Question 1
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Accessible toilets
Hon CHAN Hoi-yan to ask:
It is learnt that new public toilets built by the Government generally adhere to the requirements of the Buildings Department's "Design Manual: Barrier Free Access 2008" and include accessible toilets. However, some wheelchair users have relayed that some of these toilets are not equipped with power-operated doors and significant physical strength are required to open the doors, thereby causing inconvenience to users. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective numbers of public toilets and accessible toilets currently managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and, among them, the number of accessible toilets equipped with power-operated doors;
(2)
of the expenditures/estimates involved for constructing public toilets (including modification and refurbishment works) by various government departments in the past year and the coming year;
(3)
of the Government's specific considerations in respect of the installation of power-operated doors in accessible toilets, and the average cost of installing each power-operated door;
(4)
whether the Government will increase the number of accessible toilets equipped with power-operated doors; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(5)
of the following information on the accessible toilets managed by various government departments which have been suspended due to repair or other reasons in the past three years: the names and addresses of the public toilets in which they are located, and the total number of days suspended;
(6)
of the respective average daily usage of various public toilets of the Government that have been installed with the Smart Public Toilet System and the accessible toilets in these public toilets in the past three years; and
(7)
of the number of complaints received by various government departments about the use of accessible toilets in public toilets under their management in the past three years, as well as the major subject matters of such complaints; whether the Government has formulated clear guidelines and provided relevant training for frontline cleaning staff to improve the management of these public toilets; if so, of the details of the relevant training (including the training contents as well as the number of training and participants); if not, the reasons for that?
Question 2
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Organizations promoting and coordinating the development of innovation and technology
Ir Hon CHAN Siu-hung to ask:
It is learnt that there are different organizations in Hong Kong (e.g. research and development centres, research institutes and statutory bodies) which are responsible for promoting and coordinating the development of innovation and technology ("I&T"), and among them, some are wholly owned by or established with funding support from the Government, while some others are established as independent legal entities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the following information on the aforesaid organizations, which are wholly owned by, established or operated with funding support from the Government, and statutory bodies (such as the Cyberport and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation) (including the existing ones and those under formation): (i) objectives of the organizations, (ii) positioning of the organizations, and (iii) their responsibilities, together with a breakdown by their respective sectors (i.e. upstream, midstream and downstream) in the I&T ecosystem;
(2)
whether it has examined if the organizations mentioned in (1) have overlapping or similar functions; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether it will adopt a "zero-based mindset" (i.e. a mindset of getting rid of the existing framework and thinking from scratch) in planning afresh the resources currently allocated to I&T development, such as by reorganizing or merging organizations with similar functions, so as to better dovetail with the development strategies put forward in the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint?
Question 3
(For written reply)
(Translation)
"Agri enJoy" Scheme
Hon CHAN Yuet-ming to ask:
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department ("AFCD") launched the "Agri enJoy" Scheme ("the Scheme") in June last year to facilitate farms engaged in commercial agricultural production. As at 14 March this year, 91 eligible farmers have joined the Scheme. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows if there has been any increase in the farmers' income after joining the Scheme;
(2)
whether it has compiled statistics on the average costs incurred by farmers seeking to join the Scheme (including but not limited to application fees for government licences, costs for additional structures required for food factory licence applications, etc.), and the payback periods for joining the Scheme; and
(3)
as there are views that while the participating farms of the Scheme may serve light meals using self-grown crops and non-flame cooking, the types of food they can prepare are still subject to quite a number of restrictions, for example, the making of fruit mochi cakes, fruit jellies, etc. being prohibited, thus rendering it unlikely for farmers to recover their costs in the foreseeable future, whether AFCD is aware of the above situation and how it will coordinate with other government departments to make improvements and assist participating farmers in recovering their costs as early as possible?
