will not, how the authorities adduce relevant evidence, as well as investigate and verify whether the complaints are substantiated;

    (c)whether the authorities will deploy staff to carry out surprise inspections at individual black spots of water dripping from air-conditioners; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; when no improvement has been made to the problem of water dripping at those black spots, of the way in which the authorities will tackle the problem;

    (d)whether the authorities will consider accepting other means of adducing evidence to expedite the procedure for handling complaints about water dripping from air-conditioners (e.g. using the video images provided by building management offices or the complainants); if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (e)given that under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), any person who fails to comply with the requirements of a Nuisance Notice within the period specified therein is guilty of an offence and liable to a maximum fine of $10,000 and a daily fine of $200, of the number of days normally given by the authorities to a complainee to make the necessary improvements; regarding complaint cases in which the requirements of such notices have not been complied with within the specified period, how members of the public can lodge follow-up complaints?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Food and Health

*19. Dr Hon Kenneth CHAN to ask: (Translation)


It was mentioned in "A Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong" published by the Environment Bureau in March this year that new general air quality monitoring stations ("general AQMS") would be installed in Tuen Mun in 2013 and in Tseung Kwan O between 2014 and 2015. Regarding the air quality monitoring system in Hong Kong, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether the authorities have drawn up a specific work plan and timetable for installing a general AQMS in Tseung Kwan O; if they have, of the relevant details and the latest progress of implementation; if not, when the authorities will draw up and announce the relevant plan and timetable; if the authorities have not yet decided on the formulation of such a plan and timetable, of the reasons for that; when the general AQMS under construction in Tuen Mun will come into operation;

    (b)as the authorities indicated in reply to the questions asked by the Members of this Council on 6 January 2010 and 4 July 2012 respectively that "we consider it unnecessary to set up an AQMS in each of the 18 districts at present" and "the current monitoring network can adequately reflect the level of air quality in Hong Kong ...... At present, we have no plan to increase the number of AQMSs", and the Director of Audit pointed out in his report published in October 2012 that as there was rapid development and population growth in Tseung Kwan O, a general AQMS was proposed to be installed in the district, and the Environmental Protection Department has supported the proposal and commenced a preliminary site search for the purpose, of the reasons and justifications for the authorities to change their policy;

    (c)as I have learnt that the authorities had proposed the setting up of a general AQMS in Tseung Kwan O as one of the compensational measures when they tried to persuade the residents of the district to agree to the proposal for extending the Southeast New Territories Landfill ("the extension project"), and the authorities have withdrawn the funding application for the extension project, whether the authorities will adjust or even withdraw the plan to set up the general AQMS; if they will, of the details; if a decision on whether to set up a general AQMS is made independent of the extension project, whether the authorities have assessed if regarding this proposal as a compensational measure in the course of persuading the residents is misleading;

    (d)whether the authorities will conduct a comprehensive review of the number and spatial distribution of monitoring stations to ascertain the need to set up general and roadside AQMSs in more areas; if they will, of the details of the review; if not, the reasons for that;

    (e)whether, in planning for the number, type, distribution and specific location of AQMSs, the authorities have made decisions on the basis of an objective and quantifiable set of standards; if they do, of the details of such standards; if not, the conditions and criteria based on which the authorities make decisions; and

    (f)whether the authorities will consider conducting policy research and public consultation on improving the air quality monitoring system in order to gather public opinions on the matter, especially those of the residents in the districts concerned and green groups; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for the Environment

*20. Dr Hon Joseph LEE to ask: (Translation)


One of the features of the Health Protection Scheme ("HPS") being studied by the Government is the vision of encouraging more people to buy private health insurance products, thereby indirectly relieving the pressure on the public healthcare system. It has been reported that, according to the latest proposal submitted by the authorities some time ago, the private health insurance policies to be regulated under HPS will come mainly in the form of "packages" to cover surgeries and treatments frequently performed in private hospitals (e.g. examinations such as endoscopy, Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography scans, as well as surgeries such as appendicetomy, atherectomy, hysterectomy, oophorectomy, haemorrhoidectomy and otorhinolaryngological surgeries) at the early stage of implementation of HPS. In addition, the authorities have proposed to set up a High-risk Pool ("HRP") to underwrite the policies of the HPS Standard Plans for high-risk individuals. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether it knows the following information on each type of the aforesaid surgeries and treatments performed by public hospitals on their patients in the past three years: (i) the number of patients receiving the surgeries/treatments, (ii) the average unit cost and (iii) the average waiting time;

