Question 1
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Disposal of waste furniture
Hon LUK Chung-hung to ask:
There are views that most waste furniture is reusable, and for Hong Kong, collaborating with the Mainland in waste treatment is not only a superior mode of cooperation leveraging on the strong support of the motherland, but also crucial to the city's efforts in reducing waste generation, turning waste into resources, and promoting environmental protection and sustainable development. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the quantity of waste furniture disposal as measured by weight in the past five years, together with a breakdown by household furniture and commercial furniture;
(2)
as some members of the public have relayed that at present, they have to deliver waste furniture to public refuse collection points themselves, which is very physically demanding, whether the Government will, by drawing reference from the practice of treating and recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment, introduce a producer responsibility scheme on furniture, and commission contractors to provide services for to-the-door collection of waste furniture and the delivery of used furniture in suitable conditions as a donation to the underprivileged groups, so as to assist members of the public in the disposal of waste furniture and promote the turning of waste into resources; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
as it is learnt that Hong Kong will explore with the Mainland the integration of waste resources in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, whether the Government will consider collaborating with the Mainland in creating new green industries for the treatment of household or commercial waste furniture that has a value and is reusable, and establishing a "green lane" for exporting waste furniture to the Mainland with the provision of tax incentives; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 2
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Clansmen Culture Promotion Scheme
Hon Jimmy NG to ask:
The Government has earlier on launched a three-year "Clansmen Culture Promotion Scheme" ("the Scheme"), under which a total funding of $30 million has been earmarked for application by clansmen associations to organize activities promoting hometown culture. It has been reported that the Scheme has received overwhelming responses, and that the Home Affairs Department received 213 applications from 110 clansmen associations this year, of which 39 were approved with funding of about $10 million. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective themes of the funded hometown cultural activities; whether it has estimated the number of participants in such activities; if so, of the details;
(2)
whether it will expand the scope of the subsidy under the Scheme to assist clansmen associations in organizing more activities of different types, so as to promote the vast and profound Chinese culture and enhance public understanding of the latest developments in various provinces and municipalities of the motherland; and
(3)
whether it will extend the implementation period of the Scheme or even regularize it; whether it will introduce more schemes to help promote clansmen culture; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 3
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Helping enterprises tide over difficulties
Prof Hon Priscilla LEUNG to ask:
There are views pointing out that, given the nascent recovery from the epidemic and current volatility in international politics, many enterprises in Hong Kong are still facing huge survival pressure. Results of a survey on the business index for small and medium enterprises ("SMEs") published by a statutory body in August this year have indicated that Hong Kong's overall business index for the third quarter retreated by 4.8 to 42.5, reaching the lowest level since the third quarter of 2022. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
as it has been reported that, as pointed out in the survey findings published by a trade association in August this year, nearly half of the SME respondents indicated their difficulty in financing due to the long processing time and cumbersome procedures for the Government's handling of applications lodged under various funding schemes, how the Government will enhance efficiency in vetting and approving applications under the funding schemes, so as to assist enterprises in financing;
(2)
whether it has reviewed if various financial regulators and statutory bodies (e.g. the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Insurance Authority) have aligned with the Government's general direction of providing assistance and room for survival for those enterprises at risk of closure but with a chance to survive, thereby ensuring their survival; if it has reviewed and the outcome is in the affirmative, of the details; if the outcome is in the negative, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether the Government and the statutory bodies concerned will review the existing disciplinary policies for certain industries in response to prevailing trends and circumstances, e.g. deferring the takeover of insolvent enterprises; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 4
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Tree management
Hon LAM San-keung to ask:
At present, the nine core tree management departments of the Government maintain trees within their respective facilities and boundaries in accordance with the relevant requirements and guidelines, while the Tree Management Office ("TMO") coordinates the tree management work of various government departments in an integrated approach. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether there is mechanism requiring government departments to notify TMO or the government departments concerned to carry out maintenance work when they discover potential risks posed by trees not under their purview, so as to prevent the trees from posing risks to members of the public; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
apart from calling the one-stop service hotline 1823, whether there are other channels for public transport operators to seek assistance when they find trees posing danger to vehicles on the road or blocking road signs; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
after members of the public lodge complaints about trees with potential risks by calling 1823, how long will it take for the Government to ascertain which department is responsible for maintaining the trees in question, and how long will it take for the department concerned to deal with the trees in question; whether the Government has set clear service indicators in this regard, and of the collaborative mechanisms among various government departments?