Question 4
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme
Hon LAU Kwok-fan to ask:
The Labour Department has implemented the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme ("ESLS") since September 2023, suspending the general exclusion of the 26 job categories as well as unskilled or low-skilled posts ("job categories") from labour importation for two years. ESLS will expire in September this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the situation of labour importation for the aforesaid job categories since the implementation of ESLS, including (i) the number of imported workers who have arrived in Hong Kong to work and (ii) the median wage of imported workers, as well as the respective (iii) local employment rates and (iv) median wages of local workers for such job categories;
(2)
whether the authorities have assessed, upon the implementation of ESLS, the specific impact of imported workers on the local labour market;
(3)
given that under ESLS, wages of imported workers should not be less than the median monthly wages of local workers in comparable positions, but it is learnt that some employers of imported workers may reduce the actual disposable income of imported workers through various excuses such as deducting agency commission, etc., whether the Government will establish a relevant monitoring mechanism and review afresh the relevant wage standards; if so, of the details; and
(4)
given that in the reply to a question from a Member of this Council on 26 February this year, the Government has indicated that it has commenced the review of ESLS and will fully consider the views of stakeholders in mapping out the way forward, of the details of the review, including how will the Government assess the effectiveness of ESLS, and whether it will extend ESLS or regularize it?
Question 5
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Work on attracting enterprises and investments
Hon Sunny TAN to ask:
There are views that the fruitful results of Invest Hong Kong ("InvestHK") in attracting enterprises and investments last year demonstrate that overseas and Mainland enterprises have full confidence in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
as InvestHK indicated last year that it would first focus on attracting medium-sized Mainland enterprises that had needs to "go global" to invest in Hong Kong, and it has been reported that the number of micro, small and medium-enterprises on the Mainland exceeds 52 million, of the authorities' deployment for the aforesaid work;
(2)
as it has been reported that some enterprises face problems in aspects such as talents, supporting resources and financing in Hong Kong when establishing presence in Hong Kong, and the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry has pointed out the need for the entire Government to be involved in resolving such problems, whether the authorities have conducted an in-depth study on the problems and difficulties encountered by Mainland enterprises when establishing presence in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
as the 2024 Policy Address proposes that InvestHK and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council will set up a mechanism to provide one-stop, diversified professional advisory services for enterprises in Hong Kong looking to go global, whether the authorities have conducted a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of Mainland enterprises venturing overseas markets directly vis-a-vis doing so through Hong Kong, so as to grasp Hong Kong's advantages; and
(4)
whether it will consider identifying the problems faced by Mainland enterprises venturing overseas markets when establishing presence in Hong Kong, and strengthening cross-departmental collaboration among various policy bureaux and government departments having regard to the needs of enterprises in terms of products, production, talents, as well as financial, legal, dispute resolution and other professional services relating to venturing overseas markets, so as to formulate targeted relief policies and helping measures, such as providing more targeted talent and fund matching services; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 6
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Measures to attract inward investment
Dr Hon Kennedy WONG to ask:
Regarding measures to attract inward investment, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective numbers of applications received, approved and rejected by the authorities under the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme ("New CIES") since its enhancement measures took effect on the first of last month, together with a breakdown by the applicants' place of domicile and total investment amount; and the reasons for rejecting applications under New CIES;
(2)
whether it has compiled statistics on, among the approved applications mentioned in (1), the number of successful applicants who have already made investments in Hong Kong; whether it has assessed the effectiveness of the enhancement measures for New CIES in promoting the development of family offices in Hong Kong;
(3)
as it has been reported that the delegation of Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress has proposed to establish a dedicated remittance mechanism called "Property Purchase Capital Connect" to allow residents of the Mainland and Hong Kong to make cross-boundary remittances for purchasing properties in Hong Kong or on the Mainland, with a view to further facilitating the flow of talents and economic integration between the two places, whether the authorities will look into this proposal and communicate with the relevant Mainland authorities in this regard; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4)
as it has been reported that even though the policies adopted by some countries to combat investment immigrants' money laundering are more stringent compared to Hong Kong, such money laundering still exists in those countries, how the authorities strike a balance between anti-money laundering on the one hand and facilitating the entry of and attracting investment immigrants to Hong Kong on the other; and
(5)
as it is learnt that while persons who have been granted visas under New CIES may apply to become Hong Kong permanent residents after meeting the relevant requirements and having resided in Hong Kong continuously for seven years, there is no such arrangement for the major asset managers of family office who have also come to Hong Kong for investment, whether the authorities will consider putting in place an identical arrangement for the aforesaid major asset managers with reference to New CIES; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 7
