Question 1
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Development of autonomous vehicles
Hon SHANG Hailong to ask:
The Government has implemented schemes for trials of autonomous vehicles ("AVs") at locations such as the West Kowloon Cultural District since 2017, and a new regulatory regime for AVs also came into operation last year to allow wider and more flexible trials of AVs on the roads. However, there are views pointing out that the development of unmanned driving technology and the relevant laws and regulations in Hong Kong have not kept pace with the times, and that the application of commercial unmanned driving has not been subject to clear regulation. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has assessed the effectiveness of the staged trials of various projects related to AVs and Vehicle-to-Everything technology subsidized by the Smart Traffic Fund;
(2)
given that as at the end of last month, a total of two AV pilot licences have been issued by the Government to enable applicants to conduct trials on 12 AVs respectively, of the progress of such trials, and the expected time when such vehicles will be formally deployed in Hong Kong; and
(3)
given that the Government will enact legislation to develop a framework for the regulation of online car hailing platforms, whether the Government will conduct a forward-looking study on the incorporation of the technical standards and safety requirements for unmanned vehicles, so as to develop a framework for the regulation of "online hailing of AVs"?
Question 2
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Work on attracting enterprises and investments
Hon Jeffrey LAM to ask:
In recent years, the Government has been vigorously promoting the work on attracting enterprises and investments. It is learnt that Invest Hong Kong ("InvestHK") assisted a total of 539 overseas and Mainland enterprises in setting up or expanding their businesses in Hong Kong last year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of overseas and Mainland enterprises which InvestHK has assisted in establishing a presence in Hong Kong or setting up regional headquarters in Hong Kong since January this year; the home countries of such enterprises, as well as the industries to which they belong;
(2)
of the policies and measures currently put in place by the Government in respect of land, taxation, etc. to support overseas and Mainland enterprises in establishing a presence in Hong Kong; and
(3)
given that the Secretary for Labour and Welfare has pointed out at a special meeting of the Finance Committee of this Council held to discuss the Estimates of Expenditure 2025-2026 that Hong Kong Talent Engage ("HKTE") would provide comprehensive one-stop support to incoming talents, of the total number of applications received by HKTE since January this year; among such applications, of the areas in which support has been provided?
Question 3
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Electric vehicle charging facilities
Hon Jimmy NG to ask:
It is learnt that the demand for electric vehicle ("EV") charging facilities has continued to increase in recent years, and the Government will launch the Fast Charger Incentive Scheme ("the Incentive Scheme") to subsidize the installation of fast charging facilities by the private sector. Furthermore, the community also hopes that more fast charging facilities can be provided in government premises. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that the Government is retrofitting charging facilities for about 7 000 additional parking spaces in government premises, of the progress of the relevant works and the number of quick chargers to be retrofitted; whether it will launch a new scheme to install quick chargers in government premises; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
given that the EV-charging at Home Subsidy Scheme ("EHSS"), which subsidizes the installation of EV charging facilities in car parks of private housing estates, has ceased to accept applications since the end of 2023, whether the Government will make further funding injection to re-launch EHSS; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether it will increase the amount of subsidy under the Incentive Scheme to encourage commercial organizations to install fast charging facilities in districts where there are fewer EV chargers, so that chargers will be more evenly distributed among the 18 districts across the territory; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 4
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
VIP lounge services at the Hong Kong International Airport
Ir Hon Gary ZHANG to ask:
It has been reported that the passenger throughput at the Hong Kong International Airport ("HKIA") reached 5.28 million in January this year, with an average daily passenger throughput of over 170 000. However, there are views pointing out that the existing VIP lounge services set up by airlines or enterprises at HKIA are unable to meet the demand, resulting in chronic queues. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether it knows:
(1)
the current number of VIP lounges at HKIA, as well as the respective average daily number of passengers served and maximum capacity, floor area and year of opening; whether the Airport Authority Hong Kong ("AAHK") will consider allowing enterprises to re-establish VIP lounges on the Arrivals Level in response to the increased passenger throughput due to the expansion of HKIA; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
the number of additional VIP lounges planned to be provided in HKIA's Terminal 1 in the next five years, together with their respective area, target average daily number of passengers to be served and maximum capacity; the eligibility criteria, approval standards, procedures and time required for applications to establish or expand VIP lounges; and
(3)
the number of VIP lounges planned to be established after the expansion of HKIA's Terminal 2; the respective location, area, target average daily number of passengers to be served and maximum capacity of these VIP lounges and their opening dates?