Question 5
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point
Hon CHAN Yuet-ming to ask:
It has been reported that the numbers of inbound and outbound passenger trips at the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point ("HYW BCP") have continued to hit record highs, resulting in snaking queues during both weekends and holidays. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has examined the reasons for the occurrence of snaking queues at HYW BCP; whether it will consider upgrading HYW BCP to increase its clearance capacity and discuss with the Office of Port of Entry and Exit of Shenzhen Municipal People's Government short and medium-term improvement measures, including increasing the number of entry/exit gates and X-ray machines, as well as implementing the various enhancement measures under the Special Action Plan for Improving the Efficiency of Shenzhen Ports; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
as it has been reported that Macao introduced iris self-service channels at the Border Gate Port last year, whether the authorities have plans to introduce the relevant technology or upgrade the Automated Passenger Clearance System to tie in with the future implementation of the "collaborative inspection and joint clearance" mode at HYW BCP; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
as it has been reported that the public car park at HYW BCP is often full during weekends, and that the use of the nearby private car park by members of the public has also caused traffic chaos, whether the authorities will review the user-friendliness and intelligence of the booking system of the car park so as to increase the efficiency of its use, and introduce measures or consider widening the roads around HYW BCP to improve traffic conditions?
Question 6
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Pursuing positive interaction of airports in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area
Ir Hon Gary ZHANG to ask:
The Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area ("GBA") puts forward consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong's status as an international aviation hub, pursuing the development and positive interaction of airports in GBA, and developing a world-class airport cluster in GBA. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will study constructing certain sections of the Hong Kong Island West-Hung Shui Kiu Rail Link in parallel with the construction of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link, so as to facilitate direct passenger access to the MTR Sunny Bay Station when the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link is commissioned and to connect with Qianhai and Shenzhen Bay as well as the airports of Hong Kong and Shenzhen, thereby creating a Hong Kong-Shenzhen super aviation hub; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
as the Government has indicated earlier in its reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council that the implementation of the immigration arrangement of the co-location arrangement at the Hong Kong International Airport, which involves legal and implementation issues, has to be carefully considered, whether the co-location arrangement will, according to the findings of the Government's latest study, affect the transfer time of transit passengers and the mode of passenger transport for transit passengers to the Mainland; and
(3)
whether it will consider expanding the mode of HKIA Dongguan Logistics Park to other GBA cities, so as to meet the demand of the manufacturing industries in GBA for international air transport; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 7
(For written reply)
(Translation)
New Industrialisation and Technology Training Programme
Hon SHANG Hailong to ask:
It has been reported that between August 2022 and August 2024, a course provider, after successfully registering a number of courses supported by the New Industrialisation and Technology Training Programme ("NITTP"), allegedly obtained by fraud training grants using false trainee information, and was eventually granted a total of $1.89 million under NITTP. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective numbers of cases of fraud or abuse of training grants reported by members of the public and organizations, and those discovered through investigations initiated by the Innovation and Technology Commission ("ITC") and the Vocational Training Council ("VTC"), the Secretariat of NITTP, in each year since the launch of NITTP in 2018;
(2)
whether ITC and VTC currently have any task force or department responsible for preventing and investigating cases of fraud and abuse of training grants; if so, of the relevant staffing establishment, and the measures in place to prevent the recurrence of fraud and abuse; and
(3)
as the Government has earlier indicated that its target is to roll out the business version of "iAM Smart" progressively from the end of 2026 onwards, whether it will, on the premise that personal privacy is protected, verify the information (e.g. tax returns) of NITTP applicants or organizations in the system, so as to assist the relevant departments in vetting and approving NITTP applications as well as eradicating fraud or abuse?
