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A 18/19-30

Legislative Council

Agenda

Wednesday 15 May 2019 at 11:00 am

I.
Papers to be laid on the Table of the Council

3 items of subsidiary legislation/instruments and 3 other papers to be laid on the Table of the Council are set out in Appendix 1
Public officer to address the Council
Paper

II.
Questions

Members to ask 16 questions for written replies
Contents of the questions, the Members to ask such questions and the public officers to reply are set out in Appendix 2

III.
Government Bill

Consideration by committee of the whole Council and Third Reading
Appropriation Bill 2019
(Item standing over from the meeting of 8 May 2019)
:
Financial Secretary
Amendments to Heads of Estimates in committee of the whole Council on the Appropriation Bill 2019
16 Members (Hon Claudia MO, Dr Hon CHENG Chung-tai, Hon Jeremy TAM, Hon CHAN Chi-chuen, Hon Gary FAN, Dr Hon KWOK Ka-ki, Hon LAM Cheuk-ting, Hon James TO, Hon WU Chi-wai, Hon HUI Chi-fung, Dr Hon Helena WONG, Hon KWONG Chun-yu, Hon Alvin YEUNG, Hon IP Kin-yuen, Hon AU Nok-hin and Hon CHU Hoi-dick) to move 56 amendments in Appendix 3
(Details of the above amendments are also set out in Appendix 4 to "President's ruling on amendments proposed by 16 Members to the Appropriation Bill 2019" issued on 6 May 2019)
(Debate and voting arrangements are set out in LC Paper No. CB(3) 584/18-19 issued on 7 May 2019)
Other attending public officers
:
Chief Secretary for Administration
Secretary for Justice
Secretary for the Environment
Secretary for Innovation and Technology
Secretary for Home Affairs
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Secretary for the Civil Service
Secretary for Security
Secretary for Transport and Housing
Secretary for Food and Health
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
Secretary for Development
Secretary for Education
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs
Under Secretary for the Environment
Under Secretary for Security
Under Secretary for Development
Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology
Under Secretary for Education
Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare
Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs
Under Secretary for Food and Health
Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
Under Secretary for Home Affairs
Under Secretary for Transport and Housing

IV.
Members' Motions on Subsidiary Legislation/Instruments

Proposed resolution to extend the period for amending subsidiary legislation
1.
Hon MA Fung-kwok to move the motion in Appendix 4
Motion to take note of a report of the House Committee in relation to subsidiary legislation
2.
Hon Starry LEE to move the motion in Appendix 5
(Item standing over from the meeting on 17 and 18 April 2019)
Public officers to attend
:
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
(Debate arrangement is set out in LC Paper No. CB(3) 534/18-19 issued on 15 April 2019)

V.
Members' Motions

1.
Motion on "Report of the Subcommittee to Follow Up Issues Relating to the Unified Screening Mechanism for Non-refoulement Claims"
Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT to move the motion in Appendix 6
Public officers to attend
:
Secretary for Security
Under Secretary for Security
2.
Motion on "Keeping up with technological development and enhancing the protection of people's privacy"
Dr Hon Priscilla LEUNG to move the motion in Appendix 7
3 Members (Hon Alvin YEUNG, Hon Charles Peter MOK and Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT) to move amendments as set out in LC Paper No. CB(3) 596/18-19 issued on 10 May 2019
Public officers to attend
:
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs
Under Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs
3.
Adjournment motion under Rule 16(4) of the Rules of Procedure
(Issue for debate
:
The relaxation of the internship requirement of the non-locally trained specialist doctors by the Medical Council of Hong Kong)
Hon Tommy CHEUNG to move the motion in Appendix 8
Public officers to attend
:
Secretary for Food and Health
Under Secretary for Food and Health