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Short-term parking measures for the convenience of taxi drivers
Hon Tony TSE to ask:
It is learnt that there is a lack of parking spaces which can be used by taxis for legal short-term parking near most public toilets and at most public transport interchanges ("PTIs") in Hong Kong, and quite a number of toilets at PTIs are only for the exclusive use of bus or minibus drivers, resulting in on-duty taxi drivers having to run the risk of receiving a penalty ticket for going to the toilet to answer an urgent call of nature, as well as some taxi drivers suffering from various health problems arising from holding their urine or deliberately drinking less water for a prolonged period. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the current number of public toilets with parking spaces nearby which can be used by taxis for legal short-term parking; whether it will consider providing more parking spaces of this kind at existing and newly built public toilets, and making good use of technology to ensure that such parking spaces will not be abused;
(2)
of the current number of toilets at PTIs and, among them, the number of those which are only for the use of specific persons such as bus or minibus drivers; whether it will consider opening up such exclusive toilets for taxi drivers to use, and providing more short-term parking spaces which can be used by taxis at existing and newly built PTIs; and
(3)
as it is learnt that the authorities are planning to adjust the amount of the fixed penalty for illegal parking, whether the relevant government departments will take into account the difficulties and needs of taxi drivers with regard to parking for the purpose of going to the toilets when enforcing the law?
Question 8
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Tax and welfare policies for elderly people who have moved to reside in the Mainland
Hon Edmund WONG to ask:
Under the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112), an individual who is either ordinarily resident in Hong Kong or a temporary resident may elect for personal assessment on the individual's income, thereby becoming eligible for the basic personal allowance and other related tax concessions ("personal tax concessions"). However, there are views that such tax policy has rendered certain elderly people who have moved to reside in the Mainland for retirement and rely solely on rental income from letting properties in Hong Kong for their livelihood not being eligible for personal tax concessions. This, to a certain extent, deviates from the Government's policy direction of encouraging elderly people to retire in the Mainland. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether, in the past three years, the Inland Revenue Department has received enquiries or requests for assistance from retired elderly people who have moved to reside in the Mainland and rely solely on rental income from letting properties in Hong Kong for their livelihood due to their ineligibility for personal tax concessions; if so, of the number of such cases, as well as the highest and average amounts of tax involved in such cases;
(2)
whether the authorities will consider introducing property tax relief measures for elderly people who have no income other than rental income from letting properties in Hong Kong and have moved to reside in the Mainland; and
(3)
whether the authorities will comprehensively review the tax and cash welfare policies for the elderly and, on the premise of preventing abuse, allow those elderly people who choose to retire in the Mainland to enjoy essentially the same tax and cash welfare policies as those retiring in Hong Kong, so as to prevent tax policies from deviating from the policy direction of encouraging elderly people to retire in the Mainland, and to help promote retirement in the Mainland among elderly people; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 9
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Promoting pet inclusivity and enhancing animal protection
Hon Stanley LI to ask:
As regards promoting pet inclusivity and enhancing animal protection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has compiled statistics on the number of households keeping pets, as well as the respective numbers of dogs and cats which have been microchipped and licensed, in Hong Kong;
(2)
whether it has assessed the effectiveness of the Government's promotion of public education on pet inclusivity (such as responsible pet ownership and prevention of cruelty to animals) in the past two years; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
given that the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X) currently prohibits dogs (except guide dogs) from entering food premises, and it is learnt that some shopping malls have successively allowed pets to enter their areas in recent years, whether the Government will consider implementing a pilot scheme to allow dogs to enter the food premises of such shopping malls, so as to provide actual experience and data for the purposes of reviewing the existing legislation and considering the relaxation of the restriction on the entry of dogs into food premises; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4)
as it is learnt that operators of some public transport services may decide at their discretion whether to allow passengers to board with pets, whether the Government will consider further relaxing the restriction to allow passengers to bring along their pets to use all public transport services, and formulating standard guidelines;
(5)
of the number of cases received by the Government in each of the past three years involving the fatal poisoning of dogs; among such cases, (i) the number of cases in which the suspects were successfully arrested, (ii) the penalties imposed on the convicted persons, and (iii) the number of cases involving public facilities under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department; how the authorities will follow up cases of fatal poisoning of dogs, including whether they will consider installing cameras at the relevant locations to step up monitoring; and
(6)
as it has been reported that many cases of fatal poisoning of dogs are suspected of involving the use of pesticides such as rodenticides, whether the Government will consider amending the legislation to require members of the public to register their real names with the Government when purchasing pesticides, so as to prevent pesticides from being abused to poison and kill animals?