Question 8
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Developing the cross-boundary e-commerce industry
Hon LAM So-wai to ask:
In the 2024 Policy Address, it is proposed that in order to develop Hong Kong into a cross-boundary e-commerce logistics and distribution centre, the Government will review existing procedures to enhance the efficiency of cross-boundary goods' distribution, strengthening the competitiveness of Hong Kong. There are views that as a "super connector", Hong Kong possesses advanced cross-boundary e-commerce infrastructure and development potential, and promoting the development of the cross-boundary e-commerce industry is also conducive to consolidating Hong Kong's position as an international trade and maritime centre. The Government needs to sustain long-term strategic policies to better utilize public resources and the potential of the industry to boost the growth of the cross-boundary e-commerce industry. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will establish a data sharing platform for the cross-boundary e-commerce industry in Hong Kong, so that various parties such as airline companies, freight forwarding and logistics companies and trucking suppliers may complete the process of data exchange more securely and expeditiously through the platform along with the use of blockchain technology, thereby catering to the needs of cross-boundary e-commerce development; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether it has conducted systematic surveys and studies on the development of Hong Kong's cross-boundary e-commerce industry, including compiling statistics and studying the annual import and export volume of cross-boundary e-commerce, the operation of logistics companies and the degree of intelligence of the supply chain, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of the "Hong Kong Shopping Festivals" organized on Mainland e-commerce platforms in August this year, so as to formulate a more focused policy for the cross-boundary e-commerce industry; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether it has plans and specific measures to foster the efficient interface of the flows of goods, information and capital of the cross-boundary e-commerce industry, thereby developing Hong Kong into a cross-boundary e-commerce supply chain hub in the Asia-Pacific region; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 9
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Children's healthcare services
Hon Nixie LAM to ask:
The Opinions on Advancing the High-quality Development of Children's Medical and Healthcare Services issued by 10 Mainland authorities including the National Health Commission on 10 January this year put forward the objective of enhancing the system of children's medical and healthcare services with clear division of functions, reasonable arrangements, appropriate scale and high efficiency by 2025, so as to achieve the target of 0.87 licensed (assistant) paediatric doctors and 2.5 hospital beds per 1 000 children. On the other hand, there are views that notwithstanding the relatively robust healthcare resources for children in Hong Kong in general, the waiting time for children's healthcare services in the public sector is still relatively long. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has reviewed (i) the allocation of resources (including the respective ratios of practising doctors and nurses per 1 000 children, the ratio of hospital beds per 1 000 children, and the average waiting time for paediatric patients referred to various specialist services before receiving treatment), (ii) the scope of services, (iii) the equipment and technology, and (iv) the quality and safety levels, in respect of children's healthcare in Hong Kong at present;
(2)
whether it has reviewed the regional distribution and balance of children's healthcare resources in Hong Kong at present, including (i) the distribution of children's healthcare institutions among the 18 districts in Hong Kong, (ii) the average waiting time for paediatric patients in various districts referred to various specialist services before receiving treatment, (iii) whether there are relatively large disparities in terms of medical equipment, technology and healthcare quality among various districts, and (iv) whether children in various districts can enjoy comparatively equal healthcare services; and
(3)
whether the Government has formulated development planning specifically on the allocation of children's healthcare resources, e.g. whether it will consider providing more children's healthcare services in the next five years to meet the demand of members of the public, and whether measures are in place to create a better environment for children to seek medical treatment; if so, of the plans; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 10
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Prepayment mode of consumption
Dr Hon CHAN Han-pan to ask:
It has been reported that earlier on, a chain fitness and beauty group announced its "temporary closure", and the Consumer Council subsequently received more than 1 700 complaints about prepayment mode of consumption, involving a total amount of about $60 million. On the other hand, it is learnt that at present, different countries and regions have different protection for prepaid services contracts. For instance, it is stipulated in New York State of the United States that prepaid services contracts of health clubs must be with a duration of not more than 36 months, with the services fees capped at US$3,600 (i.e. around HK$28,000) per annum, and that consumers may terminate the contracts on health grounds and apply for refunds; in Ontario of Canada, it is stipulated that personal development services contracts for sports, fitness, martial arts and dance activities, etc. must last for only one year, with an instalment payment option for which a maximum premium of 25% is charged; in Taiwan, fitness centres are required to provide contract performance guarantee (e.g. by opening dedicated trust accounts) for 50% of the fees charged in the contracts signed between the centres and the consumers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether the authorities will consider (i) setting an upper limit on the contract period and the amount of prepayment for prepaid services contracts, and allowing consumers to terminate the contracts on specified grounds; (ii) drawing reference from the model of the levy contributed under the Travel Industry Compensation Fund and setting up a compensation fund by imposing a fixed fee for each prepaid service contract transaction; and (iii) requiring fitness centres to provide contract performance guarantee by opening dedicated trust accounts, so as to strike a balance between safeguarding the rights of consumers and the interests of operators; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and
(2)
as it is learnt that at present, prepayment consumption cases in Hong Kong are primarily handled by the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department and the Consumer Council under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (Cap. 362) and other relevant consumer contract laws, whether the authorities will, by drawing reference from the practices in other regions, set up a dedicated department to deal with issues concerning consumer rights or enhance the functions of the Consumer Council; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, how the authorities will enhance consumer protection and consumer education?