Clerk to the Legislative Council






Appendix 1

Council meeting of 15 May 2019

Papers to be laid on the Table of the Council

Subsidiary legislation/instruments
Legal Notice No.
Other papers




Appendix 2

16 questions to be asked at the Council meeting of 15 May 2019

Subject matters
Public officers to reply
Questions for written replies
1
Hon Charles Peter MOK
Secretary for Innovation and Technology
2
Hon Paul TSE
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury
3
Hon Holden CHOW
Secretary for the Environment
4
Hon Jimmy NG
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
5
Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT
Secretary for Food and Health
6
Hon CHAN Hak-kan
Secretary for Transport and Housing
7
Hon Abraham SHEK
Secretary for Development
8
Hon Kenneth LEUNG
Secretary for Development
9
Hon CHAN Chun-ying
Secretary for Innovation and Technology
10
Hon KWOK Wai-keung
Secretary for Transport and Housing
11
Hon Steven HO
Secretary for Food and Health
12
Hon Claudia MO
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development
13
Hon HO Kai-ming
Secretary for Labour and Welfare
14
Hon Jeremy TAM
Secretary for the Environment
15
Hon Andrew WAN
Secretary for Transport and Housing
16
Hon WU Chi-wai
Secretary for Transport and Housing




Question 1
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Manpower development of and professional recognition for
the information technology industry

Hon Charles Peter MOK to ask:
Some practitioners of the information technology ("IT") industry (including the communications industry) have relayed that the ever-evolving technological development makes it necessary for them to pursue continuing education through multiple pathways in order to stay competitive. They hope that their professional status can enjoy a higher recognition and their advancement paths can be clearer. In 2015, the Task Force on Information and Communications Technology Professional Development and Recognition ("the Task Force") established under the Digital 21 Strategy Advisory Committee published a report ("the report"), putting forward recommendations on the establishment of a unified framework for IT professional recognition ("the unified framework"). However, the Task Force opined that as members of the industry had not reached a consensus on the implementation details, it would be difficult to implement the unified framework right away. Regarding the manpower development of and the enhancement of practitioners' professional status in the IT industry, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
with regard to the five recommendations made by the Task Force in the report for facilitating various stakeholders in reaching a consensus on the establishment of the unified framework, of the work progress made by the Government in following up such recommendations;
(2)
whether it will, in the light of the recommendations of the report, formulate afresh a long-term plan for the manpower development of the IT industry, with a view to enhancing the recognition for and professional status of the practitioners; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether it will follow up the matters relating to the establishment of the unified framework, including:
(i)
enhancing the proposed framework put forward by the Task Force by drawing reference from international practices and consulting afresh the practitioners in the industry in this regard; if so, of the work schedule (including the target time for completion of the relevant work);
(ii)
exploring ways to introduce flexibility to the unified framework to dovetail with the changes in the market's demand for IT professional skills and to encompass novel modes of continuing education so as to ensure that the framework can keep abreast of the time; and
(iii)
consulting the business sector afresh on the unified framework, and launching mitigation measures to assist small and medium enterprises in coping with the issue of increase in operating costs that might arise from the unified framework?




Question 2
(For written reply)

(Translation)

The Caring and Sharing Scheme

Hon Paul TSE to ask:
The Government announced in March last year the Caring and Sharing Scheme, under which each eligible member of the public would be granted a sum of up to $4,000. The Working Family Allowance Office ("WFAO"), which is responsible for implementing the Scheme, has anticipated that an administrative cost of $300 million will be incurred and the recruitment of more than 700 non-civil service contract staff members is needed for handling the relevant work. It has been reported that while WFAO received a total of over 3.2 million applications when applications closed at the end of last month, it approved only 70 000 applications or so (i.e. 2.2% of the total number of applications) by the beginning of this month. It is estimated that WFAO will take 357 more days to complete the processing of all the applications. Quite a number of members of the public have criticized that this Scheme for cash handout has been administered with surprisingly low efficiency, and is a waste of public money and time. Besides, some of the contract staff members have found it hard to stand the work pressure involved (as each person is required to input the information of more than 200 applications each day), resulting in an upsurge of resignations, which may possibly cause the time needed for completing the processing of the applications to be lengthened. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has set a deadline for completing the processing of all the applications; if so, of the deadline, and whether it has assessed if additional staff members have to be recruited, so as to ensure that all applications will be processed by the deadline; if so, of the details; if not, whether it will conduct an assessment immediately;
(2)
as there has been an upsurge of resignations of contract staff, whether it has gained an understanding of the causes, and considered recruiting additional staff so as to share the heavy workload and boost staff morale; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
as it has been reported that some people called upon, on the Internet, those persons who had been admitted to Hong Kong from the Mainland to study or work (commonly known as "drifters in Hong Kong") to submit their applications regardless of whether they were eligible or not, thereby pushing up the number of applications significantly, whether it has compiled statistics on the percentage of those applications submitted by this kind of ineligible persons in the total number of applications;
(4)
as the Caring and Sharing Scheme, originally intended for sharing the fruit of Hong Kong's economic success with the public, has attracted fierce criticisms from the public, whether the Government has learnt a lesson, and assessed if it has overestimated the administrative efficiency of government departments and the competence of its officials; whether the civil service college, upon its commissioning in future, will cite the implementation of this Scheme as a negative example; and
(5)
as it is learnt that earlier on, Mr TANG Lung-wai, a Hong Kong permanent resident who has been sent to jail in the Philippines, submitted an application through his family members, of the current progress for vetting and approval of his application; whether the Government will approve his application expeditiously, so as to alleviate his imminent financial hardship?




