Question 1
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Children Proceedings (Parental Responsibility) Bill
Hon LAM San-keung to ask:
The Children Proceedings (Parental Responsibility) Bill ("the Bill") aims at reforming and consolidating the law relating to the responsibilities and rights of parents for children, providing for the appointment and powers of guardians, etc., and requiring the court to, in giving the ruling, regard the best interests of a child as the paramount consideration. At the meeting of the Panel on Welfare Services of this Council on 17 June last year, most members considered that the authorities should expeditiously reactivate the legislative proposal. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of the reasons for not having commenced the legislative process of the Bill after a lapse of nine months, and whether the Government will immediately commence the relevant legislative process at the request of members?
Question 2
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Kwu Tung North and Fanling North New Development Areas
Hon Louis LOONG to ask:
The Kwu Tung North and Fanling North New Development Area ("NDA") project is the first NDA project in the Northern Metropolis to enter construction stage. The Government invoked the relevant legislation in 2019 and 2024 successively for the resumption of private lots for implementing the development of the NDAs. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number and hectare of private lots resumed so far;
(2)
among the private lots resumed, of the respective numbers of lots for which compensation has been and has not yet been paid by the Government to the landowners; and
(3)
given that the Government is required by the relevant legislation to pay the interest that shall be borne from the date of reversion of private lot to the Government until the date of the compensation payment, whether it has estimated, in respect of the private lots which have been resumed but for which compensation has not yet been paid, the total interest expenses to be involved in the payment of compensation by the Government?
Question 3
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Privatization of listed companies
Hon Rock CHEN to ask:
It has been reported that in the first half of last year, a total of 14 listed companies in Hong Kong announced that they would be delisted, with the companies' market capitalization reaching as high as $66 billion, including some relatively renowned enterprises to be delisted through privatization. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the respective numbers of listed companies delisted from the Hong Kong stock market and delisted through privatization last year, as well as the market capitalization of the companies involved; whether it has reviewed the reasons for the wave of delisting of listed companies last year and its impact on the Hong Kong stock market, and whether it has assessed the trend of the wave of privatization of listed companies of this year; if it has assessed, of the details, and whether it has measures in place to abate the relevant impact, so as to prevent the excessive privatization from undermining the attractiveness of Hong Kong stocks; and
(2)
whether it knows if relevant regulatory bodies have plans to improve the delisting mechanism so as to allow delisted companies more time and flexibility in the delisting process; if they have, of the specific measures and timetable?
Question 4
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Kai Tak Sports Park
Hon Paul TSE to ask:
It has been reported that at the Kai Tak Sports Park ("KTSP") Grand Opening Ceremony, some self-proclaimed "insiders" charged a fee of $1,000 per person to lead people without tickets to enter the venue "through the back door", and they even claimed that there were ways to bring reporters to the scenes of other activities without tickets. Subsequently, at the World Snooker Grand Prix 2025 held in KTSP, the word "curfew" appeared on the screen of the venue before the end of the competition, requesting the audience to leave the venue. Some foreign media reported the incident, and the foreign players in the venue also thought that Hong Kong had imposed a curfew. There are views that the incident has brought Hong Kong's international image into disrepute. Moreover, it is learnt that a businessman lost his way when leaving the venue but did not receive any assistance from the staff. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of stress tests conducted by different government departments before the opening of KTSP; the number of staff members involved, as well as the contents, objectives and public expenditure of each stress test;
(2)
whether it has examined why the aforesaid incidents of "passage without tickets", "midnight curfew" and "nobody showing the way" still occurred after public money has been spent on stress tests; and
(3)
without incurring substantial public money, of the measures in place to ensure that the aforesaid mistakes will not recur when organizing the concerts by the band Coldplay and major competitions such as the National Games in the future?