Question 10
(For written reply)
(Translation)
"Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" and "Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles"
Hon SHIU Ka-fai to ask:
It has been reported that since the implementation of the "Quota-free Scheme for Hong Kong Private Cars Travelling to Guangdong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge ("HZMB")" ("'Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles' Scheme") in July 2023, there have been a total of more than 100 000 new applications. As of February this year, the vetting and approval procedures for the applications of about 96 000 private cars have been completed with issuance of permits. However, the corresponding "Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles" Scheme has yet been implemented. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of Hong Kong private cars and members of the public travelling to the Mainland each month under the "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" Scheme since its implementation;
(2)
of the implementation timetable and details of the "Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles" Scheme; and
(3)
whether it will consider using Lantau Island as a pilot area in the first phase of the implementation of the "Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles" Scheme, allowing southbound quota vehicles to enter the area on Lantau Island via HZMB Hong Kong Port (except for the closed roads, which require access with a valid Lantau Closed Road Permit), and gradually increasing the application quota and relaxing the restriction on vehicle access to urban areas in the second phase only when smooth operation has been confirmed after one year of operation; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 11
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Promoting the development of automobile technology
Ir Hon Gary ZHANG to ask:
Some members of the automobile industry have pointed out that the two types of trade licences (commonly known as "Red Plate" and "Blue Plate") currently provided for under the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulation (Cap. 374E) do not cover left-hand-drive vehicles that are not intended for re-export, with the result that left-hand-drive vehicles have no way to enter Hong Kong for testing purposes, thereby hampering technological research and development ("R&D") conducted by enterprises in Hong Kong. In addition, the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems ("ADAS") functions of many new vehicle models currently being introduced in Hong Kong have been reduced compared to the same vehicle models sold in the Mainland and overseas. Regarding promoting the development of automobile technology, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the following information on the aforesaid Red Plates and Blue Plates in the past three years: (i) the number of licence applications received and (ii) the number of new licences issued each year, and (iii) the current number of valid licences, with a breakdown by the permitted usage of the trade licences;
(2)
whether applications for the aforesaid two types of trade licences have been made by vehicle manufacturers for the purpose of vehicle R&D and testing, but have been rejected; whether the authorities will consider reviewing the existing application framework and permitted usage of the trade licences, such as including the use of "R&D and testing", so as to promote the development of automobile technology in Hong Kong;
(3)
whether the Government knows if any vehicle models equipped with full original factory ADAS functions (e.g. Navigate on Autopilot ("NOA"), Highway NOA, FSD Intelligent Assisted Driving) are currently on sale in Hong Kong; if so, of the details;
(4)
whether the Transport Department, in processing applications for Type Approval of vehicles, has imposed criteria or restrictions in addition to those provided for in the legislation in respect of the built-in driver assistance functions or systems of vehicles; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for the reduced ADAS functions of vehicles sold in Hong Kong (e.g. some of these vehicles are not equipped with Urban NOA); and
(5)
as it is learnt that at present, those regions with relatively mature advanced intelligent assisted driving technology (e.g. the Mainland and the United States) are left-hand-drive environments, what policy measures the Government has in place to attract and facilitate car companies and relevant technology suppliers to apply the relevant driving functions to right-hand-drive vehicles, and to introduce them in Hong Kong?
Question 12
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Promoting the development of the tourism industry
Hon LAM So-wai to ask:
Regarding promoting the development of the tourism industry, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has assessed the actual effectiveness of various tourism promotional campaigns (including the "Night Vibes Hong Kong" and the "Hello Hong Kong" campaigns) in the past three years, including but not limited to (i) the growth in the number of visitor arrivals, (ii) the consumption pattern and spending of visitors, (iii) the actual economic benefits to the local retail and catering industries, and (iv) the gap between the actual effectiveness and the expected targets;
(2)
whether the Government has formulated a specific timetable and effectiveness indicators for the implementation of the 133 measures in the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong's Tourism Industry 2.0 ("Blueprint 2.0"); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
as given that it is learnt that the tourism industry and related service industries (e.g. retail and catering industries) are currently facing the challenges of manpower shortage and digital transformation, and that Blueprint 2.0 proposes to strengthen the cultivation of talents for the tourism industry and promote the development of smart tourism, of the Government's specific support measures (including the relevant funding arrangements) in place to assist the industry (especially small and medium-sized enterprises) in overcoming the relevant difficulties?