Question 3
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Traffic noise nuisance caused to residents

Hon Holden CHOW to ask:
Quite a number of Tung Chung residents have relayed to me that there are often heavy vehicles travelling at a high speed on the North Lantau Highway (which has a speed limit of 110 kilometres per hour), causing serious noise nuisance to them. They therefore request the Government to retrofit noise barriers at the relevant road section. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective names of the expressways in the territory which have currently (i) been installed with and (ii) not been installed with noise barriers, and set out in a table by name of expressway of the road sections which (iii) have been installed with noise barriers and (iv) will be retrofitted with noise barriers in the coming three years;
(2)
whether it regularly measured, in the past three years, the traffic noise levels at the Tung Chung section of the North Lantau Highway; if so, of the approach adopted for the measurement, and the traffic noise levels recorded at different hours; and
(3)
whether it will consider retrofitting noise barriers at the Tung Chung section of the North Lantau Highway or taking other measures, so as to alleviate the traffic noise nuisance caused to Tung Chung residents; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?




Question 4
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Assisting Hong Kong-owned manufacturing enterprises
in upgrading and restructuring their plants

Hon Jimmy NG to ask:
Some members of the manufacturing industry have relayed to me that in recent years, they have planned to upgrade and restructure their plants located in the Mainland cities within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area ("the Greater Bay Area"), but they have encountered quite a number of difficulties in raising the funds needed. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the details of the loans provided by the banks in Hong Kong, in each of the past five years, for Hong Kong-owned manufacturing enterprises in respect of their plants located in the Mainland cities within the Greater Bay Area, including (i) the number of cases, (ii) the number of enterprises, as well as (iii) the total, median and average amounts of loans, together with a tabulated breakdown by the (a) name of bank and (b) city where the plant was located; and
(2)
whether it will introduce more targeted measures to assist such Hong Kong-owned manufacturing enterprises in upgrading and restructuring their plants, as well as seizing the opportunities brought about by the development of the Greater Bay Area; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 



Question 5
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Development of the Chinese medicine industry

Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT to ask:
To promote the development of the Chinese medicine ("CM"), the Government has allocated $500 million to establish a dedicated Chinese Medicine Development Fund. One of the aims of the Fund is to assist local CM traders in the production and registration of Chinese proprietary medicines. The Government also plans to amend the definition of "proprietary Chinese medicine" in the Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap. 549). Regarding the development of the CM industry, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will amend Cap. 549 to require single CM granules that are supplied to CM practitioners for dispensing a prescription to undergo proprietary CM registration, so as to align the requirements for them with those for compound CM granules and other single CM granules that are sold publicly; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
given that some CM practitioners have pointed out that as various CMs in a herbal formula, upon being boiled together, may produce new ingredients with therapeutic effects, single CM granules prescribed for the same formulae may not necessarily have the same therapeutic effects, whether the Government knows the reasons why the 18 Chinese Medicine Centres for Training and Research under the Hospital Authority have ceased to prescribe compound CM granules for patients since 1 April last year;
(3)
given that the registration requirements of new CM involve prolonged and costly clinical trials and medicinal tests, and the Hong Kong market is of a small scale, whether the Government with consider discussing with the Mainland authorities the setting up of a mutual recognition system of CM registration between the two places; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
whether it will consider conducting clinical medicinal tests in the CM hospital upon its commissioning in future, with a view to promoting the development of the CM industry in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 



Question 6

(For written reply)

(Translation)

Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme

Hon CHAN Hak-kan to ask:
Since 1 January this year, the Government has implemented the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme ("the Subsidy Scheme") to provide members of the public with subsidies for public transport expenses. The amount of monthly subsidy is set at 25% of the actual public transport expenses after deducting the first $400, subject to a maximum amount of $300. Members of the public may collect the subsidy of the previous month on and after the 16th of each month, and the time limit for collection of the subsidy is three months. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of members of the public who collected the subsidies (with a breakdown by the group to which the subsidy amount belongs (each group spanning $100) and their percentages), and the total amount of subsidies involved, in each month since the implementation of the Subsidy Scheme, and the average amount of subsidy received by each person each month;
(2)
of the respective numbers of persons who have hitherto not collected the subsidies for January and February, as well as the respective amounts of subsidies involved;
(3)
whether it will include all red minibus and Kaito routes in the Subsidy Scheme; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
given that according to the results of a questionnaire survey conducted earlier, half of the respondents received a monthly subsidy of about $100 only (i.e. one-third of the maximum subsidy amount), whether the Government will study if the current threshold of $400 for subsidy collection is too high and the subsidy rate is too low, and whether it will consider relaxing them with a view to increasing the number of beneficiaries and the amount of subsidy they may collect; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 



Question 7

(For written reply)

Land supply options recommended by the Task Force on Land Supply

Hon Abraham SHEK to ask:
The Government has fully accepted the eight land supply options that should be accorded priority studies and implementation as recommended by the Task Force on Land Supply. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the specific implementation plan (including the timetable) in respect of each of those eight recommended land supply options?
 



Question 8
(For written reply)

(Translation)

The Government's greening efforts

Hon Kenneth LEUNG to ask:
In recent years, the Government has been committed to promoting district greening to enhance the liveability of Hong Kong. Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030, published in 2016 by the Development Bureau, mentioned that the Government had developed the Greening Master Plans ("GMPs") for the urban areas and completed the recommended greening works, and it had been progressively extending the GMP initiative to the districts in the New Territories, including Tsuen Wan, Kwai Tsing, Islands District, Tai Po and North District. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the current greenery coverage and green space per capita in Hong Kong;
(2)
of the total number of trees and shrubs planted in the urban and rural areas in each of the past five years by the various government departments (with a breakdown by District Council district); the carbon dioxide in tonnes that could be absorbed by those trees and shrubs each year and its percentage in the total carbon emission of Hong Kong;
(3)
of the total expenditure and a breakdown of such expenditure incurred in each of the past five years by the various government departments on the management and maintenance of the trees and shrubs in the urban and rural areas;
(4)
of the respective numbers of greening works implemented in each of the past five years by the various government departments for the buildings under their management, and set out in a table the details of such works (including (i) the name of the building, (ii) the District Council district in which the building was located, (iii) the type of the works (e.g. roof greening, vertical greening, sky garden, terrace planting, etc.), (iv) the greening area, (v) the expenditure on the works, (vi) the annual expenditure on maintenance and (vii) the annual expenditure on repairs); and
(5)
of the latest implementation progress of the GMPs for the New Territories; when the relevant greening works are expected to commence and complete; whether the authorities have provided guidelines on the planning, design and implementation of such works; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 



Question 9
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Provision of training on innovation and technology for working people

Hon CHAN Chun-ying to ask:
It has been reported that some experts have pointed out that the development of artificial intelligence ("AI") (including robotics) has made progress in leaps and bounds in recent years, and it is estimated that AI will be competent for performing 50% of the jobs of human beings in 10 years from now. As such, working people need to receive retraining to meet the manpower needs of the new era. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that the Human Resources Planning Commission, chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, has initially examined and discussed the impacts of automation on human resources and the labour market, whether the Government will conduct an in-depth study on the subject and submit a report; if so, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
given that in Singapore, a trades union has, since 2017, partnered with a tertiary institution there to provide classroom and online courses on financial technologies ("Fintech") for local professionals, managers and executives, whether the Government will draw reference from such an initiative and help the local banking practitioners keep abreast of the latest Fintech knowledge; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
given that the Government introduced the "Reindustrialization and Technology Training Programme" in August last year to encourage enterprises to arrange technology training for their staff, whether applications from the financial industries (including the banking sector) have been received since the Programme was launched; if so, of the number of such applications approved; if not, whether the Government has identified the causes for not receiving any application from such industries; and
(4)
as it has been reported that a multinational computer technology enterprise opened an AI school in Paris last year to provide a free-of-charge seven-month technology training course and a one-year internship to enable the local working people to change their career paths, whether the Government will draw reference from such an initiative and invite multinational computer technology enterprises to organize in Hong Kong free training courses on automation, AI or Fintech, etc. for local working people; if so, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
 