Question 5
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Students with dependent visa being admitted to local schools
Hon LAM Chun-sing to ask:
According to the definition of local students by the Education Bureau ("EDB") for the purpose of admission to post-secondary programmes, students holding dependent visa or entry permit who were below 18 years old when they were first issued with such visa or entry permit by the Immigration Department are also defined as local students. There are views that the definition of local students is too loose, which may affect the fairness of competition for places and the accurate use of resources by the University Grants Committee ("UGC"). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of persons aged between 12 and 17 who were admitted to Hong Kong as dependants under various talent admission schemes in each of the past three years and so far this year, together with a breakdown by age;
(2)
whether it will collect data on whether students admitted to UGC-funded programmes through the Joint University Programmes Admissions System are holders of dependent visas, and consider introducing a tiered system of tuition fees for UGC-funded bachelor's degree programmes, under which local students with dependent visas will be charged higher tuition fees; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
as it has been learnt that EDB has indicated earlier that it is reviewing the definition of local students for the purpose of admission to post‑secondary institutions, of the current progress of the relevant work?
Question 6
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Immigration and customs clearance measures that facilitate inbound tourism
Hon YIU Pak-leung to ask:
There are views pointing out that enhancement of the immigration arrangements for visitors is crucial to attracting more high value-added and high-end visitors to Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
as there are quite a number of views that it will further promote inbound travel of high-end visitors if the co-location or other innovative immigration and customs clearance arrangements are adopted for private jet and cross-boundary helicopter passengers, whether the authorities have initiated discussions with the relevant Mainland departments in this regard; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
as there are views pointing out that the large-scale arts, cultural and sports events to be held at the Kai Tak Sports Park will attract internationally renowned superstars and high-end visitors to come to Hong Kong and drive up the demand for helicopter services, whether the authorities have considered opening up the heliport of the Government Flying Service Kai Tak Division for operating the relevant cross-boundary flights as well as flights within Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
as it is learnt that there are often long queues of people at the immigration counters of the Hong Kong International Airport during peak hours, which brings negative impact on the experience of visitors, of the authorities' specific plans in place to expedite the adoption of automated systems using innovative technologies to enhance the efficiency of passenger clearance, and whether the authorities will consider providing fast tracks for business travellers, with a view to offering more expeditious immigration services?
Question 7
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Improving the accessibility of village areas
Dr Hon CHAN Han-pan to ask:
The Government has provided additional barrier-free access facilities under the "Universal Accessibility" ("UA") Programme to enhance the convenience of the elderly, people with disabilities and people in need in using public walkways. However, it is learnt that the complex terrain and the lack of such facilities have made commuting quite difficult for those village residents who moved to the hillsides due to urban development in early years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether the Government has, in formulating policies on transport and barrier-free facilities, conducted accessibility studies targeting hillside villages (such as those in Tsuen Wan), and whether it has collected relevant data on the difficulties faced by village residents in travelling;
(2)
whether the Government will launch a comprehensive survey on barrier-free facilities in village areas, so as to assess the conditions of the existing facilities in villages and identify those villages which are in urgent need of improvement; whether the Government has plans to provide additional public transport nodes to enhance the accessibility of villages; and
(3)
whether the Government will consider extending the UA Programme to villages, so as to ensure that residents in village areas can also enjoy the right to barrier-free access; if so, of the specific timetable?
Question 8
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Traffic planning for the area around Sussex Lodge, Tseung Kwan O
Hon Stanley LI to ask:
It is learnt that the continued population growth in the Clear Water Bay Road area in recent years, coupled with the large number of people travelling to Sai Kung and Clear Water Bay Beach at weekends, has resulted in serious traffic congestion at the roundabout on Clear Water Bay Road near Ying Yip Road outside Sussex Lodge, Tseung Kwan O ("TKO") ("the roundabout"). Some residents are hoping for the construction of a carriageway connecting Clear Water Bay Road or Tai Au Mun Road to Wan Po Road so that vehicles can be diverted to TKO Area 137, the Cross Bay Link, TKO, and Tseung Kwan O–Lam Tin Tunnel. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether the Government has conducted a comprehensive and systematic assessment of traffic flows at the roundabout and along Clear Water Bay Road; if so, whether it can provide specific data and predictive analysis reports on traffic flows in this area for the past five years and the next five years, including information on vehicle types, peak traffic periods, etc.;
(2)
whether the Government has considered implementing temporary traffic control measures in the vicinity of the roundabout to alleviate the existing traffic congestion problem; if so, of the specific measures and their implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
whether the Government will assess the feasibility of using a smart traffic system to relieve traffic congestion at the roundabout; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4)
regarding the request to construct a carriageway connecting Clear Water Bay Road or Tai Au Mun Road to Wan Po Road, whether the relevant government department(s) has/have commenced a feasibility study; if so, of the details, including the current stage and the expected completion date of the study, the time required for the preliminary works of the carriageway project, and the official commencement date of construction; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5)
whether the Government has currently formulated strategies to promote coordinated development between urban planning and carriageway construction in the areas surrounding Clear Water Bay Road and Tai Au Mun Road?