Question 5
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Developing the marine economy
Hon Steven HO to ask:
It has been reported that a number of coastal provinces in the Mainland have set up inter-departmental coordination groups led by provincial governors to coordinate policies on marine economy. However, there are views pointing out that the development of marine economy in Hong Kong is taken forward in a piecemeal fashion without top-level planning. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
as there are views that development of marine economy involves various portfolios and it is difficult for a single-policy bureau to coordinate inter-departmental resources, whether the Government will make reference to the experience of the Mainland and set up a dedicated team led by officials at the decision-making level to coordinate the development of marine economy; if so, of the details and the implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
as there are views that the existing policy focusing on regulation may hinder the development of marine economy, how the Government will promote the development of maritime industries, e.g. of the breakthroughs in terms of the introduction of the relevant legislative amendments and innovative policies, as well as the enhancement of cross-boundary cooperation and coordination; and
(3)
apart from the three tourism projects currently being taken forward by the Development Bureau under the large-scale land-disposal approach, whether the Government will consider selecting more islands and coastal areas with potential for tourism development to implement the large-scale land-disposal approach on a trial basis, so as to bring in social capital for participation in infrastructure development and operation, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of marine tourism in Hong Kong?
Question 6
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Expansion of United Christian Hospital
Hon TANG Ka-piu to ask:
There are views pointing out that the expansion project of United Christian Hospital ("UCH") has been delayed since its launch in 2015, and that the design specifications do not meet the latest medical requirements. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the progress of the aforesaid expansion project and the exact date when the expanded facilities will officially commence operation; whether the completion date of the project is later than originally planned; if so, of the main reasons for that;
(2)
as there are views that the design of the renovated buildings and facilities (e.g. height of storeys and load bearing standards, etc.) under the aforesaid expansion project is different from the specifications of new hospitals nowadays and may not meet the storage or operational requirements of some medical devices, whether the Government knows if the Hospital Authority has put in place remedial measures or make appropriate arrangements in this regard; and
(3)
whether the playground site adjacent to UCH be retained for use in the next phase of the hospital's expansion project; if so, of the specific boundary of the site and the timetable for planning and survey works; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 7
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Government public transport fare concession scheme
Hon Michael TIEN to ask:
Starting from 25 August last year, people aged 60 or above must use the JoyYou Card to enjoy a concessionary fare of $2 per trip under the Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities ("the new measure"). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the number of contravention cases uncovered by the MTR Corporation Limited involving the use of JoyYou Card to enjoy the concessionary fare of $2 since the implementation of the new measure and, among such cases, the number of those referred to the Police for follow-up;
(2)
in respect of the cases referred to the Police for follow-up as mentioned in (1), of the respective numbers of cases prosecuted and not prosecuted by the Police; the reasons for the Police not prosecuting such cases; and
(3)
in respect of the prosecution cases mentioned in (2), of the number of convicted persons who were eventually sentenced to imprisonment?