Question 10
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Implementation of the revised Well-off Tenants Policies

Hon KWOK Wai-keung to ask:
The Hong Kong Housing Authority ("HA") has implemented, since October 2017, the revised Well-off Tenants Policies ("the revised WTP") to safeguard the rational allocation of public rental housing ("PRH") resources. Under the revised WTP, PRH tenants with a household income exceeding five times of PRH income limits ("PRHILs") or with assets exceeding 100 times of PRHILs are required to vacate their PRH units. Tenants who are exempted include those whose household members are all aged 60 or above ("all-elderly households"). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of cases in which approval was given by HA in each of the past three years for the deletion of family members from the PRH tenancy, with a breakdown by reason for the deletion;
(2)
of the number of all-elderly households and its percentage in the total number of PRH tenants, in each of the past three years;
(3)
of the number of cases in which HA conducted in each of the past three years random checks on the income and asset declarations made by PRH tenants, and the respective numbers of those cases in which HA conducted an in-depth investigation and identified false declarations; and
(4)
of the number of PRH units recovered by HA to date under the revised WTP?
 



Question 11
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Impacts of marine works on fishermen and the related ex-gratia allowance

Hon Steven HO to ask:
A number of major reclamation projects such as "Lantau Tomorrow Vision" and the "near-shore reclamation outside Victoria Harbour" are being or will soon be implemented, with a projected total reclamation area of as large as 3 000 hectares. Some fishermen have indicated that the reclamation works will result in a substantial reduction in fishing grounds and fish culture zones, pollute water and affect their livelihood. They have pointed out that although fishermen affected by marine works in Hong Kong may apply for an ex-gratia allowance ("EGA"), there are deficiencies in the mechanism for calculating the allowance, including that: (i) the amount of EGA payable to fishermen in respect of marine works resulting in a permanent loss of fishing grounds, which is equivalent to only 11 years' value of fish catch, is far less than their actual loss, (ii) mariculturists may apply for EGA only in respect of marine works carried out within five kilometres of their fish culture zones, but marine works may affect the water quality of waters more than five kilometres away, and (iii) the scope of EGA does not cover marine works proposed by individuals or those seeking to maintain existing facilities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the total area of fishing grounds in Hong Kong waters in each of the past three years and as projected in each of the next five years;
(2)
of the details of the marine works carried out in Hong Kong since the reunification of Hong Kong, including (i) the dates, (ii) the project names, (iii) whether they were proposed by the Government or individuals, (iv) the types of the works (reclamation/sand dredging/mud disposal/maintenance works), (v) the areas of the works, (vi) whether the loss of the fishing grounds/farms concerned was permanent or temporary, and (vii) whether eligible fishermen were granted EGA (set out in a table);
(3)
given that both marine works proposed by individuals and those seeking to maintain existing facilities will have a permanent or temporary impact on the fisheries industry and the livelihood of fishermen, whether the Government will consider requiring the proponents of such works to grant EGA to the fishermen affected by the works concerned;
(4)
given that the mechanism for granting EGA has been implemented for seven years and has all along been criticized by fishermen, and that a number of major reclamation projects will soon be implemented, whether the Government will introduce a better development policy and relief measures for the fisheries industry, and examine reforming the mechanism for granting EGA, so as to mitigate the impacts of marine works on fishermen;
(5)
of the marine mud disposal volume, as well as the names of the major marine mud disposal works, in each of the past three years;
(6)
of the details of the various locations for disposal of contaminated marine mud (including (i) the remaining capacity, (ii) the environmental monitoring results, and (iii) an overview of the operation) (set out in a table); and
(7)
given that the frequent marine works in recent years have resulted in a continuous reduction in the area of fishing grounds, and that reclamation works have caused the land area to increase continuously but the sea area to decrease continuously, whether the Government will consider exploring new technologies for mud disposal, and changing the locations for disposal of marine mud from offshore points to designated onshore locations, so as to reduce the impacts of marine mud disposal on the ocean and the fisheries industry; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 



Question 12
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Inbound Mainland tour groups