Question 13
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Using artificial intelligence to optimize public service processes
Hon Nixie LAM to ask:
The Government plans to implement electronic traffic enforcement in June this year. Fixed penalty notices for traffic offences (e.g. speeding) will be issued by electronic means to substitute serving by traditional post or in person. There are views that despite the Government's commitment to enhancing the digitalization of traffic enforcement processes, these processes have not yet fully exploited technology to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. On the other hand, it is learnt that Shenzhen Municipality has been actively using artificial intelligence ("AI") technology to optimize public service processes in recent years. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has assessed how electronic traffic enforcement will enhance administrative efficiency and cost-effectiveness; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether it will, by drawing reference from the experience of the Futian District of Shenzhen Municipality in adopting AI technology in government services, optimize the process of handling traffic offences (e.g. speeding); if so, of the relevant plan and timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether it will consider further digitalizing other public service processes and introducing more AI tools to enhance the overall quality of public services?
Question 14
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Immigration clearance service at the Hong Kong International Airport
Hon Rock CHEN to ask:
It has been reported that passenger throughput at the Hong Kong International Airport ("HKIA") reached 53.1 million last year, representing an increase of more than 30% compared to 2023. However, it is learnt that many overseas visitors have to wait for a long time before they could complete immigration clearance procedures at HKIA, which has adversely affected the reputation of Hong Kong's tourism industry. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the annual number of inbound and outbound passenger trips at the HKIA control point in the past three years, their average waiting time for immigration clearance (including for those using the Automated Passenger Clearance System (i.e. "e-Channel") service), and the proportion of cases where the waiting time exceeded the standard of the Immigration Department's performance pledge;
(2)
whether it has conducted a survey on the specific difference in the average time taken to clear visitors between HKIA and other major international airports, including those in Japan, Korea, Thailand and Singapore; if not, whether it has plans to conduct such a survey with a view to improving the standard of Hong Kong's immigration clearance service; and
(3)
of the total annual number of visitors who used the e-Channel service at HKIA in the past three years, with a breakdown by the country and place of origin; whether it has plans to consider adjusting the eligibility criteria for visitors to register for the e-Channel service (e.g. lowering the requirement for the number of visits to Hong Kong by a visitor), thereby broadening the coverage of the service; whether it will allow visitors to opt to use facial recognition technology for self-service immigration clearance so that more visitors who meet the basic eligibility criteria can enjoy the convenience of the automated immigration clearance service; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 15
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Treatment for depression
Hon CHAN Pui-leung to ask:
There are views pointing out that patients with depression and treatment-resistant depression (i.e. those who have not shown significant improvement despite two trials of antidepressants at adequate doses, duration and adherence) face higher suicide rates if their condition cannot be controlled, and this will also have far-reaching and adverse impacts on the quality of life for both the patients as well as their families. Therefore, in order to render more effective support for patients with depression and promote mental health for all, it is crucial to provide appropriate treatments for depression and keep track of patients' data. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the respective numbers of people admitted to public hospitals in each of the past three years due to depression and treatment-resistant depression, and their respective average numbers of days of hospitalization; if there are no relevant statistics, whether the authorities will track such data in a systematic manner in the future; and
(2)
given that in the reply to a question from a Member of this Council on 13 March last year, the authorities indicated that in 2023-2024 (as at the end of February 2024), only 17 patients had been prescribed the nasal spray medication, Esketamine, for treatment of depression, representing a significant disparity compared to the number of patients with depression and potential treatment-resistant depression in Hong Kong, whether the authorities know the reasons for the low usage rate of such medication by Hospital Authority (“HA”), and whether HA will increase the use of nasal spray antidepressants in the future?