Question 11
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Raising the public's Putonghua standard
Hon TANG Fei to ask:
There are views that with the integration of Hong Kong into the overall development of the country, raising the public's Putonghua standard is of significance to enhancing their sense of national identity and patriotic education, and being conversant with Putonghua can help the public better understand the policies, culture and history of the country, thereby deepening their patriotic sentiments and sense of belonging. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the specific measures currently taken by the Government to raise the Putonghua standard of Hong Kong students, so as to enhance their sense of national identity and awareness of patriotism; whether it has plans to increase the proportion of school curriculum using Putonghua as the teaching medium;
(2)
to facilitate the implementation of Putonghua education, whether it has provided targeted professional training to teachers to raise their standard of teaching in Putonghua; whether a dedicated training fund or scholarship has been established to support teachers to pursue further studies in Putonghua;
(3)
whether it has policies or plans to raise civil servants' Putonghua standard; whether it will include the Putonghua proficiency test as a criterion for the recruitment and promotion of civil servants; if so, of the specific arrangements; and
(4)
whether it has conducted surveys on the implementation of Putonghua education in Hong Kong at present to assess its effectiveness; if so, of the assessment outcome for recent years; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 12
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Sealing up corridor-facing louvres of public rental housing flats
Hon YANG Wing-kit to ask:
It has been reported that in recent months, the Housing Department ("HD") has posted notices in some public rental housing ("PRH") estates, stating that HD must undertake fire safety improvement works pursuant to the requirements of the Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance (Cap. 572), including sealing up all domestic flat louvres facing common exit corridors with fire-resisting boards in phases starting from next year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the numbers of PRH estates and domestic flats involved in the aforesaid works, as well as the implementation schedules;
(2)
as some PRH tenants are worried that their flats will become poorly-lit due to the lack of lighting penetration from the corridors after the relevant works, whether HD has studied the alternative options, including allocating resources to seal up the louvres with fire-resisting glasses instead of fire-resisting boards, so as to retain the effect of light penetration; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
whether it will assist PRH tenants who have modified their louvres on their own to remove externally-attached objects and carry out reinstatement works, with a waiver of the relevant expenses; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
whether it will step up publicity and explanation efforts, so that the affected PRH tenants can gain an understanding of the procedures and implementation progress of the relevant works; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 13
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Building an international gold trading market
Hon Rock CHEN to ask:
The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, convened in July this year, adopted a resolution to, among others, consolidate and enhance Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre. Meanwhile, the 2024 Policy Address has proposed to build an international gold trading market and develop world‑class gold storage facilities, while exploring with the Mainland authorities the inclusion of gold-related products in the mutual market access programme. There are views that facilitating financial flows among Hong Kong, the Guangdong‑Hong Kong‑Macao Greater Bay Area and the international market can consolidate Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has any specific plans to take forward the mutual market access regime with the Mainland to include gold products, and to consider conducting offshore Renminbi-denominated gold trading; if so, of the timetable and trading implementation rules, and whether it will study the related arrangements jointly with the National Financial Regulatory Administration and other relevant Central ministries;
(2)
whether it has plans to promote cross-industry collaborative mechanisms in the related work, thereby facilitating cooperation among the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, financial institutions, insurance companies, logistics companies, gold storage companies and traders; and
(3)
how it will promote the gold trading market in Hong Kong, particularly in attracting international and Mainland investors; whether it has plans to enhance ties with suppliers in the Middle East and the Southeast Asian region through organizing international conventions or exhibitions?
