A 16/17-21
Legislative Council
Agenda
Wednesday 26 April 2017 at 11:00 am
I. Tabling of Papers
Other Papers
| 1. | No. 84 | - | Provisional Insurance Authority
Estimates of Income and Expenditure for 2017-18 |
| (to be presented by Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury)
| |||
| 2. | No. 85 | - | Report No. 68 of the Director of Audit
on the results of value for money audits - April 2017 |
| (to be presented by the President of the Legislative Council)
| |||
| 3. | Report No. 16/16-17 of the House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments | ||
| (to be presented by Hon Starry LEE, Chairman of the House Committee) | |||
II. Questions for Written Replies
1. Hon Jeremy TAM to ask: (Translation)
Regarding the statistical information on government lands, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) among the vacant government lands that are currently unleased or unallocated, of the respective total areas of those which are (i) suitable for development and (ii) unsuitable for development, with a breakdown by their planned uses (including "Residential", "Commercial", "Industrial", "Government, Institutional and Community Facilities", "Open Space", "Comprehensive Development Area" and "Village Type Development") and the District Council districts in which they are located, and mark on a map the location of each piece of land; (2) among the vacant government lands that are suitable for residential development, of the respective total areas of those (i) which have been included in the List of Sites for Sale by Application, (ii) which have been allocated to the Hong Kong Housing Authority ("HA") for public rental housing development, (iii) which are currently leased out under short-term tenancies, (iv) the site formation of which has been completed and studies on whether such lands should be put on sale in the market or be allocated to HA are underway, (v) the site formation of which has been completed but are not subject to any development plan, (vi) site-formation works and land use planning for which have not been carried out, and (vii) long-term planning for which is underway; and (3) of the total area of the residential sites newly secured in each of the past three years through changing the planned uses of unleased government lands, with a breakdown by District Council district?
2. Hon LEUNG Kwok-hung to ask: (Translation)
At present, the Government Property Agency ("GPA") usually leases out the shops, canteens and offices ("commercial premises") in the government properties under its management on three-year tenancy contracts awarded by open tenders or invitation of quotations. Some tenants of such premises have relayed to me that the lack of security of tenancy renders it difficult for them to make long-term business plans, and the relationships they have established with their customers will end upon expiry of the tenancy contracts. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) as I have learnt that the Housing Department ("HD") will discuss the renewal of tenancy contracts with the sitting tenants of its commercial premises six months before the expiry of tenancy, and will leased out the commercial premises concerned through open tenders only when the two parties have failed to reach a new tenancy agreement, whether GPA will consider adopting this practice; if so, when this will be implemented; if not, of the reasons for that; (2) given that HD grants its new tenants of commercial premises rent-free periods determined according to the sizes of the premises concerned, whether GPA will adopt this practice; if so, when this will be implemented; if not, of the reasons for that; (3) of the respective numbers of commercial premises that GPA leased out through (i) open tenders and (ii) invitation of quotations and, among such premises, of the number of those which were leased out to new tenants with rental income less than before; (4) of the respective numbers of commercial premises that GPA failed, in each of the past five years, to lease out through the two aforesaid methods; (5) whether GPA has assessed the loss of rental income arising from the failure to lease out its commercial premises through the two aforesaid methods in the past five years; if so, of the outcome; if not, the reasons for that; (6) of the administrative costs involved in the open tenders and invitation of quotations conducted by GPA for its commercial premises in each of the past five years; and (7) whether GPA has assessed the quantity of construction waste generated by the renovation and removal works carried out by new and old tenants of its commercial premises; if so, of the quantity concerned in each of the past five years?
3. Hon Andrew WAN to ask: (Translation)
Since April 2012, the Buildings Department ("BD") has been taking law enforcement actions against domestic sub-divisions of flat units (commonly known as "sub-divided units") ("SDUs") in industrial buildings and the associated unauthorized building works. Affected households who need short-term temporary housing may be admitted to the Po Tin Transit Centre ("Transit Centre") in Tuen Mun through referrals by BD. If these households have stayed in the Transit Centre for three months, passed the relevant test and fulfilled the eligibility criteria for application for public rental housing ("PRH"), the Housing Department will arrange them to be admitted to interim housing ("IH") while they are waiting to be allocated PRH. Regarding the rehousing of residents affected by operations to eradicate SDUs, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of SDUs eradicated by the Government and the number of affected SDU residents who were admitted to the Transit Centre, in the past three years; (2) of the current number and vacancy rate of IH units in the territory, with a tabulated breakdown by household size (i.e. one person, two to three persons, four to six persons and seven persons or more); (3) whether it has drawn up any large-scale plan to eradicate SDUs; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; whether it has assessed if the current number of IH units is sufficient to meet the temporary housing need arising from such plan; if it has assessed, of the outcome; and (4) as there are comments that while the Government has reserved a site of about 60 hectares in Penny's Bay on Lantau Island for the Phase 2 development of the Hong Kong Disneyland ("HKDL"), the development is unlikely to commence before 2023, whether the authorities will discuss with the other shareholder of HKDL, The Walt Disney Company, allowing the Government to provide on that site, before the commencement of the development, IH for rehousing people affected by operations to eradicate SDUs as well as other people in need; if so, when the discussion will commence; if not, of the reasons for that?