    (b)whether it knows the following information on the 20 types of most frequently performed surgeries in public hospitals in the past three years: (i) the number of patients receiving the surgeries, (ii) the average unit cost and (iii) the average waiting time (broken down by surgery type);

    (c)whether it knows the following information on the 10 types of surgeries with the longest waiting time among those performed by public hospitals on their patients in the past three years: (i) the number of patients receiving the surgeries, (ii) the average unit cost and (iii) the average waiting time (broken down by surgery type); and

    (d)whether it has assessed the approximate length of time for which the $50 billion, set aside from the fiscal reserves for the implementation of the healthcare reform, can support the operation of HRP; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; whether the authorities will impose a cap on the amount of co-payment for each subscriber in HRP; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Food and Health

*21. Hon SIN Chung-kai to ask:


It was published in the press on 27 February 2012 that the following question had been put to the candidates running for the post of Chief Executive ("CE"), "[w]ill you continue to offer financial support for the English Schools Foundation ("ESF")?" In reply, the incumbent CE had said, "I support continued subvention to ESF to enable it to fulfill its duty of providing affordable English-language education for non-Chinese speaking children in Hong Kong." In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)given CE's clear commitment above, why the Government now intends to progressively phase out the recurrent subvention for the mainstream primary and secondary schools of ESF starting in the 2016-2017 school year;

    (b)of the Government's policy on the provision of subsidized school places for the children of English-speaking Hong Kong permanent residents, who have not been admitted to the local mainstream schools which use Chinese as the main medium of instruction; and

    (c)of a list of those local schools that have confirmed that they are willing and able to offer places to English speaking students who will no longer be able to afford ESF school fees once the subvention is withdrawn?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Education

*22. Hon Abraham SHEK to ask: (Translation)


It has been reported that the Shenzhen Municipal Government earlier conducted sampling tests on shellfish, and the results revealed that the concentration of heavy metal cadmium in almost 70% of the samples had exceeded the relevant standards. The situation was most serious in scallops, fan shells and conpoys, among which the cadmium concentrations in some samples even exceeded the limit by 10 times. Some experts and medical professionals have pointed out that intake of large quantities of cadmium over a long period of time by human body may cause osteoporosis, liver and kidney damage, and even cancer. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
  • (a)whether it has sought information from the relevant departments of the Shenzhen Municipal Government about the aforesaid press report; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (b)of a breakdown, by place of origin, of the shellfish sold in Hong Kong in terms of quantities and percentages;

    (c)whether the authorities have obtained the relevant information on the aquaculture farms in those waters in Hong Kong and nearby regions which are more seriously contaminated and contain a higher concentration of heavy metals, so as to step up the sampling tests conducted on the seafood supplied by such aquaculture farms and to take precautionary measures; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (d)whether the authorities have assessed if the existing work of conducting sampling tests are sufficient to ensure that the seafood sold in local markets meet the relevant food safety standards; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

    (e)whether it has assessed the proportion of seafood imported through illegal channels or without sampling tests conducted among all seafood sold in local markets; if so, of the details, together with a comparison between the present situation and that of five years ago; if not, the reasons for that; and

    (f)apart from the food safety report released monthly by the Centre for Food Safety, whether the relevant government departments will make public the results of sampling tests conducted on seafood samples without delay; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Public Officer to reply : Secretary for Food and Health

* For written reply

III. Bills



First Reading

1. Child Abduction Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2013

2. Toys and Children's Products Safety (Amendment) Bill 2013

Second Reading (Debates to be adjourned)

1.Child Abduction Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2013

:Secretary for Labour and Welfare

2.Toys and Children's Products Safety (Amendment) Bill 2013

:Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development

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

1.Trust Law (Amendment) Bill 2013

:Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

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

(The amendments were issued on 9 July 2013
under LC Paper No. CB(3) 807/12-13)

2.Pesticides (Amendment) Bill 2013

:Secretary for Food and Health

Secretary for Food and Health to move Committee stage amendments

(The amendments were issued on 11 July 2013
under LC Paper No. CB(3) 820/12-13)

IV. Motions



1.Proposed resolution under section 34(2) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury to move the motion in Appendix I.

(The motion was also issued on 15 July 2013
under LC Paper No. CB(3) 838/12-13)

2.Proposed resolution under section 34(2) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury to move the motion in Appendix II.

(The motion was also issued on 15 July 2013
under LC Paper No. CB(3) 838/12-13)

3.Proposed resolution under section 34(2) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance

Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury to move the motion in Appendix III.

(The motion was also issued on 15 July 2013
under LC Paper No. CB(3) 838/12-13)

4.Proposed resolution under the Companies Ordinance

Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury to move the following motion:

Resolved that the Companies (Unfair Prejudice Petitions) Proceedings Rules, made by the Chief Justice on 9 May 2013, be approved.