Question 14
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Propelling Hong Kong into an international gold trading centre
Hon Robert LEE to ask:
The 2024 Policy Address has proposed to propel Hong Kong into an international gold trading centre and create a commodity trading ecosystem, so as to further consolidate and enhance Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that the Airport Authority Hong Kong ("AAHK") has recently announced the expansion plan of the Hong Kong International Airport Precious Metals Depository, under which its vaulting capacity will be expanded up to 1 000 tonnes in phases, whether the Government knows the timetable of the expansion plan, and how AAHK will make full use of the potential of the facility;
(2)
how the Government will make good use of the only exchange in Hong Kong which trades physical gold and silver, i.e. the Chinese Gold and Silver Exchange Society, so that it can actively tie in with the Government's policies to propel Hong Kong into an international gold trading centre;
(3)
regarding the development of Hong Kong into an international gold trading centre, of the Government's initial thinking on improving the relevant financial infrastructures and support (e.g. mode of regulation, bank account opening process, testing and certification of gold, talent training, etc.), as well as helping the industry enhance its service quality to align with international standards;
(4)
given that the Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Registration Regime ("the Regime") was implemented on 1 April last year, of the implementation situation of the Regime (including the number of applications); whether the Government has reviewed the effectiveness of the Regime, as well as its burden and impact on the operation of the industry;
(5)
given that some members of the industry have suggested that the Government should strive to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership ("RCEP") as soon as possible, so that the industry can enjoy zero tariff for exporting gold and other precious metals from Hong Kong to RCEP member states, of the current progress of Hong Kong's application for accession to RCEP, and whether the Government has assessed the impact of RCEP accession on enhancing the global competitiveness of Hong Kong's precious metals industry; and
(6)
whether the Government has studied how to strengthen the cooperation between the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and major commodities and futures exchanges in the Mainland, so as to contribute to enhancing our country's pricing power in the international commodities market?
Question 15
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Processing of applications for building New Territories small houses
Hon YUNG Hoi-yan to ask:
According to a research publication of the Legislative Council Secretariat, as at end 2021, more than 10 000 applications for building New Territories small houses ("small house applications") were yet to be processed. Some members of the public have relayed to me that the speed of vetting and approving such applications has become increasingly slow in recent years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the following information in respect of small house applications:
(i)
the number of applications received in each of the past five years;
(ii)
the number of Certificate of Exemption and Certificate of Compliance granted in each of the past five years;
(iii)
the current number of applications of which the Certificate of Exemption and Certificate of Compliance are yet to be processed;
(iv)
the current backlog of applications;
(v)
among the applications mentioned in (iv), of the number of those which have been backlogged for more than five years; among them, the duration of the 10 longest backlogs, and the reasons for the prolonged backlogs; and
(vi)
the staff establishment and posts involved in processing the vetting and approval of applications;
(2)
of the reasons for the increasingly slow speed in vetting and approving small house applications, and whether the problem of manpower shortage is involved;
(3)
given that the sale and purchase of small houses may require payment of land premium, of the respective current number of small houses for which land premium is to be paid but the procedure of paying the land premium has not yet completed, and the amounts involved;
(4)
whether the Lands Department could achieve its target of processing 2 300 small house applications per year in the past five years; whether the Lands Department will, in view of the huge backlog of applications, adjust upwards the target number of applications to be processed; and
(5)
of the plans in place to handle the backlog of applications so as to keep the backlog in check?
Question 16
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Short-term parking arrangements for delivery couriers
Hon Kingsley WONG to ask:
It has been reported that the new communities of Queen's Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court in Fanling, with a population of more than 30 000, have great demand for the services of online delivery platforms. However, some of the relevant trade unionists have reflected that the management offices of these housing estates have not considered the need of delivery couriers for short-term parking of their motorcycles. Not only have the management offices failed to provide temporary parking spaces, they have also stepped up their efforts to impound motorcycles and have even lodged complaints with the Police about motorcycles obstructing roads, resulting in delivery couriers often having to pay impounding charges and fines for penalty tickets. Such trade unionists hope that the relevant estate management offices and the Police can take into account the principles of legality, reasonableness and compassion in their actions. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
as there are views about the varying standards of the management offices of different public housing estates in managing the short-term parking of delivery couriers' motorcycles in the housing estates, which has left delivery couriers at a loss, whether the authorities will consider providing guidelines for all parties to follow; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether it will keep abreast with the need to develop the platform economy by using the housing estates with recent population intakes (e.g. Queen's Hill Estate) as pilot estates to provide "designated motorcycle parking spaces for delivery" within or near the housing estates to allow delivery couriers to park their motorcycles for short periods; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
whether it will follow the practice of the Mainland and set up "courier posts" in various districts to provide areas for resting, eating and using toilets, equipped with facilities such as water dispensers and first-aid kits, etc., so as to improve the working conditions and well-being of delivery couriers; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
whether it has estimated the latest number of local delivery couriers accepting orders through online platforms?