4. Hon CHAN Kin-por to ask: (Translation)
At present, the majority of the around 146 000 street lamps in the road lighting systems across the territory are high pressure sodium lamps. After conducting a trial scheme in 2009, the Highways Department advised that although low- and medium-wattage light emitting diode ("LED") lights were energy-saving due to better colour rendering, the wider use of LED lights in the road lighting systems was not cost effective as the prices of LED road lights meeting the necessary certification were very high. Regarding the use of LED lights in the road lighting systems, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective electricity expenditure incurred in each of the past two years by the Government on street lamps; (2) given that the prices of LED lights have dropped further in recent years, whether the authorities have reassessed the cost effectiveness of using LED lights in the road lighting systems; if so, of the results; if not, the reasons for that; (3) given that LED lights are used by quite a number of overseas countries and the Mainland in some of their road lighting systems, whether the authorities have made reference to their relevant experience; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (4) whether the authorities have plans to use low- and medium-wattage LED lights in those road lighting systems with lower lighting requirements; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
5. Dr Hon Pierre CHAN to ask: (Translation)
In its report submitted to the Government on May 2015, the Committee on Free Kindergarten Education ("the Committee") made a number of recommendations on stable supply of kindergarten premises, including increasing government-owned kindergarten premises in public and private housing estates, as well as providing incentives for school sponsoring bodies or operators to acquire their school premises. Some parents of young children have pointed out that while a number of kindergartens have relocated or closed down one after another in recent years necessitated by tenancy problems, they have no means to find out whether the premises of various kindergartens are self-owned or rented properties when they choose kindergartens for their children. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective current numbers of kindergartens the premises of which are (i) government properties, (ii) self-owned properties and (iii) rented private properties (with a breakdown by District Council district); (2) whether it will establish an information platform or compile an information booklet, for parents' reference when they choose kindergartens for their children, which sets out leasing information about school premises (including (i) the expiry dates and (ii) the terms for renewal and early termination of existing leases) provided by kindergartens on a voluntary basis; (3) whether it will consider formulating guidelines to stipulate that kindergartens should regularly inform parents of the leasing information about their school premises; and (4) whether it will adopt the Committee's recommendations for ensuring a stable supply of kindergarten premises; if so, of the measures for increasing the number of kindergartens operating in government properties or self-owned properties, as well as the implementation timetable and expected efficacy of such measures; if not, the reasons for that?
6. Hon Starry LEE to ask: (Translation)
Since the relevant amendments to the Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness Offences) (Amendment) Ordinance 2016 (Ordinance No. 4 of 2016) came into operation on 24 September last year, law enforcement officers may issue fixed penalty notices ("FPNs") to persons who cause obstruction of public places ("street obstruction"). It has been reported that some shop operators have adopted new tactics to avoid being fined for obstructing the streets with their goods. For example, goods are placed for a long period of time (i) on trucks parked on roadside which are used as mobile storage or (ii) in styrofoam boxes or on pallets on roadside disguised as mobile goods. However, the personnel of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department ("FEHD") have not intervened in such behaviours when they carry out inspections. Some members of the public have relayed to me that such new tactics of street obstruction have not only caused inconvenience to pedestrians and vehicles, but have also posed hazards to road safety. The styrofoam boxes discarded on roadside have also affected environmental hygiene. Some members of the legal profession have pointed out that to combat such new tactics of street obstruction, law enforcement officers may institute prosecutions, by way of summons under section 4A of the Summary Offences Ordinance (Cap. 228), against persons who cause street obstruction, and those convicted are liable to a fine of $5,000 or imprisonment for three months. Nevertheless, according to my observations, the Police have not stepped up their law enforcement actions against such new tactics of street obstruction. Regarding the combat of street obstruction by shops, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the numbers of (i) FPNs issued by the authorities against street obstruction by shops (with a breakdown by District Council district), (ii) shops whose operators have received street-obstruction FPNs for more than once, (iii) street-obstruction FPNs which have been disputed by the shop operators concerned, and (iv) street-obstruction FPNs the disputes involved in which have been allowed, since the aforesaid amendments have come into operation; (2) of the number of complaints about shop operators storing goods on roadside trucks received by the authorities since the aforesaid amendments came into operation (with a breakdown by District Council district); and (3) whether the authorities have explored ways to combat the aforesaid new tactics of street obstruction by shops; if not, of the reasons for that; if so, the outcome; whether the authorities will step up law enforcement actions by invoking other relevant legislation, and clarify the responsibilities assumed respectively by FEHD and the Police in respect of street obstruction by shops?