Question 16
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Regulation of disposable plastic products
Hon Dominic LEE to ask:
The first phase regulation of disposable plastic products ("the first-phase regulation") officially came into effect on 22 April last year, and the relevant adaptation period ended on 21 October last year. There is a view that although members of the public and the trade have actively cooperated with the first-phase regulation and adopted to non-plastic alternatives, the types of alternatives (e.g. cups, cup lids, food containers and container covers) for some disposable plastic tableware available in the market are still limited, which may hinder the implementation of regulation of disposable plastic products in the next phase. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
how it assesses the specific effectiveness of the first-phase regulation (including the changes in the amount of regulated plastic tableware disposed of and the actual situation of the trade in the adoption of non-plastic alternatives); of the number of complaint cases received by the authorities since the implementation of the first-phase regulation, together with a breakdown by category of case;
(2)
whether it has examined the difficulties or technical problems encountered by the catering trade in sourcing or using non-plastic alternatives during the implementation of the first-phase regulation, and the support measures provided by the authorities to assist the trade in responding to this situation;
(3)
regarding the second phase regulation of disposable plastic products ("the second-phase regulation"), of the current state of discussions between the authorities and the trade, in particular on sourcing the relevant non-plastic alternatives, etc.; whether the authorities have assessed the difficulties of different trades in adapting to the implementation of the second-phase regulation due to their actual operational needs; and
(4)
whether the authorities will consider extending the existing support measures for the trade, such as providing more detailed guidance on alternatives to disposable plastic products or technical advisory services, as well as proactively introducing high-quality non-plastic alternative products, etc., in order to help small and medium-sized restaurants make a smooth transition to the second-phase regulation?
Question 17
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Governance of the Hospital Authority
Hon Doreen KONG to ask:
A sentinel event has taken place recently in the Caritas Medical Centre in which a 75-year-old male patient with history of hypertension and dementia passed away unfortunately. The incident has aroused public concern about the overall governance capability of the Hospital Authority ("HA"). Regarding the governance of HA, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the number of patient relation officers currently working in HA who are responsible for handling complaints or enquiries from members of the public, as well as their respective departments and ranks;
(2)
whether it knows which department and rank of HA officers who are currently responsible for classifying and following up the feedbacks and complaints from members of the public, and the details of their respective responsibilities; of the criteria for classification (i.e. appreciations, feedbacks, complaints and requests for assistance);
(3)
whether it knows the number of retired doctors and nurses rehired by HA in the past five years, and their respective responsibilities and ranks; whether HA has formulated clear guidelines, evaluated the effectiveness and maintained complete records at present, so as to ensure that the rehired healthcare officers are able to effectively address the problem of healthcare manpower shortage; and
(4)
as it is learnt that patients of the public hospitals under HA are currently allowed to consume takeaway food during their stay in the hospitals, of the existing meal service arrangements for patients of public hospitals; how HA ensures that the consumption of takeaway food by patients in the hospitals is in line with the existing meal arrangements, and how it closely monitors the impact of meals for patients on their treatment?
Question 18
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Supporting the development and application of technologies by small and medium enterprises
Hon Andrew LAM to ask:
Regarding the support for the development and application of technologies by the small and medium enterprises ("SMEs"), will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective numbers of applications made by enterprises on their own or through intermediaries under various funding schemes for supporting the development and application of technologies by SMEs in each of the past five years, as well as the respective amounts of funding approved, and set out in the table below a breakdown by funding schemes; and
Year:
Funding scheme |
Number of applications approved |
Amount of funding approved |
Applications made by enterprises on their own |
Applications made through intermediaries |
Total |
Applications made by enterprises on their own |
Applications made through intermediaries |
Total amounts |
Funding schemes supporting research and development under the Innovation and Technology Fund ("ITF") |
| (a) |
Enterprise Support Scheme
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (b) |
Research and Development Cash Rebate Scheme
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Funding scheme promoting new industrialization under ITF |
| (c) |
New Industrialization Funding Scheme
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Funding scheme supporting technology start-ups under ITF |
| (d) |
Innovation and Technology Venture Fund
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Funding schemes for the logistics industry |
| (e) |
Pilot Subsidy Scheme for Third-party Logistics Service Providers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Funding schemes under the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks ("HKSTP") Corporation |
| (f) |
Acceleration Programme
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (g) |
Ideation Programme
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (h) |
Incubation Programme
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (i) |
Incu-Bio Programme
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (j) |
HKSTP Venture Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Funding schemes under the Cyberport |
| (k) |
Cyberport Creative Micro Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (l) |
Cyberport Incubation Programme |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (m) |
Cyberport Accelerator Support Programme |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (n) |
Cyberport Macro Fund |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| (o) |
Digital Transformation Support Pilot Programme |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2)
apart from the 15 funding schemes mentioned in (1)(a) to (o), whether the Government has other funding schemes to support SMEs in developing innovative technologies or applying technologies to enhance productivity, and whether it has evaluated the effectiveness of such schemes?