Question 17
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Monitoring of charitable institutions
Hon Carmen KAN to ask:
Regarding the monitoring of charitable institutions, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the following information of charitable institutions as at 30 September of each of the past three years (set out in a table):
(i)
the respective numbers of tax-exempt charitable institutions recognized by the Inland Revenue Department under section 88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) whose tax exemption status was approved and withdrawn, as well as the percentages of such numbers in the total number of institutions for that year and the year-on-year rates of change;
(ii)
the number of charitable institutions (set out by type) as well as the amounts of donations exempted from tax and the year-on-year rates of change; and
(iii)
a list of the 50 charitable institutions being granted the highest amounts of government funding, the amounts of funding granted to them, as well as the percentages of such amounts in the total amount of funding for that year and the year-on-year rates of change;
(2)
whether it will, on the basis of its experience in making reference to common law precedents over the years, study the formulation of a legal definition of "a charitable institution or charitable trust of a public character" under section 88 of Cap. 112 applicable to the situation in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
as the newly amended Charity Law of the People's Republic of China has been formally implemented on the Mainland since 5 September this year to regulate charitable organizations, whether the authorities will enact a Charity Ordinance; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4)
given that in reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on 21 February this year, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau indicated that the Bureau would, in the light of the relevant circumstances, consider setting up a dedicated department or organization as the regulator of charitable institutions, of the factors considered by the authorities in the light of the current situation, and whether they will set up the relevant organization as soon as possible; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, as well as the measures in place to monitor the operation of charitable institutions; and
(5)
given that pursuant to a recommendation in Report No. 68 of the Public Accounts Committee, the authorities have drawn up a new "Good Practice Guide on Charitable Fund-raising" ("the Guide"), of the effectiveness of the Guide; whether they will consider making it mandatory for charitable institutions to comply with the Guide; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 18
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Promoting the development of low-altitude economy
Hon Elizabeth QUAT to ask:
Low-altitude economy is one of the country's strategic emerging industries, and the 2024 Policy Address has proposed to establish the Working Group on Developing Low-altitude Economy to formulate strategies and interdepartmental action plans for the development of low-altitude economy. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether the Government will set up research and development ("R&D")-cum-test flight bases for low-altitude economic technologies in Hong Kong, so as to actively promote R&D and application certification of drones and electric vertical take-off and landing ("eVTOL") aircrafts, including conducting studies on how to design vertical take-off and landing points, how to ensure aviation safety of drones and eVTOL aircrafts in airways of narrow urban area or structurally complex landscape, the related automated flight technologies, remote control flight design, etc.;
(2)
as there are views pointing out that radio mobile communication network is indispensable for promoting low-altitude economic activities, whether the Government will, in respect of the planning of dedicated spectrum resources for low-altitude communications, advance discussions with telecommunications operators on the licensing arrangements for fifth generation ("5G")/sixth generation ("6G") mobile services radio base stations, and make planning for the allocation of dedicated spectrum resources for low-altitude communications towards building a low-altitude intelligent network;
(3)