7. Hon LAM Cheuk-ting to ask: (Translation)
Will the Government inform this Council whether, under the existing regulations, various welfare funds and staff associations relating to disciplined services:
(1) may accept donations other than those coming from staff members of the disciplined services concerned ("from outside"); if so, set out the following details in a table by name of disciplined service: (i) the names of the welfare funds/staff associations, (ii) the ranks of the officers responsible for vetting and approving the acceptance of donations and monitoring their usage as well as the names of the divisions/committees to which the officers belong, (iii) the criteria for determining whether or not donations are accepted, and whether such criteria include checking the background of donors, and (iv) the number of times for which donations were accepted, the total amount received and the largest amount received in a single donation, in each of the past three years; and (2) may accept sponsorships from outside for the internal activities held by them; if so, set out the following details in a table by name of disciplined service: (i) the names of the welfare funds/staff associations, (ii) the details of the vetting and approval mechanism, (iii) the criteria for determining whether or not sponsorships are accepted, and whether such criteria include checking the background of sponsors, and (iv) the number of activities in each of the past three years for which sponsorships from outside were accepted; in respect of each activity, the nature of it, the name(s) of sponsors, the total amount of sponsorships and the largest amount of money involved in a single sponsorship?
8. Hon CHAN Chun-ying to ask: (Translation)
According to the Government, a comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreement ("CDTA") signed between Hong Kong and its trading partner helps investors of both places better assess their potential tax liabilities on business activities and provides incentives for cross-border investments. As at February this year, Hong Kong has signed CDTAs with 37 tax jurisdictions but this figure is far below the relevant figures in other major economies (e.g. the relevant figures in the United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore are above 90). Moreover, there are views that among the 60-odd countries along the "Belt and Road", quite a number of them are emerging economies with huge business opportunities and development potential, Hong Kong should therefore sign CDTAs with these countries as soon as possible. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has assessed the reasons why the number of CDTAs signed by Hong Kong is far below than that of other major economies; if so, of the details; (2) of the tax jurisdictions with which the authorities are having discussions over the signing of CDTAs; the relevant progress and specific timetable; and (3) whether it has plans to expedite the signing of CDTAs with countries along the Belt and Road so as to promote cross-border investments; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
9. Hon MA Fung-kwok to ask: (Translation)
Under the existing requirements, an owner of an industrial building unit intending to use his unit for uses other than those permitted under the relevant lease must first apply to the Lands Department for temporary waiver ("waiver") for permission of the proposed uses. If the application is approved, the owner concerned is generally required to pay a waiver fee and an administrative fee. On the other hand, the Government announced in June 2012 and February last year respectively the exemption of the payment of waiver fees involving the conversion of industrial building units for use as data centres as well as testing and calibration laboratories ("testing laboratories"), in order to promote the development of such industries. On assisting various industries in operating in industrial buildings, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) since the payment of waiver fees involving the uses of data centres and testing laboratories has been exempted by the authorities, of the respective numbers of waiver applications received and approved by the authorities involving the conversion of industrial building units for those two types of uses, and the total amount of waiver fees exempted; (2) of the factors taken into account by the authorities in determining the exemption or otherwise of the payment of waiver fees involving a particular proposed use; apart from the uses mentioned in (1), whether the authorities, at present, have plans to exempt the payment of waiver fees involving other uses; (3) of the respective numbers of waiver applications received, approved and rejected by the authorities in the past five years for the proposed uses for cultural, arts or sports purposes, and the reasons for rejecting some of such applications; whether the authorities will consider exempting the payment of waiver fees involving such uses so as to promote the development of the relevant industries; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (4) given that the authorities have adopted in recent years a streamlined procedure for handling waiver applications, including the introduction of a standard rate to expedite the vetting and approval process, of the average time currently needed for handling each application; whether the authorities have plans to further streamline that procedure to facilitate and encourage the making of such applications by owners of industrial building units?