Hon Claudia MO to ask:
It has been reported that inbound Mainland tour groups ("IMTGs") carrying out activities like shopping and dining in the Kowloon City district have caused serious nuisances to local residents, and that a pedestrian was knocked down and killed in an accident that occurred in To Kwa Wan last month. Regarding IMTGs, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of traffic accidents involving tourist coaches that occurred in the Kowloon City district in each of the past five years, and the resultant casualties;
(2)
of the number of law enforcement operations carried out by the Police in the Kowloon City district, in (a) each year and (b) each month of the past five years, against tourist coach drivers who contravened traffic regulations, together with a breakdown by the type of (i) contraventions and (ii) actions taken (e.g. ordering to leave and issuance of fixed penalty notices); the respective locations of the 10 major black spots of the various contraventions;
(3)
of (i) the number of IMTGs and, among them, (ii) the number of those conducting activities in the Kowloon City district, on average each day in each month of the past five years; whether it has assessed the impacts of such activities on residents in the Kowloon City district;
(4)
whether it will, targeting at issues concerning contraventions of traffic regulations by tourist coach drivers, raise the relevant penalties and study new measures for traffic improvements; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(5)
given that the Government is urging the trade to divert IMTGs joining Victoria Harbour cruises to embark and disembark at piers other than the Kowloon City Ferry Pier, of the progress of the work and the feedback of travel agents, as well as the expected completion time; of the progress so far of the discussions among the Government, operator of the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal ("KTCT") and members of the tourism industry on making use of KTCT for diverting tour groups; and
(6)
whether it will set limits on (i) the number of same-day Mainland visitors, (ii) the number of IMTGs, and (iii) the area of activities of IMTGs, in order to mitigate the impacts of the relevant tourism activities on residents of various districts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 



Question 13
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Statistics on work injuries

Hon HO Kai-ming to ask:
Regarding the statistics on injuries caused to employees by accidents arising out of and in the course of employment ("work injuries"), will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective numbers of employees who were incapacitated by work injuries for a period of (i) three to seven days, (ii) eight to 14 days, (iii) 15 to 30 days, (iv) 31 days to three months, (v) more than three months to six months, (vi) more than six months to one year, (vii) more than one year to two years, and (viii) more than two years, in each year since 2014;
(2)
of the respective numbers of employees injured at work who were assessed, by the Employees' Compensation Assessment Boards in each year since 2014, to have suffered from the following percentages of permanent loss of earning capacity: (i) 5% or below, (ii) 6% to 10%, (iii) 11% to 20%、(iv) 21% to 30%, (v) 31% to 50%, (vi) 51% to 70%, and (vii) 71% or above; and
(3)
given that employers and employees may, in respect of work injury cases which entail a period of sick leave exceeding seven days, agree on applying to the Labour Department for making settlement by "Paper Medical Clearance", of the year since which this approach has been adopted; the number of work injury cases which were settled in this way in each of the past five years?
 



Question 14
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Promotion of low-emission light buses

Hon Jeremy TAM to ask:
It has been reported that liquefied petroleum gas ("LPG") light buses currently produced by a single manufacturer will cease to be produced in 2021. Thereafter, members of the trade who wish to replace their existing light buses may need to purchase diesel ones. Some environmental groups have pointed out that diesel light buses have a higher level of emission of air pollutants (e.g. respirable suspended particulates) than LPG light buses, posing hazards to public health. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
how do the levels of emission of various types of air pollutants (including (i) nitrogen oxides, (ii) respirable suspended particulates, (iii) fine suspended particulates, (iv) hydrocarbons and (v) carbon monoxide) from LPG light buses compare with those from diesel light buses, assuming that both meet the latest emission standards (provide the data on these two types of vehicles obtained respectively in laboratory and from detection on the road by using roadside remote sensing equipment);
(2)
of the number of light buses acquired with the subsidy of the Pilot Green Transport Fund ("the Fund") since the establishment of the Fund in 2011, and the following information in respect of each of the light buses: (i) the type of energy used, (ii) model, (iii) price, (iv) the amount of subsidy, (v) the route serviced, (vi) the name of operator, (vii) performance (including the time a light bus can travel after a full charge, horsepower and average fuel economy), and (viii) the levels of emissions of various types of air pollutants;
(3)
whether it has studied if the light buses mentioned in (2) are better than diesel and LPG light buses in terms of performance and reduction of pollutant emissions; if it has studied and the outcome is in the affirmative, whether the Government will raise the amount of subsidies provided under the Fund to encourage the trade to acquire light buses fuelled by those types of energy; and
(4)
as it has been reported that the land leases of the 12 dedicated LPG filling station sites in Hong Kong will expire between 2021 and 2022, whether the Government has plans, in granting renewal of the land leases concerned, to add a provision requiring the lessees to provide charging equipment for electric light buses at the stations? 