Question 8
(For written reply)
(Translation)
New Acute Hospital in Kai Tak
Dr Hon Starry LEE to ask:
The Government announced in the 2016 Policy Address that an overall hospital development plan had been devised with the Hospital Authority to allocate $200 billion to implement the development projects in the subsequent 10 years, and the New Acute Hospital in Kai Tai ("New Acute Hospital") was one of the projects under the plan. The New Acute Hospital, which will provide 2 400 beds and 37 operating theatres, is expected to be completed next year and will become the leading hospital in the Kowloon Central Cluster serving residents in the Kowloon City and Wong Tai Sin districts. Most of the clinical services of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital ("QEH"), including the accident and emergency ("A&E") services, will be relocated to the New Acute Hospital, bringing direct impact to members of the public in Kowloon Central. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
in the light of the completion of the New Acute Hospital, how the authorities assess the level of public awareness of the services provided by the New Acute Hospital, and what specific plans are in place to step up publicity and promotional efforts, so as to ensure thorough public understanding of the New Acute Hospital's scope of services, relocation arrangements and means of access;
(2)
given the gradual replacement of QEH's A&E services by the New Acute Hospital, what measures the authorities have in place to ensure seamless transition of the services, particularly the provision of appropriate transport options for groups such as the elderly, persons with impaired mobility and those in need of emergency medical services; and
(3)
whether it will, before implementing the New Acute Hospital's service relocation arrangements, conduct public consultation on the New Acute Hospital's accessibility and establish a regular communication mechanism to collect views from residents and relevant stakeholders to jointly explore improvement proposals, thereby ensuring that aspects such as (i) the transport accessibility to the Hospital in different time periods; (ii) the compatibility of the existing public transport network with the demand for hospital services; and (iii) feeder services for special groups will met the needs of the residents?
Question 9
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Construction or redevelopment of small houses
Hon CHAN Yuet-ming to ask:
Some residents of the New Territories have reflected that the pace of processing applications for the construction or redevelopment of small houses in the North District of the New Territories is slower compared to other districts. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that in its reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council on the Estimates of Expenditure 2025-2026, the Government indicated that, as at the end of last year, there were as many as 3 686 small house applications under processing in the North District, with only 95 applications being approved last year, and that the Islands District and the Sai Kung District also faced a similar situation of a low number of approved applications and a high proportion of backlogged cases, whether the Government has put in place targeted improvement measures to enhance the efficiency of processing applications for the construction or redevelopment of small houses in these three districts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
given that according to government information, only around 100 staff members of the Lands Department are currently involved in the processing of small house applications, and that the respective numbers of small house applications and small house redevelopment applications under processing as at the end of last year were 10 513 and 1 664, how the Government will redeploy its manpower to expedite the processing of these backlogged cases; and
(3)
given that the Government is implementing an arrangement that allows applications for a Certificate of Compliance (i.e. a Certificate of Compliance or "No Objection to Occupy") by self-certification of compliance for New Territories Exempted Houses, and that this arrangement has been first implemented as a pilot scheme by the District Lands Office, Yuen Long, whether the Government will consider extending this pilot scheme to villages under all rural committees in the Northern Metropolis; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 10
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Non-compliant electrical products
Hon SHIU Ka-fai to ask:
Under the Hong Kong legislation, electrical products supplied in Hong Kong are required to carry a certificate of safety compliance, and energy labels are required to be shown on certain prescribed products supplied in Hong Kong. In the case of regulated electrical equipment, suppliers of such equipment are even required to register with the Environmental Protection Department ("EPD") as registered suppliers and pay a recycling levy ("the levy") to EPD for the regulated electrical equipment distributed by them. However, it is learnt that quite a number of electrical products purchased online in Hong Kong through cross-border e-commerce platforms have not complied with the requirements of the aforesaid legislation, thus posing potential safety hazards to Hong Kong consumers and causing unfairness to local law-abiding merchants. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the measures taken by the authorities to intercept the import of non-compliant electrical products into Hong Kong in each of the past three years;
(2)
as it has been reported that some cross-border e-commerce platforms intend to set up physical shops in Hong Kong, whereby goods are displayed for customers to experience in person, and customers may conduct transactions on online platforms and have the goods delivered directly by manufacturers outside Hong Kong, whether the authorities have studied if such selling approach has circumvented the existing laws of Hong Kong or if there are grey areas; if it has studied, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