(The Rules are in Appendix IV and were also issued
on 3 July 2013 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 757/12-13)

5.Proposed resolution under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance

Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury to move the following motion:

Resolved that the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 2) Notice 2013, made by the Chief Executive in Council on 28 May 2013, be approved.

(The Notice is in Appendix V and was also issued
on 3 July 2013 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 758/12-13)

6.Proposed resolution under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance

Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury to move the following motion:

Resolved that the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 3) Notice 2013, made by the Chief Executive in Council on 28 May 2013, be approved.

(The Notice is in Appendix VI and was also issued
on 3 July 2013 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 758/12-13)

V. Members' Motions



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

Hon Ronny TONG to move the following motion:

That this Council takes note of Report No. 21/12-13 of the House Committee laid on the Table of the Council on 17 July 2013 in relation to the subsidiary legislation and instrument(s) as listed below:

Item NumberTitle of Subsidiary Legislation or Instrument
(1)Trade Descriptions (Powers Not Exercisable by Communications Authority) Notice (L.N. 71/2013)
(2)Trade Descriptions (Unfair Trade Practices) (Amendment) Ordinance 2012 (Commencement) Notice (L.N. 72/2013)
(3)Building (Minor Works) (Amendment) Regulation 2013 (L.N. 73/2013)
(4)Buildings Legislation (Amendment) Ordinance 2012 (L.N. 74/2013).

Public Officers to attend:Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Item Numbers (1) and (2))
Secretary for Development (Item Numbers (3) and (4))

2.Dissolving the Hospital Authority

Dr Hon LEUNG Ka-lau to move the following motion: (Translation)

That the Hospital Authority ('HA') was established in 1990 with the aim of effectively utilizing resources to establish and manage public hospitals and improve healthcare service quality; however, HA is both the buyer and the vendor of healthcare services with a conflict of roles, which on the one hand procures the relevant services for the public and on the other hand must take care of its own interests as the service provider, thus resulting in its inability to allocate resources in full accordance with patient needs; although the Government has kept increasing funding for HA, HA's uneven allocation has rendered the resources for some of its clusters or departments insufficient for a long time and the problem of varying service quality unresolved, thus giving rise to public pressure of demanding the Government to keep increasing funding, with HA being rewarded for its misgovernance instead; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to dissolve HA, and under the principle of 'money follows patient' and in accordance with the population size of and number of patients in various districts, directly purchase services from public and private healthcare organizations, and allow patients to choose hospitals for treatment, with resource utilization and allocation put under the monitoring by the Legislative Council, so as to respond to patient needs.

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

To add ", as" after "That"; to add ", with patients having to purchase at their own expense drugs which are of significant efficacy but expensive" after "a long time"; to delete "in this connection," after "misgovernance instead;"; to delete "dissolve HA, and under the principle of 'money follows patient'" after "urges the Government to" and substitute with "review the operation of HA and put forward a reform plan,"; to delete "directly purchase services from public and private healthcare organizations, and" after "in various districts,"; and to add "; the relevant reform plan should include: (1) to promote democratization of the management of public hospitals and clinics, and encourage more local and civic organizations to participate in such management; (2) in accordance with the needs of individual communities, to allocate additional resources to increase healthcare services, and comprehensively implement the cross-cluster patient referral scheme to shorten the waiting time for specialist services; (3) to increase the transparency of HA's use of resources, and enhance the monitoring of HA's creation of high-salaried posts, so as to prevent the occurrence of the situation of 'fattening the top and thinning the bottom'; and (4) to allocate additional resources to expand the Drug Formulary, and include all drugs which are of significant efficacy and have marginal benefits but are expensive as General Drugs and Special Drugs, so that medical practitioners can prescribe drugs with greater flexibility and more patients can use such drugs at standard fees and charges, and to put in place a discretionary mechanism for medical practitioners to exercise their professional judgment to provide patients with drugs not in the Drug Formulary" immediately before the full stop.