Question 9
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Urban renewal
Dr Hon Starry LEE to ask:
It is learnt that recently, under the influence of various factors such as high interest rates, uncertainties in the global economy and adjustments in the local property market, private developers' wish to participate in urban renewal has significantly diminished, resulting in impediment to the progress of a number of redevelopment projects, including the "13 Streets" and "5 Streets" projects in To Kwa Wan. There are views that the Urban Renewal Authority ("URA"), as the primary organization to drive urban renewal, must ensure that its redevelopment work will not be stalled by changes in the economic environment, so as to avoid any impact on the pressing demand of residents of dilapidated buildings for improvement in their living conditions. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:
(1)
whether URA has assessed the specific impact of the current weak property market on urban renewal projects, including details of the delayed projects and the number of residents affected;
(2)
whether URA will actively consider fully unleashing the development potential of land in old districts by means of establishment of street consolidation areas, cross-district transfer of plot ratios, greater planning flexibility or introduction of other innovative approaches; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
whether URA will consider deploying various means, such as increasing the proportion of self-developed residential projects, leveraging the "single site, multiple use" model, and exploring introduction of more commercial, retail and other uses in its development projects, so as to enhance the feasibility and beneficial effects of its projects; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
whether, in the long run, URA will review the existing redevelopment strategy to ensure continuous progress of urban renewal even in the face of fluctuations in the economic environment, so as to meet public expectation for improvement in their living conditions?
Question 10
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Developing Hong Kong into a fashion design hub in Asia
Hon Sunny TAN to ask:
As proposed by the Chief Executive in the 2023 Policy Address, the Hong Kong Fashion Design Week ("Fashion Week"), branded as "Hong Kong Fashion Fest" ("Fashion Fest"), would be held annually starting from 2024. In the 2024 Policy Address, it is proposed to make the new flagship Fashion Week an annual signature event to develop Hong Kong into a fashion design hub in Asia. It has been reported that the inaugural Fashion Fest was held in early December last year with resounding success. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has compiled statistics on the performance of the inaugural Fashion Fest, including the number of participants, the countries or regions from which the participants or attendees of the Fashion Fest came, and the media effectiveness, etc.;
(2)
of the plans and measures in place to make the Fashion Fest an annual signature event with more international and spectacular elements (including how to step up overseas publicity on the Fashion Fest in the international fashion arena, the industrial and commercial sectors, etc.), and to reinforce Hong Kong's positioning as the premier textile and fashion hub in the Asian region; and
(3)
as I have learnt that the fashion collections of an overseas brand were well received and successfully sold at the inaugural Fashion Fest, and the brand's founder cum designer subsequently moved to Hong Kong to develop his/her career and business, whether the Government will consider adopting more proactive policy incentives and initiatives (e.g. reduction of profits tax and business registration fees) to attract brands and designers from the Mainland and regions along the Belt and Road such as Southeast Asia to move to Hong Kong to set up their presence, so as to establish more Asian international brands based in Hong Kong?