as there are views that the operation mode of offline experience mentioned in (2) may render the laws and regulations relating to electrical products in Hong Kong (including the requirements on safety specifications, energy labels and payment of the levy, etc.) virtually non-existent, and seriously affect the merchants selling electrical products, whether the authorities have assessed the impact of the continuous development of this operation mode on local merchants;
(4)
as it is learnt that some lawbreakers will make use of cross-border e-commerce platforms to solicit business and then arrange for non-Hong Kong residents who are not qualified as electricians in Hong Kong (commonly known as "illegal workers") for on-site installation of electrical products, whether the authorities had investigated or discovered such cases in the past three years; if so, of the details; if not, whether in-depth follow-up investigations will be conducted; and
(5)
whether it will seek the advice of the Department of Justice on the importation of non-compliant electrical products into Hong Kong, and expeditiously introduce legislative amendments to plug the loopholes in the law (if any); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 11
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Management of water resources
Hon YIM Kong to ask:
Water charges in Hong Kong have not been adjusted for nearly 30 years since February 1995. The Waterworks Operating Accounts have recorded persistent deficits since 1999, and such deficits have increased substantially from less than $1 billion in the 2013-2014 financial year to about $2.4 billion in the 2022-2023 financial year. Moreover, it has been reported that the water charges in Hong Kong are among the lowest in advanced cities. While the water charges in other advanced countries or cities (such as Japan and Singapore) account for about 1% to 2% of the local household income, Hong Kong's average water charges represent only less than 0.2% of its household income. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has studied the reasons why persistent deficits have been recorded in the operation of waterworks in Hong Kong, apart from the apparently low water charges, and whether the authorities have examined the reasons for persistent deficits from the management and operation perspectives; if it has studied, of the details, and how the authorities will make improvements;
(2)
given that according to the paper submitted by the Government to the Panel on Development of this Council on 13 December 2023, the main source of water supply for Hong Kong is Dongjiang water purchased from the Guangdong Province under the "Package Deal Deductible Sum" Approach, and the annual ceiling water prices from 2024 to 2026 will be over $5 billion, whether the authorities have actively enlisted support from the relevant ministries of the Central Government and proactively discussed with the authorities of the Guangdong Province to explore ways to optimize the existing mode of water supply (especially the water prices); and
(3)
whether it will actively consider privatizing the Water Supplies Department; if so, of the specific timetable and roadmap; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 12
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Prevention of water mains bursts
Hon YANG Wing-kit to ask:
It has been reported that there have been many water mains burst incidents in Hong Kong in the past year, with the ageing of water mains in old districts being a particular cause for concern. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of water mains burst incidents in each of the 18 districts in Hong Kong in the past year;
(2)
whether it will conduct a comprehensive inspection of water mains and expedite the replacement of damaged or aged water mains; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
as the Government has advised, in the reply to a question raised by a Member of this Council in relation to the Estimates of Expenditure 2025-2026, that it will expand the monitoring area of the Water Intelligent Network ("WIN") to include fresh water trunk mains and the remaining part of the fresh water distribution mains not currently covered by WIN, of the number of District Metering Areas ("DMAs") under the expanded WIN and the implementation timetable (set out by District Council district);
(4)
whether additional stop valves will be installed for water mains in non-DMAs not covered by WIN to reduce the risk of a large-scale water outage in the event of a water mains burst; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5)
whether it has drawn reference from the experience of the Mainland in using advanced smart technologies to monitor and manage underground water mains to further prevent water mains bursts; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 13
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Incident handling by the MTR Corporation Limited
Hon Carmen KAN to ask:
Regarding the incident handling by the MTR Corporation Limited ("MTRCL"), will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
according to the existing railway incident reporting mechanism ("the mechanism"), of the follow-up actions taken by the authorities upon receipt of an incident report; MTRCL's (including the heavy rail and the Light Rail) compliance with the mechanism in each of the past five years, and set out the following information in table form:
(i)
the nature, cause, delay time, recovery time, remedial measures taken and number of passengers affected for each incident; and
(ii)
the number of incidents of service disruption of 31 minutes or above caused by factors within the control of MTRCL under the "Service Performance Rebate", and their percentage of the total number of incidents in that year;
(2)