(ii)Hon Albert HO to move the following amendment: (Translation)

To add ", given that" after "That"; to delete "HA is both the buyer and the vendor of healthcare services with a conflict of roles, which on the one hand procures the relevant services for the public and on the other hand must take care of its own interests as the service provider, thus resulting in its inability to" after "however," and substitute with "HA has now been established for 23 years and still cannot"; to delete "in this connection," after "misgovernance instead;"; to delete "dissolve HA, and under the principle of 'money follows patient' and in accordance with the population size of and number of patients in various districts, directly purchase services from public and private healthcare organizations, and allow patients to choose hospitals for treatment" after "urges the Government to" and substitute with ", on the premise of maintaining the public sector-led healthcare services and making them an important social security system in Hong Kong, reform HA"; and to add "; the relevant measures should include: (1) to increase HA's representativeness, transparency and accountability, including appointing more elected public opinion representatives to HA and the Hospital Governing Committees of district hospitals to improve governance, and to clarify the powers and duties of Hospital Governing Committees to enable them to fulfill the governance function; (2) to make public HA's existing manpower establishment and planning, and streamline its administrative structure and review its remuneration and employment systems, so as to make reasonable use of public money and avoid the occurrence of the situation of 'fattening the top and thinning the bottom'; (3) to formulate a fair and reasonable funding system, and allocate funding to respective districts and hospitals in accordance with the population sizes of and numbers of patients and types of diseases in various districts; (4) on the premise of protecting patients' well-being, to study whether it is necessary to retain or reform the cluster system; and (5) to expeditiously establish an HA review committee to comprehensively review HA's functions, and appoint non-HA members and persons who are not officials of the Department of Health as committee members to ensure the committee's independence and objectivity" immediately before the full stop.

Public Officer to attend : Secretary for Food and Health

3.Following up the matter on Mr SNOWDEN's disclosure of the United States Government's hacking into the computer systems in Hong Kong

Hon MA Fung-kwok to move the following motion: (Translation)

That, as Mr SNOWDEN, a former technical assistant for the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States ('US'), disclosed during a media interview the matter on the US Government's surveillance of and hacking into Hong Kong's communications networks, this Council expresses strong dissatisfaction with the US Government in this regard, and urges the SAR Government to request clarification from the US Government, so as to safeguard the security of cyber communications in Hong Kong, and ensure the protection of Hong Kong people's privacy.

Amendments to the motion
(i)Hon Charles Peter MOK to move the following amendment: (Translation)

To delete "as Mr SNOWDEN, a former technical assistant for the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States ('US'), disclosed during a media interview the matter on" after "That," and substitute with "SNOWDEN, a former employee of the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States ('US'), recently disclosed to the media"; to delete "and hacking into Hong Kong's communications networks," after "surveillance of" and substitute with "Hong Kong's networks and computer systems and its collection of Hong Kong people's information and data;"; to add "hold the US Government responsible, and request the US Government to stop its theft of Hong Kong's network data and immediately dispose of the information obtained; this Council also urges the Government to implement the following measures," after "from the US Government,"; and to add ": (1) to formulate relevant policies to enhance the information security of Hong Kong's small and medium enterprises, including assisting them in using more world-class and locally researched and developed information security technologies; and, by capitalizing on Hong Kong's concern about information security arising from the SNOWDEN incident as an opportunity, to further support local research work on information technologies, and generate demands for local information technology products; (2) to review the Computer Crimes Ordinance (including the relevant provisions of the Telecommunications Ordinance, the Crimes Ordinance and the Theft Ordinance) and the Interception of Communications and Surveillance Ordinance, targeting the enforcement loopholes in respect of governments, organizations, commercial organizations and individuals outside Hong Kong, so as to strengthen the combat against the relevant acts of communications interception and unauthorized retrieval and retention of network information; and (3) to review the approach and procedures for handling similar incidents in the future, including considering the circumstances under which the Central Government's assistance will be sought in the relevant incidents" immediately before the full stop.

(ii)Hon Ronny TONG to move the following amendment: (Translation)

To delete "," after "That" and substitute with "although the Government has proposed amending the Interception of Communications and Surveillance Ordinance to allow the Commissioner on Interception of Communications and Surveillance to check law enforcement agencies' interception or surveillance products,"; to add "which further highlights the inability of the Ordinance to regulate telephone tapping and interception of communications by non-law enforcement agencies or individuals and from outside Hong Kong, and to protect Hong Kong people's right to confidential communications against encroachment," after "communications networks,"; and to delete "," after "from the US Government" and substitute with "and enact legislation on protecting the freedom of confidential communications,".

(iii)Hon SIN Chung-kai to move the following amendment: (Translation)

To delete ", as" after "That" and substitute with "the Hong Kong authorities have all along stressed that they attach much importance to the Government's internal information security capabilities, but"; to add "which indicates that there is room for improvement on the part of the authorities in respect of information security and cyber security;" after "communications networks,"; and to add "at the same time, to review and strengthen the monitoring of online security systems and enhance their technological level, so as to" after "in Hong Kong, and".

Public Officer to attend:Secretary for Security

Clerk to the Legislative Council