whether the Government will assist telecommunications operators in advancing the testing and construction of the relevant ancillary network facilities, and formulate supporting policies (e.g. tax concessions) to encourage the early construction of a low-altitude intelligent network by telecommunications operators, including (i) expediting the integration of various technologies such as 5G and 5G-Advanced (i.e. 5G-A with new enhanced capabilities such as integrated sensing and communication), BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, satellite interconnection network, automatic dependant surveillance-broadcast system, radar, etc., (ii) improving the construction of an ancillary facilities network in respect of low-altitude communications, navigation, surveillance, identification, meteorology, counter-drone, etc., and (iii) achieving interconnection with the relevant platforms in Guangdong Province and collating sensory data of various regions, so as to progressively build a comprehensive central low-altitude intelligent network serving the entire Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area ("GBA");
(4)
as there are views that the development of low-altitude economy hinges on talents in different fields (including interdisciplinary talents in aviation, law, finance and engineering), whether the Government will estimate the number of talents required in different fields, conduct studies on the formulation of unified professional standards (including the certification standards of software and hardware, as well as the arrangements for mutual recognition of licences of the relevant professionals in GBA), and provide the relevant training;
(5)
as there are views pointing out that low altitude-international civil aviation intermodal transport is a cost-effective and convenient mode of travelling, and Mainland residents can fly to urban areas in Hong Kong or directly to the airport from in-town take-off and landing points in other Mainland GBA cities by helicopters or eVTOL aircrafts before making use of the frequents flights departing from Hong Kong to travel to places all over the world, while travellers from all over the world can use Hong Kong as a hub to travel to and from other Mainland GBA cities by helicopters or eVTOL aircrafts, and Hong Kong residents can also travel to and from urban areas in the Mainland via take-off and landing points in the urban areas of Hong Kong, whether the Government will conduct studies to improve the policy on low altitude traffic rights in GBA and enhance the utilization grouping of air traffic rights, including establishing low-altitude transport agreements with the relevant Mainland authorities, negotiating the extension of the existing civil aviation traffic rights to low-altitude airspace, and drawing up co-location or joint boundary control arrangement for low-altitude intercity transport, with a view to establishing such intermodal transport; and
(6)
as it is learnt that the Shenzhen Municipal Plan for Constructing High-quality Taking-off/Landing Facilities for Low-altitude Flying (2024-2025) published by the Shenzhen Development and Reform Commission has proposed the construction of more than 1 000 low-altitude aircraft take-off and landing platforms and 123 new take-off and landing points for logistic transportation by the end of 2025, and that the Implementation Plan for Low-altitude Economic Development in Guangzhou Province issued by the People's Government of Guangzhou Province has also proposed the construction of more than five new hub-type vertical take-off and landing ports and more than 100 new regular take-off and landing points by 2027, and it has been reported that at present, there are 30, 8 and 11 national general aviation airports in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Shanghai respectively, whether the Government will draw reference from the experience of the aforesaid cities in planning the construction of general aviation airports as well as take-off and landing points for low-altitude aircrafts and logistic transportation in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 19
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Implementing e-Government services
Hon Dominic LEE to ask:
In September this year, members of the Panel on Transport of this Council conducted a duty visit to Shanghai and Hangzhou. During the duty visit, I have learnt that the Shanghai Municipal People's Government accepts the presentation of electronic versions of identity cards on mobile phones by members of the public as legal identity documents. On implementing e-Government services, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will, by drawing reference from the experiences of some Mainland cities, consider amending the legislation to accept Hong Kong identity cards presented by members of the public on designated mobile applications (e.g. "iAM Smart") as legal identity documents, so that members of the public do not need to carry physical Hong Kong identity cards when they go out, thus making their daily lives more convenient; and
(2)
as the authorities indicated in January this year that they planned to introduce electronic driving licenses between the middle of this year and early next year, of the specific implementation date for the measure, and how the authorities plan to promote it to motorists?