Question 11
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Management of bicycle parking spaces in public housing estates
Prof Hon LAU Chi-pang to ask:
It is learnt that at present, quite a number of public housing estates ("PHEs") in Hong Kong are provided with bicycle parking spaces for use by residents. However, some members of the public have from time to time relayed that the bicycles parked at such parking spaces have been damaged or even stolen. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the current number of PHEs provided with bicycle parking spaces and the number of bicycle parking spaces in each PHE; whether the Government has plans to review if such bicycle parking spaces are sufficient for use by residents based on the usage situation;
(2)
of the total number of cases or complaints received by the Housing Department ("HD") or the Police in the past five years about theft or criminal damage of bicycles parked at bicycle parking spaces in PHEs, and the number of PHEs involved;
(3)
whether HD has formulated specific guidelines and measures on the management of bicycle parking spaces, such as the frequency of inspections by security personnel and/or the number of surveillance devices, etc.; if so, of the details; if not, whether it has plans to formulate the relevant guidelines and measures, so as to reduce the number of cases of bicycle theft or criminal damage; and
(4)
given that HD has earlier on launched "Well-being design" guide, which will serve as a reference for the future design of new PHEs and the improvement works of existing estates, and it is learnt that the newly completed Yip Wong Estate in Tuen Mun has adopted the "Health & Vitality" concept covered in the guide by placing the bicycle parking spaces near the Tuen Mun River cycle track so that residents can conveniently take their bicycles for cycling, whether HD has plans to gradually review the management of bicycle parking spaces in various PHEs and apply the guide to older estates to enhance the quality of life of residents?
Question 12
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Non-governmental organizations' acceptance of advantages from overseas organizations
Dr Hon Junius HO to ask:
It has been reported that the new-term United States Government has recently planned to substantially reduce the spending of the United States Agency for International Development ("USAID"). It is learnt that USAID has been providing funding support for overseas non-governmental organizations ("NGOs") on a long-term basis, and assisting such NGOs in carrying out work that endangers the national security of the place where the NGOs are based, such as exporting Western values, performing infiltration and sabotage, and inciting riots. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether the Government currently has a mechanism in place to verify if local NGOs have accepted advantages from overseas organizations (such as USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy of the United States); if it has, of the details;
(2)
whether it has assessed if the acceptance of financial contributions from overseas organizations by NGOs in Hong Kong violates the Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance; and
(3)
whether the Government will consider establishing a mechanism to regulate the acceptance of financial contributions from overseas organizations by NGOs in Hong Kong, and regularly review if the financial contributions accepted by NGOs pose risks to national security?
Question 13
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme
Dr Hon TAN Yueheng to ask:
To foster career development of young persons and the exchange of talents in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region launched the pilot Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme ("the Scheme") in 2021, regularized the Scheme in 2023, and introduced an enhancement measure of relaxing the eligibility criteria for young persons this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the total number of applications received since the launch of the Scheme; the number of enterprises participating in the Scheme, and the number of young persons employed who have contributed to these enterprises' success in allowance applications;
(2)
of the amount of allowance granted in each year since the launch of the Scheme;
(3)
whether the authorities hold information on the employment trends of those young persons participating in the Scheme, both during and after the completion of the 18-month subsidy period under the Scheme, including whether they have worked in Mainland cities for the full period of 18 months, and whether they have continued to work in Mainland cities after the completion of the subsidy period of the Scheme; if the authorities hold such information, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
whether the authorities have conducted separate surveys and studies on young persons and enterprises participating in the Scheme, so as to gather data and views for evaluation of the effectiveness of the Scheme; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 14
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Healthcare services for Islands District
Hon CHAN Hok-fung to ask:
It is learnt that the intake of the newly-built public housing estates in Tung Chung, namely Cheung Tung Estate and Chun Tung Estate, will commence progressively this year, and the population in the district is expected to increase by 30 000 or more within the year. On the other hand, there are views that the North Lantau Hospital ("NLH"), which has been serving the district for more than 11 years, has yet to be developed into a general hospital and only provides seven specialist outpatient services, making it necessary for some patients to travel a long distance to seek consultation at the Princess Margaret Hospital. Regarding the healthcare services for Islands District, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows if the Hospital Authority ("HA") has plans to provide all of the 15 specialist services at NLH; if it has, of the timetable and the next specialist outpatient service to be provided at the hospital; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
as it has been reported that stage 1 of phase 2 development of the NLH project was completed last year, whether the Government knows when HA plans to commence stage 2 of the development project; if so, of the details;
(3)
whether the Government has assessed the demand for healthcare services of the additional population brought about by the two aforesaid newly-built public housing estates in Tung Chung, and the time needed for residents moving into these two estates to arrange for a change of the cluster hospitals they attend;
(4)
whether it knows the current and projected staff establishment and the vacancy rates of NLH for the next three years, together with a breakdown by specialist outpatient service; of the number of days on which each specialist outpatient service is currently provided at the hospital per week; whether it has assessed if such specialist outpatient services can meet the demand of existing patients; and
(5)
given that while the Government has proposed in the 2024 Policy Address to develop tourism in the ex-Lamma Quarry area, it is learnt that clinics in the district cannot provide round-the-clock services at present, whether the Government will enhance the services of North Lamma General Outpatient Clinic, so as to cope with the demand arising from future development; if so, of the details?