given that the existing service performance rebate mechanism of MTRCL has been enhanced in 2023 ("the new arrangement"), whether it knows the cumulative number of incidents per year of train service disruptions, including all delays and suspensions, attributable to equipment fault or human error during peak and non-peak hours of MTR services (including the heavy rail and the Light Rail) after the implementation of the new arrangement, and the cumulative amount set aside by MTRCL in this regard, together with a breakdown in table form by disruption time (i) equal to or more than 31 minutes but less than or equal to one hour, (ii) more than one hour but less than or equal to two hours, (iii) more than two hours but less than or equal to three hours, (iv) more than three hours but less than or equal to four hours, and (v) each additional hour (or part thereof) exceeding four hours;
(3)
as there are views that it is unreasonable that the new arrangement only requires MTRCL to set aside an equivalent amount for service disruptions of 31 minutes or above caused by factors within its control, and that the maximum amount to be set aside per incident is merely $40 million, coupled with the fact that the peak hour referred to in the new arrangement (i.e. between 8:00 am and 9:00 am and between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm from Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays and except for the Airport Express)) is inconsistent with that of the road harbour crossings (i.e. between 7:30 am and 10:15 am and between 4:30 pm and 7:00 pm from Monday to Saturday (excluding public holidays)), whether the authorities will request MTRCL to review and enhance the new arrangement (including the definition of peak hour); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(4)
given that there were engineering train faults at Tai Wo Station and Fo Tan Station on 5 February and the 27th of last month this year respectively, whether it knows the following information about the two faults: (i) the engineering train manufacturers, (ii) the spare parts suppliers, and (iii) the maintenance service providers involved; whether the same faults have occurred in other countries/regions using engineering trains of the same model; if so, of the details; whether the authorities have imposed any regulation on MTRCL to require it to establish a management and performance monitoring mechanism for the procurement of engineering trains and/or the contracts for the engagement of third-party suppliers; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(5)
as the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department ("EMSD") has indicated that it will initiate a special audit on MTRCL to holistically review its maintenance emergency preparedness concerning engineering trains, whether EMSD has initiated special audits on similar incidents in the past five years; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(6)
given that MTRCL has undertaken to put in over $65 billion between 2023 and 2027 in asset renewal and railway facility maintenance, whether it knows the scope of use of the sum and the amount to be put in each year; whether the Transport and Logistics Bureau ("TLB") has formulated monitoring programmes to ensure that MTRCL renews and maintains its railway facilities in strict accordance with the plans vetted and approved by TLB; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 14
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Treatment and prevention of breast cancer
Hon Nixie LAM to ask:
According to government information, breast cancer is the most common cancer among females in Hong Kong, and new cases of breast cancer accounted for 28.6% of all new cancer cases among females in 2022. Among them, HER2 (i.e. human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) low-expression metastatic breast cancer ("HER2-low breast cancer") poses a great threat to the lives of patients as it is highly malignant and prone to relapse and metastasis. It is learnt that with advancement in medical technology, the classification of testing results of HER2 has been updated from two (i.e. "positive" and 'negative') to three categories (i.e. with the addition of "low-expression") in the medical guidelines of various places so as to provide precision treatment for patients with HER2 breast cancer. However, there are views pointing out that the existing HER2 testing reports of the Hospital Authority ("HA") have not indicated the category of low-expression, nor has HA provided the relevant education to patients, rendering them unable to know their actual condition in a timely manner and thereby missing the golden period of early treatment. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows if HA will expeditiously review the classification of the existing HER2 testing reports to clearly indicate the testing result of low expression of HER2, while at the same time providing the relevant patient education, so as to ensure that they fully understand the clinical findings, thereby expeditiously receiving the appropriate treatment protocol; if HA will, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
whether it knows if HA will consider including drugs targeting HER2-low breast cancer into the safety net for application by patients suffering from that cancer and streamlining the vetting and approval process, so as to enhance the efficiency of vetting and approval of safety net drugs; if HA will, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether the Government has currently formulated public education programmes for different groups of people to raise their awareness of breast cancer screening, including whether it has provided systematic online information and promoted on social media platforms; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 15
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Training of artificial intelligence talents
Hon Rock CHEN to ask:
In September last year, the State President delivered an important speech at the National Conference on Education, following which the 2024-2035 master plan on building China into a leading country in education ("the master plan") was issued, setting out a roadmap for the national education development in the next 10 years. The master plan clearly proposed to establish a mechanism for coordinating and promoting the integration of education, technology and talent by leveraging the support of education to technology and talent. The master plan also set out the close collaboration with the development of the innovation and technology ("I&T") hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area ("GBA") and the building of a high-calibre talent hub and platforms for talent attraction and retention, thereby enhancing the overall effectiveness of the innovation system. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
against the background of the master plan's proposals to establish a mechanism for coordinating and promoting the integration of education, technology and talent as well as to closely collaborate with the development of I&T hub in GBA, how the Government will further deepen the collaboration among the "government, industry, academic and research" sectors to promote the transformation of research and development outcomes of tertiary institutions into a driving force for innovation in the industry, with a view to enhancing Hong Kong's competitiveness in GBA's I&T ecosystem;
(2)
as there are views that universities of applied sciences ("UAS") play an important role in Hong Kong in complementing the master plan's proposal to leverage the support of education to technology and talent, how the Government will further define the self-positioning of UAS and assist UAS in leveraging their unique advantages, so as to nurture more applied technology talents who suit the needs of the industries in GBA;
(3)
how the Government plans to assist tertiary institutions and scientific research institutions in increasing their expenditure on research and development ("R&D") and intensifying the efforts in nurturing talents in the field of artificial intelligence ("AI"), so that Hong Kong can contribute to the development of the I&T hub in GBA in the aspect of AI technology's R&D and application; and
(4)
whether it has studied how the Government should further strengthen STEAM (i.e. Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) education in primary and secondary schools (particularly focusing on AI), including teaching basic AI knowledge, methods of data processing and interdisciplinary knowledge, so as to enhance students' skills in AI, critical thinking and capacity for innovation, thereby meeting the demand for education, technology and talent arising from the GBA development?
Question 16
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Safety of hikers
Hon CHAN Pui-leung to ask:
Various hiking trails and country parks in Hong Kong have all along attracted many local people and overseas visitors to go hiking. However, it has been reported that quite a number of hikers are inexperienced or ill-equipped, resulting in frequent hiking accidents, and some of them have even disregarded safety in a bid to "check-in", which has aroused concerns and worries in society. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of mountain search and rescue ("S&R") calls received by the Government in the past two years, as well as the respective numbers of casualties of local people and overseas visitors involved in the relevant incidents; the government expenditures involved in the relevant calls and S&R operations;
(2)
given that the webpage of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department ("AFCD") contains the high risk locations with records of fatal and serious accidents in country parks, whether the authorities have further drawn up a list of "hiking blackspots" and the points to note and stepped up publicity among members of the public and tourists; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(3)
as it is learnt that in order to deter risk-taking behaviours without regard to the consequences, some places have started to collect rescue fees from hikers, whether the Government will erect fences and warning signs at high-risk locations where hiking accidents frequently occur; whether the authorities will follow the practice of other regions and collect rescue fees from hikers who have accidents despite warnings and seek rescue; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and whether there are other measures intended to be implemented to deter the risk-taking behaviours concerned; and
(4)
as it is learnt that the "Enjoy Hiking" mobile application launched by AFCD is equipped with a "Hiker Tracking Service" which can record the location of users so as to shorten the S&R time after they have an accident, of the number of downloads of the application and, among such downloads, the number of users with Internet Protocol addresses outside Hong Kong; of the measures put in place by the authorities to enhance the promotion of hiking safety among overseas visitors?
Question 17
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Prevention of skin diseases among elderly people in residential care homes
Hon Holden CHOW to ask:
It has been reported that there were outbreaks of scabies infection in residential care homes for the elderly ("RCHEs") in the past, and the Centre for Health Protection has indicated that people with weaker immunity or the elderly are more susceptible to infection. Regarding the prevention of skin diseases among elderly people in RCHEs, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has compiled statistics on the number of cases of elderly people in RCHEs suffering from the following skin diseases across the territory in each of the past five years: (i) pruritus, (ii) scabies, and (iii) herpes zoster (set out in a table);
(2)
of the measures the authorities have put in place to support RCHEs in enhancing their cleanliness and hygiene, so as to prevent as early as possible outbreaks of the skin diseases mentioned in (1) in RCHEs; and
(3)
whether the authorities will consider introducing artificial intelligence tools to assist in the early detection and prevention of the infection and outbreak of the skin diseases mentioned in (1) in RCHEs?