Question 19
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Operation of the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited
Hon Adrian HO to ask:
The Chief Executive announced in the 2022 Policy Address the establishment of the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited ("HKIC") to be responsible for managing $62 billion of investments. It has been reported that as at March this year, HKIC has invested in about 100 projects at different stages of development. There are views that while HKIC has been in operation for more than two years, there is a lack of transparency as it has yet to disclose detailed information on, among others, the progress of its investments and the remuneration levels of its various senior management staff. This has also aroused concern about whether HKIC can really do a good job in vetting its investments in cutting-edge industries, such as biotechnology, financial technology and big data. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:
(1)
the total amount of investments currently managed by HKIC; the respective total expenditure (other than staff remuneration) and total income of HKIC in the past year;
(2)
the establishment (including staff at all levels) approved by the Board of Directors of HKIC since its establishment; the total expenditure on the remuneration of its staff and the expenditure on the remuneration of its various senior management staff in the past year;
(3)
the composition of the Investment Committee under the Board of Directors of HKIC, the investment experience of its members (e.g. the direct or indirect investment and merger and acquisition projects in which they have taken part, and the corresponding amounts of investments made in such projects), and the respective investment decision-making process of the Investment Committee;
(4)
the number of days HKIC has operated since its establishment, the total number of investment projects vetted and screened, and the average number of hours required for vetting and screening an investment project;
(5)
among the 100 or so investments made by HKIC, of the names of the enterprises in each investment, industries to which they belong, their nature (that is, whether they are direct or indirect investments), the percentage of shareholding, the projected rate of return on the investments, the investment period, and whether there is any exit mechanism;
(6)
given that HKIC will organize the Roundtable for International Sovereign Wealth Funds and the Summit on Start-up Investment and Development in Hong Kong, of the respective estimated expenditure and objectives of these two events; and
(7)
whether HKIC has formulated various performance indicators or quantifiable standards (including but not limited to the number of enterprises facilitated to be listed in Hong Kong, the number of new job opportunities, the share of the industries in the Gross Domestic Product, and the definition of reasonable medium-to-long-term financial returns, etc.), so as to achieve the objective of enhancing Hong Kong's long-term competitiveness and economic vitality?
Question 20
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Measures to support carers
Dr Hon TIK Chi-yuen to ask:
It has been reported that in recent years, a prolonged lack of external support has caused heavy physical and mental pressure to quite a number of carers and even led to unfortunate incidents. Hence, some community groups have advocated the establishment of a "register of carers", with a view to accurately and promptly identifying high-risk cases and providing relevant support to prevent the recurrence of tragedies. In addition, the Government has proposed in the 2024 Policy Address the setting up of an inter-disciplinary and inter-organization database for carers for early identification of high-risk cases and provision of support, and the Secretary for Labour and Welfare indicated in a media interview in February this year that the authorities were pressing ahead with the preparatory work for the database. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
how the Government defines "carers", and what specific criteria and parameters the Government will adopt in identifying carers;
(2)
of the specific benchmarks adopted by the Government for classifying "high-risk", "medium-risk" and "low-risk" carers, including whether factors such as the carers' physical and mental health, financial situation, social support network and care burden will be taken into account in classifying them;
(3)
of the Government's specific implementation timetable (including phased implementation arrangement) for setting up the database for carers;
(4)
of the major difficulties currently faced by the Government in taking forward the setting up of the database for carers (including but not limited to challenges in areas such as cross-departmental collaboration, information collection, privacy protection and resource allocation); and
(5)
apart from identifying high-risk carers, whether the Government will concurrently expand the relevant support services (including but not limited to increasing the provision of day care services and respite services for the elderly and persons with disabilities, as well as psychological support services for carers) and regularize the carer allowance schemes with the exemption from the restrictions on double benefits?