Question 15
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Supporting villages in organizing mega events
Hon Kenneth LAU to ask:
It is learnt that every year, numerous festive and cultural events take place in villages throughout the New Territories. These events are hosted by the Rural Committees ("RCs") and attract a large number of visitors from the Mainland and overseas for sightseeing. However, there are views pointing out that the organization of such events requires significant human, material and financial resources, which places a considerable financial burden on the resource-constrained RCs. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether the Government provided financial and manpower support for the following rural mega events in the past three years: (i) the Lam Tsuen Wishing Festival, (ii) the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, (iii) the Tin Hau Festival Parade of Yuen Long, (iv) the Hau Wong Festival of Tung Chung, (v) the Dragon Boat Races during the Dragon Boat Festival, and (vi) the Jiao Festivals of various villages; if so, of the details, and set out in a table the funding amount and number of support staff for each event; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether, in order to fully implement the concept of "Tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong", the Government will provide direct funding to various RCs and consider introducing a new project type of "Rural Festive and Cultural Events" under the Countryside Conservation Funding Scheme, so as to subsidize villages to organize events with distinctive festive characteristics; if not, of the reasons for that;
(3)
as there are views that the development of rural mega events and tourism in the New Territories requires the participation of various RCs, and yet it is learnt that the monthly subvention granted by the Government to each RC ranges from $15,300 to $16,700, with the last adjustment to the subvention amount made in 2018, whether the Government will adjust such amount upwards based on changes in the Composite Consumer Price Index; if not, of the reasons for that; and
(4)
whether, in addition to strengthening the promotion of rural mega events through the Tourism Commission and the Home Affairs Department, the Government will draw on the Mainland's experience and use means such as live streaming and short video clips by rural online influencers to showcase the natural scenery, traditional culture and lifestyle of New Territories villages, so as to deepen the understanding of the public and tourists about the motherland and the New Territories, thereby promoting the development of rural mega events?
Question 16
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Healthcare services provided by the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital
Hon Judy CHAN to ask:
Since April 2023, the Hospital Authority ("HA") has started using the Central Government-Aided Emergency Hospital ("CGAEH") located in the Lok Ma Chau Loop for the provision of ambulatory services, and has launched the Ambulatory Diagnostic Radiology Service Pilot Programme ("the Pilot Programme") to invite patients with suitable clinical conditions to switch to CGAEH to receive radiological diagnostic services. Subsequently, HA has gradually expanded the services of CGAEH, including extending the service scope of the Pilot Programme to cover patients referred by all public hospitals in Hong Kong, introducing Magnetic Resonance Imaging services for thyroid eye disease, and providing imaging examination services with the use of two Ultrasonography machines and three Computed Tomography scanners. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the number of patients who received radiological diagnostic services at CGAEH each year since the launch of the Pilot Programme, together with a breakdown by the hospital cluster to which the patients belonged;
(2)
whether it knows the waiting situation for and the number of cases handled by HA's radiology services in each of the past three years, together with a breakdown by hospital cluster;
(3)
whether it knows the number of various types of medical equipment in CGAEH since its operation and the dates on which they were commissioned;
(4)
whether it knows the existing and future medical services provided by CGAEH;
(5)
whether it knows the patronage of the shuttle bus provided by HA for transportation to and from CGAEH in the past year; and
(6)
as a member of the public who belongs to a hospital cluster outside the New Territories has told me that even though the Pilot Programme has now been extended to cover patients referred by all public hospitals in Hong Kong, he has not yet been arranged to receive radiological diagnostic services at CGAEH, whether the Government knows if there are similar cases; if there are, of the reasons for that?