Question 15
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Carrying out alteration works for the facilities
in the units of public rental housing tenants

Hon Andrew WAN to ask:
It is learnt that at present, upon receipt of the recommendations from subvented social welfare organizations or healthcare workers (e.g. occupational therapists) of the Hospital Authority, the Housing Department ("HD") will carry out alteration works for the facilities in the public rental housing ("PRH") units in which the elderly and persons with disabilities reside, so as to facilitate their daily living. In addition, at a recent meeting of the Panel on Housing of this Council, HD officials indicated that upon receipt of the applications from elderly PRH tenants for installation of grab rails or alteration of shower facilities in the toilets of their units, HD would schedule a date for carrying out such works. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the current number of elderly PRH tenants awaiting HD to alter the facilities in their units (with a breakdown by PRH estate), and the estimated time, manpower and costs needed for completing the works;
(2)
of the average time taken by HD in the past three years from the receipt of the aforesaid recommendations to the completion of the works concerned, and the procedure involved;
(3)
of the number of applications for alteration of facilities in PRH units that were referred by the Total Maintenance Scheme personnel under HD in the past five years to healthcare workers or occupational therapists for assessment; and
(4)
whether HD will install, free of charge, facilities other than grab rails in the toilets in the units in which elderly PRH tenants reside only upon receipt of the recommendations from occupational therapists; if so, whether HD will relax this requirement by stipulating that as long as the tenant is a "singleton elderly person" or an "all elderly household", or a referral has been made by a social worker, HD will carry out such installation works on the tenant's request, so as to shorten the tenant's waiting time?
 



Question 16
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Franchised bus services

Hon WU Chi-wai to ask:
Regarding franchised bus services, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows, since the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited ("KMB") launched a monthly pass scheme on 1 March last year, (i) the average number of monthly passes sold each month, (ii) the top 10 bus routes with the highest numbers of passengers using monthly passes and the changes in the patronage of these routes before and after the launch of the monthly pass scheme, and (iii) whether the overall patronage has increased and KMB has correspondingly adjusted the bus frequencies; given that some cross-harbour bus routes are jointly operated by KMB and other franchised bus companies, but the monthly passes are applicable only to those trips made on buses of KMB, whether the Government has requested KMB to explore solutions to this problem; if so, of the details;
(2)
as it has been reported that KMB is studying the introduction of a monthly pass scheme for short-haul routes, whether it knows (i) the progress of the study, the launch date of the scheme and the districts to be covered, and (ii) if other franchised bus companies have planned to launch monthly pass schemes;
(3)
of the details of the bus routes (i) newly introduced and (ii) cancelled in each of the past five years by various franchised bus companies, including the justifications, effective dates and route information;
(4)
as the Guidelines on Service Improvement and Reduction in Bus Route Development Programmes provide that in considering the provision of new bus service, priority will be given to railway feeders or new bus routes serving areas that are beyond the catchment area of existing railways, whether the Government will consider amending this provision with a view to improving the situation that public transport services rely heavily on railway service;
(5)
as the Government has subsidized franchised bus companies to install real-time bus arrival information display panels at about 1 300 bus stops on a matching basis, of the respective numbers of bus stops at which the installation work (i) has been completed and (ii) is expected to be completed by the end of next year, and set out the locations of those bus stops in the order of District Council districts;
(6)
as some members of the public hope that more large bus stops for bus-bus interchange offering interchange concessions will be provided in various districts in Kowloon (e.g. the bus stop near the Regal Oriental Hotel on Prince Edward Road East), whether there are such studies currently in progress; if so, of the details; and
(7)
as the lost trip rates of franchised bus services have risen from 1.6% in 2016 to 2.9% in 2018, of the measures the Government has in place to urge various franchised bus companies to improve such a situation?