10. Hon CHEUNG Kwok-kwan to ask: (Translation)
It has been reported that two incidents of group bullying of an indecent nature occurred recently in a student hall of residence in the University of Hong Kong, and it was uncovered last month that a number of male students of a Direct Subsidy Scheme secondary school had allegedly installed hidden cameras in female changing rooms and classrooms in the school for surreptitious recordings for a long period of time. Some members of the education sector have pointed out that such incidents reflect the low moral standards of some youngsters and their lack of respect for others, as well as the ineffectiveness of the sex education implemented in schools. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows the total number of complaints received by secondary schools and post-secondary institutions across the territory in the past five years about assaults, bullying or other misconduct of an indecent nature occurring on campuses or in dormitories, and how the authorities and schools followed up such complaints; (2) whether the Education Bureau ("EDB") has provided post-secondary institutions with guidelines on preventing students from performing acts of an indecent nature or other objectionable acts in the institutions; (3) whether, in the light of the aforesaid incident of surreptitious recordings, EDB has immediately issued guidelines to or conducted talks for the secondary school concerned to provide it support in handling the incident; if not, whether EDB will follow up the incident expeditiously; (4) given that EDB compiled the Guidelines on Sex Education in Schools in 1997 for the reference of schools and introduced a curriculum reform in 2001 under which cross-curriculum programmes, including sex education, were integrated into moral and civic education to provide holistic education, whether EDB knows the current situation concerning the development of sex education programmes by schools in accordance with the relevant guidelines; of the number of schools which have not developed sex education programmes, and how EDB follows up the issue; and (5) whether, in the light of the several recent incidents of assaults and bullying of an indecent nature that occurred on campus, the authorities will expeditiously conduct a review on ways to improve the sex education implemented in schools, with a view to building positive and healthy sex attitudes among youngsters?
11. Hon Mrs Regina IP to ask: (Translation)
It was reported that earlier this year, a taxi ran out of control leading to the death of its 78-year-old driver, and the traffic accident was believed to have been caused by the sudden indisposition of the driver. Regarding the health conditions of public transport drivers, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of traffic accidents in the past three years allegedly caused by public transport drivers suffering from bouts of illness while driving, and the resultant casualties; of the highest and the average ages of the drivers concerned; (2) whether it knows (i) the age threshold for newly recruited drivers and (ii) the requirements on declaration of physical fitness by newly recruited and serving drivers as well as the arrangements for their undergoing medical examinations, currently set by various public transport operators; (3) of the respective numbers of cases in the past three years of issuance and renewal of driving licences for various classes of commercial vehicles, and the number of applications rejected as well as the reasons for the rejection; and (4) apart from the stipulation in the Road Traffic (Driving Licences) Regulations (Cap. 374 sub. leg. B) that an application from a person aged 70 or above for issuance or renewal of a driving licence shall be accompanied by a certificate issued by a registered medical practitioner certifying that the person is medically fit to drive the relevant class of motor vehicle, whether the authorities have measures in place to ensure that public transport drivers drive only when they are physically fit, in order to safeguard the safety of passengers and other road users?
12. Hon SHIU Ka-chun to ask: (Translation)
The Government completed a review of the Hong Kong Rehabilitation Programme Plan in 2007 and endorsed the future directions of development of self-help organizations of persons with disabilities ("self-help organizations"), which included providing project-based financial support for self-help organizations or recommending them to charitable funds, as well as facilitating their building up of a cross-sectoral network and tapping of more resources. Some self-help organizations' persons-in-charge have relayed to me that there is a lack of transparency in the vetting and approval procedure of the Financial Support Scheme for Self-help Organizations of Persons with Disabilities/Chronic Illnesses ("financial support scheme"). Moreover, the funding amounts received by some self-help organizations were inadequate to cover their daily operating expenses. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) in each of the past five years, of (i) the respective numbers of self-help organizations recommended to charitable funds by the Social Welfare Department ("SWD") and the respective numbers of recommendations made, and (ii) the respective numbers of activities organized by SWD to facilitate self-help organizations' building up of a cross-sectoral network and tapping of more resources; the respective numbers of self-help organizations participated in such activities and the specific results achieved by various activities; (2) of the respective numbers of applications received and those approved by SWD as well as the (i) smallest, (ii) largest, (iii) median and (iv) average amounts of funding involved in the applications approved, in each of the past five rounds of applications under the financial support scheme; (3) whether SWD has set ceilings on the total funding amount approved and the number of self-help organizations receiving financial support for each round of applications under the financial support scheme; how SWD has dealt with the shortage of funds under the scheme, and the criteria for deciding the funding amounts approved for individual applications under such circumstance; and (4) given that SWD stated in its paper for the meeting of the Panel on Welfare Services of this Council on 26 March 2013 that it would continue to review the operation of self-help organizations and secure additional resources to meet the demand when necessary, of the date of the last review conducted by SWD and its outcome; what specific measures SWD has put in place to tackle the difficulties faced by self-help organizations at present?