Question 17
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Handling of waste vehicle tyres
Hon Frankie YICK to ask:
According to the paper submitted by the Environment and Ecology Bureau to the Panel on Environmental Affairs of this Council in November 2023 ("the paper"), nearly 30 000 tonnes of waste vehicle tyres were generated in Hong Kong in 2021, of which 70% were generally first cut and disposed of at landfills, and only some 20% were retreaded and reused or recycled. It has been learnt that although waste vehicle tyres disposed of at landfills will be cut first, it still takes a long time for them to decompose, which also leads to the problem of landfills being exhausted. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the total weight of waste vehicle tyres generated in Hong Kong in each of the past three years, with a breakdown by the following methods for their disposal: (i) recovered and recycled locally, (ii) recovered and exported after treatment, and (iii) disposed of at landfills;
(2)
of the weight of landfilled waste vehicle tyres that were handled by the Government in the past three years, and its percentage in the weight of all waste vehicle tyres disposed of at landfills; the reasons for not recovering and recycling such waste vehicle tyres;
(3)
whether the Government has compiled statistics on the maximum handling capacity, actual handling capacity and remaining handling capacity of waste vehicle tyre recyclers in the market at present; if so, of the details; if not, whether it will compile such statistics;
(4)
given that it has been learnt that in order to promote the local recycling industry, the Government had allocated 20 sites for lease to the industry by January 2024, of the details of such sites, including their location and size, the recycling projects involved, and the number of such sites used for handling waste vehicle tyres; and
(5)
given that the paper proposes that landfills no longer accept and handle the disposal of waste vehicle tyres, when the proposal is expected to be formally implemented?
Question 18
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Places for religious activities in Hong Kong
Hon Benson LUK to ask:
According to the Hong Kong Fact Sheets issued by the Government in October 2024, more than three million people in Hong Kong adhere to a religion. It is learnt that, from time to time, various religious bodies have a demand for places to conduct religious activities. However, in recent years, some religious bodies have encountered difficulties with the approval processes and procedures when applying for the construction of permanent places for religious activities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of applications received from religious bodies of different religions for the construction of permanent places for religious activities in the past five years; among such applications, the respective numbers of those that have been approved, those that are pending approval and those that have been rejected, as well as the reasons for the rejection of those applications (set out in a table);
(2)
whether the Government currently has established approval mechanisms in place, including a dedicated land allocation system for religious purposes and a special land premium system for the conversion of land designated for non-religious uses into places for religious activities; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that and whether the Government will consider introducing specific and relevant mechanisms in the future;
(3)
whether the Government will provide assistance or financial support to religious bodies for the construction of permanent religious places; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
whether the Government will provide funding schemes to religious bodies for the construction of religious places, expedite the vetting and approval of applications in this regard, and assist religious bodies in carrying out renovation or enhancement works for new or existing religious places, so as to promote tourism activities and enable more members of the public to visit and tour such places; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 19
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Crackdown on "black taxis" in rural and tourist areas
Hon Vincent CHENG to ask:
It has been reported that there are "black taxis" in quite a number of rural and tourist areas (e.g. Sai Kung and the Peak), and the unlawful acts of the drivers concerned (including overcharging, cherry-picking passengers, refusing hire and failing to take the most direct route) have seriously affected tourists' experience and Hong Kong's reputation as a "hospitable city". In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of complaints received by the authorities since the implementation of the Taxi-Driver-Offence Points System involving unlawful acts of black-taxi drivers in rural and tourist areas and, among them, the number of taxi drivers with points incurred; the respective offences in which those taxi drivers with points incurred are involved and the penalties imposed on them;
(2)
whether the authorities have stepped up law enforcement against black taxis in rural areas over the past three years; if so, of the details (including the number of law enforcement operations, the number of drivers arrested in each of such law enforcement operations, the reasons for their arrests, the number of drivers prosecuted and convicted, as well as the relevant penalties imposed); if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
as some tourists have indicated that they are not clear about how to lodge complaints against law-offending taxi drivers, whether the authorities will step up publicity and education, such as by providing tourists with clear information, including taxi fares and channels for lodging complaints, at the entrances and exits of the airport, various boundary control points and major rural tourist spots; and
(4)
as there are views pointing out that the problem of black taxis stems from the inadequacy of ancillary public transport facilities in rural and tourist areas (e.g. in the vicinity of High Island Reservoir in Sai Kung), whether the authorities have considered improving the public transport services in such areas, such as increasing the frequency of green minibus services, thereby combating black taxi operations in the market and tying in with the development of eco-tourism?