Question 18
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Manpower of lifeguards
Hon LUK Chung-hung to ask:
There are views pointing out that the problems of insufficient manpower and recruitment difficulties of lifeguards in Hong Kong have remained unresolved for many years, which may lead to the chaotic situation of unlicensed lifeguards being employed, undermining the dignity of the industry's workforce and jeopardizing the lives and safety of swimmers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the current number of vacancies of civil service lifeguards; whether the Government has assessed the impact of the vacancy situation on the services to the public;
(2)
whether it has studied if the Government has difficulties in recruiting lifeguards; if it has studied and the outcome is in the affirmative, of the support measures and proposals to resolve the problem;
(3)
as some members of the industry have relayed that at present, civil service lifeguards have limited promotion prospects and their remuneration packages are inadequate, and their posts are only included in the Artisan grade, but they have to obtain a number of certificates and regularly renew their licenses in order to be employed on a continuous basis, which has resulted in a high wastage rate and stifled the development of the industry, whether the Government will further review and adjust the grade structure of civil service lifeguards, thereby retaining talents and attracting new blood to join the industry;
(4)
of the respective numbers of (a) surprise and (b) non-surprise (i) inspections of private swimming pools conducted by the relevant government departments in the past three years, and the respective numbers of non-compliance cases found during such inspections in which (ii) there was insufficient manpower on duty at the swimming pools, and (iii) unqualified lifeguards were employed and on duty (set out in the table below); the actions taken by the Government to pursue such non-compliance cases;
| Year | (a) | (b) |
| (i) | (ii) | (iii) | (i) | (ii) | (iii) |
| 2022 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2023 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(5)
as it has been reported that the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department ("FEHD") will check the identity documents and Pool Lifeguard Awards ("PLAs") of the lifeguards on duty during inspections of private swimming pools and verify the validity of PLAs with the Hong Kong China Life Saving Society ("HKCLSS"), of the specific procedures adopted by FEHD for verifying the validity of PLAs with HKCLSS, including whether FEHD has established a formal and regular liaison mechanism with HKCLSS; if so, of the details; if not, whether it will consider establishing such mechanism; and
(6)
as it has been reported that HKCLSS intends to introduce an online service for checking the qualifications of lifeguards, whether the Government will collaborate with HKCLSS to establish a checking system for qualified lifeguards, so as to rigorously combat unlicensed lifeguards and, at the same time, facilitate employers in checking the qualifications of the lifeguards they employ?
Question 19
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Support for commodities trading
Hon Frankie YICK to ask:
In January of this year, the London Metal Exchange ("LME"), a subsidiary of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, announced that it would include Hong Kong as an approved delivery point within its global warehousing network and accept applications from warehouse operators for approval. Last month, LME announced that it had approved applications to establish four LME-licensed warehouse facilities in Hong Kong. Furthermore, it has been reported that other warehouse operators are applying to become approved warehouses for the storage of LME-registered brands of metals. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows the following information about the four warehouses that have been approved by LME and those that are applying to become approved warehouses: (i) locations, (ii) storage capacities, and (iii) the timing of formal commencement of service; whether the authorities have estimated the number of warehouses and storage capacity needed to develop Hong Kong as a metal delivery point, and what the respective differences are as compared to the current supply and capacity of warehouses;
(2)
as it has been reported that, to encourage more warehouse operators to apply to become approved warehouses of LME, the Government has stated that it will provide assistance on technical matters as appropriate, whether it knows the requirements for becoming an approved warehouse of LME; what assistance the Government has provided to address technical issues faced by warehouse operators; and
(3)
regarding the creation of a commodity trading ecosystem, apart from developing approved warehouses, what further measures the Government has put in place to facilitate the robust development of local commodities trading-related services, so as to consolidate Hong Kong's position as an international financial, shipping and trade centre?