13. Hon James TO to ask: (Translation)
Regarding the provision of treatment and support for various types of patients with mental illness and the relevant public education efforts, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows, in each of the past five years, (i) the respective numbers of attendances for the psychiatric treatment services provided by public and private medical institutions (broken down by type of mental illness), and (ii) the respective numbers of patients with mental illness, who were being treated by public and private medical institutions, committed violent acts allegedly due to bouts of illness, as well as the numbers of such cases and the resultant casualties; (2) whether it knows the number and age distribution of new patients diagnosed with mental illness in each of the past five years and, among them, the number of those identified as having a propensity to violence; (3) whether it knows, in each of the past five years, (i) the quantity of psychiatric drugs prescribed by the psychiatric specialist services under the Hospital Authority ("HA") and the expenditure so incurred, as well as the changes in the number of outpatient clinics and the number of healthcare staff for psychiatric specialist services, and (ii) the respective numbers of service units and staff members under HA and the Government providing psychological counselling services for patients with mental illness; (4) whether it knows the following information concerning the psychiatric specialist services provided respectively by non-profit making organizations and private medical institutions in each of the past five years: (i) the quantity of psychiatric drugs prescribed and the expenditure so incurred, (ii) the number of outpatient clinics, (iii) the number of beds, (iv) the number of institutions and staff members providing psychological counselling services, and (v) the number of psychiatric specialist healthcare staff members; (5) whether it knows the number of ex-mentally ill persons for whom public medical institutions and non-profit making organizations provided home visit services in each of the past five years; (6) of the authorities' existing policy on identifying and giving support to "hidden" patients with mental illness, and the unit costs of such kind of services; (7) whether it has studied how (i) the ratios of psychiatrists and other staff members in the public healthcare system providing psychological counselling services to patients with mental illness, as well as (ii) the data relating to the provision of psychiatric drugs and psychological counselling services for such patients compare with those in other places (e.g. Australia and Japan); if so, of the outcome; and (8) of the measures taken by the authorities in the past five years to promote public awareness and prevention of mental illness and to mitigate the discrimination of mentally ill and ex-mentally ill persons by members of the public, as well as the manpower and expenditure involved; the specific effectiveness evaluation indicators and the future improvement plans?
14. Dr Hon Helena WONG to ask: (Translation)
Regarding improvement to the water quality of the Victoria Harbour, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of complaints received by the authorities in the past three years concerning the stenches emitted from the Victoria Harbour waters; the districts involved in such complaints; apart from the works to construct dry weather flow interceptors in Kowloon and Tsuen Wan and rehabilitate trunk sewers intended to be carried out, of the authorities' new measures to mitigate the impact of the stenches on the residents; and (2) given that the authorities commenced a two-year consultancy study in early 2016 to ascertain the improvement measures required based on the specific causes of near shore pollution, of the details and progress of the study; when the authorities will publish the study report and whether they will conduct public consultation on the improvement measures?
15. Hon IP Kin-yuen to ask: (Translation)
The Education Bureau ("EDB") indicated in 2014 that under its policy, international schools with no boarding facilities which had received government assistance in the form of allocation of sites or vacant school premises ("government-assisted international schools") were required to allocate at least 70% ("the minimum proportion") of their total school places to students holding (i) foreign passports (except the British National (Overseas) Passport) or (ii) visas for entry into Hong Kong for studies ("non-local students"). In the allocation of sites/vacant school premises, favourable consideration will be given to those proposals which plan to accept a higher proportion of non-local students (e.g. 80% or above). Nonetheless, in the 2016-2017 school year, the proportion of non-local students in 15 international schools is lower than 70% and the proportion is even lower than 50% in four of them. On the other hand, it has been reported that a number of organizations are planning to operate international schools in Hong Kong and some of these schools will charge high tuition fees. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective year in which each of the government-assisted international schools commenced operation, as well as the minimum proportion it is required to meet (and if the proportion is below 50%, of the reasons for that); (2) whether, under the relevant requirements, government-assisted international schools which fail to meet the minimum proportion will be penalized; if so, of the details, including the types of actions that EDB may take against them; whether such schools can continue to be named international schools; (3) how EDB ensures that the information on the number of their non-local students submitted by government-assisted international schools is accurate; and (4) of the criteria to be met by applications for operating international schools under the existing requirements; what mechanism and measures are put in place by EDB to ensure that newly operated international schools are financially sound and their quality reaches a reasonable level?