Question 20
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Development of artificial intelligence
Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok to ask:
There are views that the development of artificial intelligence ("AI") is ever-evolving and has become an important driving force for developing new quality productive forces and promoting technological revolution and industrial transformation. It has been reported that some AI enterprises in the Mainland have recently developed large language model with higher efficiency and lower cost, demonstrating the enormous potential of AI innovation. Moreover, the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint published by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau in 2022 proposes to focus on the development of AI and data science industries. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will expeditiously formulate a comprehensive AI development blueprint and strategy, and provide comprehensive supporting policy measures in respect of the cooperation among the Government and the industry, academia, research and investment sectors, including the formulation of relevant legal and regulatory frameworks, land supply, dedicated funding, tax concessions, training and admission of talents, technological research and development ("R&D"), market development and regional cooperation, so as to capitalize on Hong Kong's edge to promote AI's R&D and application with enhanced speed and efficiency; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether it will allocate additional resources to expedite the admission and training of AI talents and support the application of AI in the industries and public services, as well as encourage people engaging in different industries to learn to make use of AI to comprehensively upgrade their skills through subsidy schemes such as the Continuing Education Fund, with a view to promoting the empowerment of industries and business with AI; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether it will further strengthen the coordination with Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in respect of promoting AI development, particularly when the Mainland has successively introduced policy initiatives such as the Implementation Opinions of the People's Government of Guangdong Province on expediting the creation of a hub for innovation in general AI in the province and Measures of the Shenzhen Municipality for building an AI pioneer city, whether Hong Kong will explore with the Mainland ways to strengthen the relevant cooperation and positive interaction; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 21
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Promoting the development of Hong Kong's capital market
Hon Robert LEE to ask:
Recently, six departments of the Central Authorities jointly announced the Implementation Plan on Promoting the Inflow of Medium to Long-term Capital into the Market, so as to steadily expand the scale of investment and improve the supply and structure of funds in the capital market. Moreover, it has been reported that as pointed out by the Governor of the People's Bank of China, the proportion of the country's foreign exchange reserves allocated to Hong Kong's assets will be substantially increased to support the development of Hong Kong's capital market. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether the Government has discussed with the relevant Mainland authorities the specific details (such as the target level of the allocation proportion, the types of assets to be allocated and the amount involved) and the implementation timetable for increasing the allocation of the country's foreign exchange reserves to Hong Kong's assets; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether the Government will study with the Mainland regulatory authorities the establishment of a mechanism for channelling capital, so as to promote the investment of the country's foreign exchange reserves and some of the Mainland medium to long-term capital (such as the National Social Security Fund, commercial insurance funds and pension funds) in Hong Kong's capital market;
(3)
whether the Government will actively consider making good use of the funds under its control, such as charitable trust funds, university endowment funds and funds managed by different government departments, to jointly increase investment in Hong Kong stocks, so as to play a leading role and boost market confidence; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
as it has been reported that the Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has recently proposed to promote the publication of a White Paper on Hong Kong's Capital Market ("the White Paper"), whether the SAR Government will implement the formulation of the White Paper; if so, whether it will study collecting various financial institutions' views in areas such as market regulation, transaction costs and corporate governance?
Question 22
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Special child care centres
Hon Lillian KWOK to ask:
The special child care centres ("SCCCs") under the Social Welfare Department provide whole day training and care for children with moderate to severe disabilities to facilitate their growth and development, helping them prepare for articulation to primary education. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has compiled statistics on the number of children receiving services provided by SCCCs in various districts in the past five years (with a breakdown by type of disability), as well as their average waiting time for such services;
(2)
whether it has compiled statistics on the respective numbers and percentages of children receiving services provided by SCCCs who have successfully articulated to mainstream schools and special schools; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
whether SCCCs will provide follow-up services to the children mentioned in (2); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
whether it will regularly assess and review the teaching plans of SCCCs, so as to ensure that children receiving such services can adapt to social development and better articulate to primary education; if so, of the details?