Question 20
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Taxi Fleet Regime
Hon Andrew LAM to ask:
The Road Traffic Legislation (Enhancing Personalized Point-to-point Transport Services) (Amendment) Bill 2023, which, among others, seeks to introduce a Taxi Fleet Regime, was passed by this Council in December 2023. Subsequently, in July last year, the Government announced that conditional grants of the Taxi Fleet Licence were issued to five applicants, requiring them to complete the gearing-up work and commence services within one year. However, it has been reported that to date no fleets have officially commenced operations and that only two fleets are operating on a trial basis. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the current number of taxis that each of the five fleets can provide for services; the respective difference between such numbers and the minimum number of taxis required under the Taxi Fleet Licence;
(2)
whether it has reviewed the reasons why three of the taxi fleets have not yet commenced trial operations and the two fleets currently undergoing trial operations have not officially commenced operations since the issuance of the conditional grants of the Taxi Fleet Licence; of the respective expected dates for the five fleets to officially commence operations; and
(3)
whether the authorities have formulated a plan to deal with situations where the aforementioned taxi fleets are unable to officially commence operations by the dates specified in the conditional grants; if so, of the details of the plan; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 21
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Deepening international exchanges and cooperation
Hon Robert LEE to ask:
In the country's Report on the Work of the Government this year, it was mentioned that Hong Kong must deepen international exchanges and cooperation. The SAR Government is also actively attracting overseas companies to Hong Kong and helping Mainland companies go global to align with the overall development strategy of the country. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
how it will promote alignment between Hong Kong's financial services industry and national policies to leverage Hong Kong's unique advantages, reinforce its connectivity with both the Mainland and the world, and actively promote international exchanges and cooperation; whether it will consider providing further support to financial services enterprises to expand into new markets and broaden their international networks;
(2)
as it is learnt that many Hong Kong enterprises, business associations, non-profit organizations, and international trade organizations possess extensive overseas networks, whether the Government has compiled the relevant statistics; if so, of the details; how the Government will leverage the power and resources of non-governmental organizations to foster citizen diplomacy;
(3)
to align with the country's overall development strategy, will the Government review and optimize the division of responsibilities and functions of different government departments or public organizations responsible for promoting trade (such as the Economic and Trade Offices, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Invest Hong Kong, and other overseas offices), so as to avoid overlapping structures and enable them to focus more on delivering services under existing policies;
(4)
whether the Government will formulate specific policy measures to support and sponsor various enterprises and organizations to participate in industrial and commercial, and financial exhibitions, etc. in overseas countries in order to promote commercial cooperation with Middle East countries and Belt and Road countries, and to promote Hong Kong to such countries; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5)
whether the Government has a comprehensive plan to tell good stories of Hong Kong to the outside world through targeted publicity and promotion strategies, and to better leverage Hong Kong's international advantages to attract more international financial institutions and investors to establish presence in Hong Kong?
Question 22
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Reverse Mortgage Programme
Hon CHAN Chun-ying to ask:
It has been reported that 426 reverse mortgage registrations were recorded in the whole of last year, but the number was still far below the level at times of rising property prices (e.g. 751 in 2017 and 621 in 2018). It is learnt that the Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Limited ("HKMC") has made a number of enhancements to the Reverse Mortgage Programme ("the Programme"), including raising the maximum amount of specified property value for payout calculation and introducing a new promotional offer of an enhanced fixed-rate mortgage plan in 2021. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective numbers of applications for the (i) floating-rate and (ii) fixed-rate mortgage plans under the Programme in each of the past three years, together with a breakdown by payout period (i.e. 10 years, 15 years, 20 years and life); the number of applications for the enhanced fixed-rate mortgage plan under the aforesaid fixed-rate mortgage plan;
(2)
whether it has analysed the specific reasons for the rebound in reverse mortgage registrations in the past two years; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
whether it has conducted a systematic assessment of the effectiveness of the previous measures to enhance and promote the Programme, so as to further enhance the Programme and introduce a new round of publicity and promotional measures, such as relaxing the age limit of mortgaged properties and the upper limit of the number of co-borrowers, thereby increasing the attractiveness of the Programme; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?