16. Hon LUK Chung-hung to ask: (Translation)
The digital terrestrial television channel RTHK TV 33 ("TV 33") and the analogue television channel RTHK 33A ("TV 33A") of Radio Television Hong Kong ("RTHK") currently relay the English-language programmes of the China Global Television Network Documentary Channel ("Documentary Channel") of the China Central Television ("CCTV") free of charge throughout the broadcasting hours. Some members of the public have suggested that RTHK relay the more diversified programmes of CCTV Comprehensive Channel, so as to provide them with more choices of television programmes. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the factors considered by RTHK in deciding that TV 33 and TV 33A should relay, throughout the broadcasting hours, the programmes of the Documentary Channel but not those of other CCTV channels; and (2) whether RTHK would consider the aforesaid suggestion so as to allow members of the public to watch the programmes of CCTV Comprehensive Channel free of charge through its digital terrestrial television channels and analogue television channels; if so, of the details, including the preparatory work which needs to be undertaken; if not, the reasons for that?
17. Hon Jimmy NG to ask: (Translation)
At present, among the 66 countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (commonly known as "Belt and Road") ("Belt and Road countries"), 42 have granted visa-free access to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ("SAR") passport holders, or allowed them to apply for entry visas upon arrival (commonly known as "visa-on-arrival"). Some members from the industrial and commercial sectors planning to visit the Belt and Road countries for investment have relayed to me that they cannot obtain accurate information on the entry visa arrangements in respect of these countries. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that the national official website for the Belt and Road initiatives shows the relevant information of all of the 66 Belt and Road countries, but the webpage of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council ("HKTDC") on the Belt and Road countries does not provide information on four of such countries, namely The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand and The Republic of South Africa, whether the authorities will ask HKTDC to make rectification, update the relevant information from time to time and indicate the sources of such information; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (2) of the types of entry visa arrangements, namely (i) visa-free access, (ii) visa-on-arrival, (iii) online application for electronic visas required and (iv) application for paper visas required, granted by the Belt and Road countries to SAR passport holders and the relevant details, including permitted duration of stay, eligibility criteria for application (if applicable) and points to note (set out such information in the table below according to the continents where these countries are situated); and
Continent Name of country Type of entry visa arrangement Permitted duration of stay Eligibility criteria for application/
Points to noteAsia The Republic of Tajikistan … Africa The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia … Europe The Republic of Belarus … Oceania New Zealand … (3) among the Belt and Road countries which have not yet granted visa-free access to SAR passport holders, of those with which the Government has plans to conduct negotiation on this matter in the coming two years, and the expected outcome of such negotiations (set out in a table); if it has no such plans, of the reasons for that?
18. Hon HUI Chi-fung to ask: (Translation)
Some members of the public have complained to me that the facilities of some temporary open spaces are poor and those open spaces are even overgrown with weeds, the conditions of which are in stark contrast to those of official open spaces. Regarding the management of temporary open spaces, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the respective locations and areas of temporary open spaces across the territory at present, as well as the respective numbers of years lapsed since they were put to such use, and set out such information by District Council district; (2) as I have learnt that some sites have been used as temporary open spaces for more than 10 years, or even as long as 40 years, whether the authorities have assessed if their failure for a long period of time to designate such sites as official open spaces has (i) violated the relevant planning principles, and (ii) prejudiced the right of nearby residents to enjoy better facilities; (3) how the policies on and the measures for managing temporary open spaces by the authorities compare with those regarding the management of official open spaces; whether they will consider improving the facilities of various temporary open spaces for use by the public; and (4) whether it has considered selecting some temporary open spaces for designation as official open spaces; if so, of the details and selection criteria?
19. Hon LEUNG Yiu-chung to ask: (Translation)
Since 2005, the Social Welfare Department has been provided with an annual recurrent provision for implementing the District Support Scheme for Children and Youth Development ("the Scheme") through various District Social Welfare Offices to address the developmental needs of disadvantaged children and youths aged 24 or below in the districts. Some of the funding of the Scheme is used to implement district projects and cover related programme expenses, whilst the remaining is distributed to individual deprived children and youths in the form of direct cash assistance according to their developmental needs. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the estimates of expenditure on district projects to be implemented by non-governmental organizations under the Scheme for the 2017-2018 financial year, as well as the names of the relevant organizations and the respective amounts of funding approved, broken down by district; and (2) whether it has plans to gradually cease implementing the Scheme; if so, of the timetable and the reasons for that?
20. Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT to ask: (Translation)
In May last year, the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong released the findings of a survey on 18 children's playgrounds ("playgrounds") under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department ("LCSD") and the Housing Department ("HD"), which showed that the hygiene conditions of such playgrounds were poor, the play equipment therein was insufficient, and some of the play equipment was boring and dilapidated, resulting in unsatisfied playing needs of children. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether LCSD and HD have, in response to the aforesaid survey findings, improved the hygiene conditions of their playgrounds by, for example, installing disinfectant dispensers in those playgrounds; if so, of the specific measures and the implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that; (2) of the criteria currently adopted by LCSD and HD for deciding whether to provide additional play equipment in their playgrounds; (3) whether LCSD and HD will consider introducing in their playgrounds some play equipment which is more interesting, inspiring and challenging so as to foster the physical development of children; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (4) whether LCSD and HD have plans to improve the procedure for inspecting as well as maintaining and repairing the play equipment in their playgrounds, with a view to expediting the repair of damaged equipment; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (5) as some parents have relayed that the existing play equipment in some playgrounds only caters for younger children, whether LCSD and HD will consider providing in their playgrounds play equipment which caters for senior primary and junior secondary students; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (6) as some parents have relayed that most children prefer play equipment that is more challenging (e.g. swings, free-standing climbing frames and three-metre-high free-standing slides), whether LCSD will consider providing such equipment in selected playgrounds in each District Council district; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (7) of the public rental housing estates where no playground is provided at present; whether HD will consider providing playgrounds in those estates; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (8) as the information provided by the authorities, in response to a question raised by a Member of this Council at the Council meeting of 7 December last year, showed that the provision of play equipment in the playgrounds located in Kwai Tsing, the North District, Tai Po and Tuen Mun was obviously insufficient (e.g. the playgrounds in Kwai Tsing and Tuen Mun had no free-standing slide, and the various playgrounds in the North District, Tai Po and Tuen Mun respectively had only one free-standing climbing frame in total), whether LCSD will provide, in the playgrounds of the aforesaid districts, the play equipment that is currently unavailable in such playgrounds; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
21. Hon Tanya CHAN to ask: (Translation)
The construction works are underway for the revitalization project of the former Central Police Station Compound ("the revitalization project"), taken forward by the Government in partnership with the Hong Kong Jockey Club ("HKJC"). On 29 May last year, an incident occurred in which an external wall of one of the buildings (i.e. the former Married Inspectors' Quarters Building) included in the revitalization project collapsed. After that, HKJC set up a review panel to inquire into the causes of the incident and made public the inquiry report in November last year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that the Buildings Department has also initiated an inquiry into the aforesaid wall collapse incident and is preparing a report, of the expected time for the report to be made public; (2) whether it has sought legal advice from the Department of Justice ("DoJ") on whether the Authorized Person ("AP") or contractor(s) responsible for the revitalization project should be held criminally liable; if so, of DoJ's advice and the follow-up actions taken by the authorities; if not, the reasons for that; (3) whether the Government and HKJC have studied the penalties which should be imposed on the AP or contractor(s) who should be held responsible for the wall collapse incident, including the cessation of engaging them to undertake the revitalization project or suspension of their qualifications for tendering for public works contracts; (4) whether the AP and contractor(s) responsible for the revitalization project are currently participating in other infrastructural projects or projects of conservation or revitalization of historic buildings undertaken by the Government; if so, of the details of such projects, including the projects' names, nature and contract values; and (5) of the latest progress of the revitalization project, including the expected time when the revitalized buildings can be open to the public; whether HKJC will carry out restoration works on the collapsed wall; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
22. Hon Charles Peter MOK to ask: (Translation)