Question 20
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Provision of sports and recreation facilities
Ir Hon LEE Chun-keung to ask:
It is learnt that while the brilliant results of the national team and the Hong Kong, China delegation in the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympic Games are heartening and have roused an instant craze for sports in Hong Kong, the shortage of sports venues in Hong Kong has all along been subjected to criticism. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
in respect of the "Five-Year Plan for Sports and Recreation Facilities" ("Five-Year Plan") and the "10-year Development Blueprint for Sports and Recreation Facilities" ("10-year Blueprint") put forth in the 2017 Policy Address and the 2022 Policy Address respectively, of the Government's concrete plans to expedite the construction progress of the uncompleted projects therein;
(2)
apart from the projects covered by the Five-Year Plan and the 10-year Blueprint, of the Government's other plans to increase the provision of district sports facilities; and
(3)
whether it will consider converting some vacant markets into multi-purpose government buildings for the provision of facilities such as sports complexes; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 21
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund
Hon Mrs Regina IP to ask:
To promote the development of Hong Kong as the East‑meets‑West centre for international cultural exchange, and to drive the city into an international cultural metropolis and a destination for tourists worldwide, the Government set up the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund ("the Mega ACE Fund") in April last year to attract and support large-scale arts and cultural events to be held in Hong Kong by providing funding support to the organizers of such events. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the following information since the establishment of the Mega ACE Fund (set out by year): (i) the number of grants and the amount of funding granted, (ii) the remaining balance of the funding, (iii) the number of applications received, and (iv) the number of events funded, the amount of funding received and the actual costs incurred for each event;
(2)
whether the Government has assessed the economic benefits brought to Hong Kong (including the number of inbound tourists attracted to Hong Kong, the amount of spending induced and the economic value generated) by the mega events funded by the Mega ACE Fund that were already held; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and whether it will conduct such assessment;
(3)
given that in its progress report submitted to this Council in April this year on the motion on "Promoting the in-depth integration of culture, sports and tourism to revitalize the tourism industry", the Government indicated that it would set corresponding key performance indicators for each of the funded mega events and activities, of the progress of such work;
(4)
given that the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism indicated in 2022 that the Government's initial plan was to allocate about $60 million from the Arts and Sport Development Fund to fund around four events through the Mega ACE Fund each year, and as shown in the information provided by the Government in its reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on the Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year of 2024-2025, the respective number of events funded by the Government through the Mega ACE Fund in 2023 and 2024 has both exceeded four, of the reasons for the number of events funded in each of these two years exceeding the expected number, and whether the amount of the funding for each year has exceeded $60 million; if so, of the mechanism through which the Government reports to this Council in this regard; and
(5)
as there are views that the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Committee ("the Mega ACE Committee"), currently responsible for vetting and approving the Mega ACE Fund applications, may draw reference from the composition of the committees for vetting and approving other funding applications in the past and include civil servants as members, whether the Government will consider appointing civil servants as ex-officio members of the Mega ACE Committee, so as to enhance the coordination of the events funded by the Mega ACE Fund; if so, of the implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 22
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Diverting the flow of visitors travelling to and from land boundary control points
Hon CHAN Hak-kan to ask:
According to government information, there were about 1.38 million inbound visitors during the National Day Golden Week this year, with the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line ("LMC SL") Control Point being the boundary control point ("BCP") used by the majority of Mainland visitors during the period. There are views pointing out that the BCP has become one of the most frequently used BCPs for the public and visitors, with an average number of inbound and outbound visitors comparable to that of the Lo Wu Control Point, and the MTR East Rail Line ("ERL"), which is connected to these two BCPs, is often overcrowded with passengers during the holiday. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that at present, the service hours of the Lo Wu Control Point are from 6:30 am to 12:00 midnight, while those of the LMC SL Control Point are from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm, whether the Government will, in the light of visitors' demand, discuss with the relevant Mainland authorities the extension of service hours of the LMC SL Control Point; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
as it is learnt that the current ratio of train frequency to MTR Lo Wu Station and to MTR Lok Ma Chau Station is 2:1, whether the Government will discuss with the MTR Corporation Limited to increase the ratio of train frequency to 1:1, so as to better meet the needs of passengers; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
whether the Government has compiled statistics on the patronage and occupancy rate of ERL during the peak hours (i.e. from 8:00 am to 10:00 am and from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm) during the National Day Golden Week this year, and whether there was any overloading situation; if it has compiled such statistics, of the details;
(4)
whether it will consider further enhancing the cross-boundary coach services to divert visitors on days with a higher number of visitors, including bus services plying between the LMC SL Control Point and districts such as Tsim Sha Tsui, Wan Chai and Central; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5)
whether the Government has plans to construct new cross-boundary railways to connect the Man Kam To BCP, the Heung Yuen Wai BCP and the new Huanggang Port after redevelopment, etc., so as to increase the carrying capacity of the traffic to and from the land BCPs as soon as possible; if so, of the timetable, and the measures in place to expedite the implementation of the relevant plans?