Question 21
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Promoting student mental health
Hon Elizabeth QUAT to ask:
According to a research publication released by the Legislative Council Secretariat in October last year, the number of student deaths by suicide in Hong Kong has almost tripled in 10 years to reach at least a decade high of 32 cases in 2023. In addition, it has been reported that from the beginning of the current school year until last month, there have been nearly 20 fatal suicide cases involving students under the age of 19. Regarding the promotion of mental health among students, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has compiled statistics on the number of primary, secondary and university students who planned or attempted suicide in the past three years, and among them, the respective numbers of those with special educational needs or a history of mental health issues; whether it has studied the reasons behind these students' suicide plans or attempts, with a breakdown by primary, secondary and university students;
(2)
whether, in response to the reasons behind the suicide plans or attempts mentioned in (1), the Government will strengthen relevant targeted measures or support services to reduce the likelihood of student suicide; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
given that in the reply to a question from a Member of this Council on 5 June last year, the Government indicated that it would engage a consultant to evaluate the effectiveness of the Three-tier School-based Emergency Mechanism, of the results of the evaluation; given that the mechanism is set to expire at the end of this year, whether the Government will explore regularizing the mechanism; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4)
as there are views that "schooling problems", "family relationships" and "interpersonal relationships" are the main reasons for student suicides, (i) whether the Government will study promoting education reform or developing quantifiable indicators for schools to formulate appropriate school-based assignment policies, so as to reduce the learning pressure on students in the long term; and (ii) what targeted measures the Government has in place to combat bullying in schools, in order to safeguard the mental health of students;
(5)
whether it will conduct studies to improve the 3-tier Support Model (i.e. the three levels of "Universal", "Selective" and "Indicated") which the Education Bureau has encouraged schools to adopt to promote student mental health, including organizing an off-campus support network through cross-departmental, cross-professional and cross-sectoral cooperation to enhance support for schools; and
(6)
whether it will deploy additional school-based professional counsellors to provide immediate consultation and referral services, and encourage community members, parents and other stakeholders to show greater concern for the issue of student suicide, thereby widening the support available to schools?
Question 22
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Enforcement actions against traffic offences and contraventions
Hon Frankie YICK to ask:
It has been reported that from time to time, the Police conduct enforcement actions against specific vehicles to combat offences under the Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374A). However, some commercial vehicle drivers have indicated that the Police's enforcement actions in recent years have been too stringent (e.g. vehicles which have just passed the annual examination of the Transport Department are still subject to the issuance of vehicle examination orders or towed away for examination), thus affecting the normal operation of the trade and the livelihood of drivers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the following information on the enforcement actions taken by the Police against various types of commercial vehicles in contravention of Cap. 374A in the past two years: the number of such actions, the number of days, the locations and the police resources involved;
(2)
of the following information on the offences involving contravention of Cap. 374A in each of the past two years: (i) the number of vehicle examination orders issued, (ii) the number of vehicles towed away for examination and (iii) the number of vehicles which were not found to have contravened the regulations after examination, and set out in the table below a breakdown by vehicle class (i.e. (a) taxi, (b) public light bus, (c) student service vehicle, (d) tourist coach and (e) goods vehicle);
Vehicle class |
(i) |
(ii) |
(iii) |
2023 |
2024 |
2023 |
2024 |
2023 |
2024 |
(a) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
…… |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(e) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3)
of the most commonly contravened offences under Cap. 374A in the past two years; whether the authorities will step up publicity and education efforts targeting at offences relating to Cap. 374A, so as to ensure road safety; and
(4)
as there are views that the Police's enforcement actions in respect of traffic offences and contraventions "take the easy way out", focusing only on unlawful acts relating to the construction of vehicles but neglecting the harm brought about by vehicles used for illegal carriage of passengers for reward (commonly known as "white licence cars"), whether the authorities will step up enforcement actions against white licence cars; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?