The Independent Commission Against Corruption announced on the 3rd of this month that it had arrested 72 newly registered electors and middlemen for alleged engagement in corrupt conduct of "vote-rigging" in the 2016 Legislative Council ("LegCo") Information Technology Functional Constituency ("ITFC") Election. The Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs ("SCMA") said on the 8th of this month that it was time to review the system for registration of ITFC electors from three aspects, namely the standard of professional qualification of electors, the level of representation of the bodies whose members are eligible to become electors, and the need to have a unified registration standard. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of complaints relating to the eligibility of ITFC electors received by the authorities in each of the past four years and the related follow-up work; whether, in the past four years, the authorities took the initiative to inspect the way in which the bodies specified for ITFC in the Legislative Council Ordinance (Cap. 542) handled new membership applications and managed existing memberships so as to ensure that the specified members of such bodies met the eligibility requirements for ITFC electors; if so, of the relevant procedure and outcome; if not, the reasons for that; (2) regarding the aforesaid review, of the criteria to be adopted by the authorities in unifying the standards for registration as ITFC electors; whether they have drawn up a timetable for the review, and of the specific improvement measures under consideration at present; whether the authorities will extensively consult industry bodies and frontline practitioners on the relevant standards and measures; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (3) as SCMA anticipates that the ITFC electorate will decrease upon the implementation of new measures, but quite a number of members of the industry hope that the ITFC electorate can be progressively broadened under a stringent mechanism for vetting electors' eligibility so that the representativeness of LegCo ITFC election can be enhanced, whether the authorities will consider further stepping up efforts in vetting the eligibility of ITFC electors to guard against corrupt conduct in elections; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
III. Government Bills
| First Reading
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| 1. | Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017
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| 2. | Waterworks (Amendment) Bill 2017
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| Second Reading (Debate to be adjourned)
| |||
| 1. | Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017 | : | Secretary for Transport and Housing
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| 2. | Waterworks (Amendment) Bill 2017 | : | Secretary for Development
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| Second Reading (Debate to resume), Committee Stage and Third Reading
| |||
| Appropriation Bill 2017 | : | Financial Secretary
| |
| Other Public Officers to attend the Second Reading debate | : | Secretary for Innovation and Technology
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Secretary for Development | |
| Amendments to Heads of Estimates in
committee of the whole Council on the Appropriation Bill 2017 | |||
| Hon Claudia MO, Dr Hon CHENG Chung-tai, Hon Jeremy TAM, Hon KWONG Chun-yu, Hon LAM Cheuk-ting, Hon James TO, Hon Andrew WAN, Dr Hon Helena WONG, Hon WU Chi-wai, Hon IP Kin-yuen, Hon HUI Chi-fung, Dr Hon YIU Chung-yim, Hon CHAN Chi-chuen, Dr Hon LAU Siu-lai, Dr Hon Fernando CHEUNG, Dr Hon KWOK Ka-ki, Hon LEUNG Kwok-hung, Hon SHIU Ka-chun, Hon Nathan LAW and Hon CHU Hoi-dick to move the Committee stage amendments in Appendix I.
(These amendments were also issued on 24 April 2017 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 490/16-17) (Debate and voting arrangements for Committee stage of the Appropriation Bill 2017 (issued on 25 April 2017 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 498/16-17)) | |||
| Other Public Officers to attend the Committee stage | : | Chief Secretary for Administration
Secretary for Justice Secretary for Transport and Housing Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Secretary for Security Secretary for Education Secretary for Food and Health Secretary for the Environment Secretary for Innovation and Technology Secretary for Home Affairs Secretary for the Civil Service Secretary for Labour and Welfare Secretary for Development Under Secretary for Home Affairs Under Secretary for the Environment Under Secretary for Transport and Housing Under Secretary for Security Under Secretary for Food and Health Under Secretary for Education Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology | |
| Committee Stage and Third Reading
Stand over item (since the meeting on 12 and 13 April 2017) | |||
| Private Columbaria Bill | : | Secretary for Food and Health
| |
| (i) | Secretary for Food and Health to move Committee stage amendments
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| (The amendments were issued on 6 April 2017
under LC Paper No. CB(3) 470/16-17) | |||
| (ii) | Hon CHAN Chi-chuen, Dr Hon Fernando CHEUNG, Hon Nathan LAW and Hon LEUNG Kwok-hung to move Committee stage amendments
| ||
| (The amendments were issued on 10 April 2017
under LC Paper No. CB(3) 473/16-17) | |||
| (Debate and voting arrangements for Committee stage of the Private Columbaria Bill (issued on 11 April 2017 under LC Paper No. CB(3) 478/16-17(01)))
| |||
IV. Government Motions
| 1. | Proposed resolution under the Road Traffic Ordinance
Secretary for Transport and Housing to move the following motion: Resolved that the period for which the limit specified in the Road Traffic (Public Light Buses: Limit on Number) Notice 2016 (L.N. 101 of 2016) on the total number of vehicles that may be registered as public light buses remains in force, being 12 months beginning on 21 June 2016, be extended to 20 June 2022. | |
| 2. | 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 (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2017, made by the Chief Executive in Council on 14 March 2017, be approved. | |
| (The Regulation is in Appendix II and was also issued on 28 March 2017
under LC Paper No. CB(3) 452/16-17) | ||