Question 1
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Managing passenger flows at land boundary control points
Dr Hon Dennis LAM to ask:
It has been reported that the number of Mainland visitors to Hong Kong in April this year grew by 13% year-on-year. In response to my question in January last year, the Government indicated that it would maintain close liaison with Mainland authorities regarding the extension of operating hours at boundary control points ("BCPs") during major festive periods. Subsequently, the Government also indicated that it would further review whether immigration clearance hours at certain BCPs on weekdays would be extended. On managing passenger flows at land BCPs, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that several large-scale concerts have been held on the same day in recent months, resulting in large crowds of visitors crossing the border via the Lok Ma Chau Control Point after the events, with the flow of people continuing into the early hours, whether the Government will consider extending immigration clearance hours at the Lo Wu Control Point until 2 am the following day on days when large-scale concerts take place, and correspondingly extending the service hours of the MTR East Rail Line, so as to enhance the travel experience for visitors coming to Hong Kong to attend concerts;
(2)
whether it will expeditiously discuss with Mainland authorities the extension of immigration clearance hours at the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point and the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point; and
(3)
given that the passenger flow at the Heung Yuen Wai Control Point has exceeded its design capacity by more than double on both weekdays and holidays, whether the Government has considered introducing long-term measures to manage passenger flow, such as installing additional Automated Passenger Clearance Systems (e-Channels), so as to increase their number to be a level comparable with that of the Mainland counterpart?
Question 2
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Promoting the safe and healthy development of the low-altitude economy industries
Ir Hon CHAN Siu-hung to ask:
The National Development and Reform Commission has earlier on emphasized the expansion of application scenarios for low-altitude economic activities in a well-classified and orderly manner, on the premise that risks be stringently controlled and safety be ensured. On promoting the safe and healthy development of the low-altitude economy industries, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that the establishment of a "visible and manageable" fully digitalized low-altitude airspace management system is a key element in managing and controlling the safe and orderly flights of a wide range of high-traffic-density and high-frequency aircrafts in the airspace, whether the Government has a timetable for the establishment of the system concerned; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
as there are views pointing out that the data derived from the low-altitude economy have high economic values, and data security will have a direct impact on the efficiency and safety of the use of airspace, whether the Government will study the establishment of a data security system to promote standardized management and the safe and efficient use of low-altitude data, as well as to facilitate the transformation of data value; and
(3)
whether it will, by drawing reference from the development experience in the Mainland and other places around the world, conduct quantitative analysis on the economic benefits brought about by low-altitude infrastructure and the related industries, and formulate a plan for development of such facilities through a public-private partnership approach, so as to attract more infrastructure investments; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 3
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Facilitating enterprises to list in Hong Kong
Dr Hon Starry LEE to ask:
To dovetail with the latest economic trends and corporate needs, the Securities and Futures Commission ("SFC") and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited ("HKEX") are conducting a comprehensive review of the listing regime, including reviewing the listing requirements, improving the vetting process and optimizing the thresholds for dual listings, so as to further facilitate the emerging sector and overseas enterprises to raise capital in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will drive HKEX and SFC to adjust the listing thresholds for companies with weighted voting right structures and enterprises from the innovative sector, so as to further attract new economy as well as innovation and technology companies to list in Hong Kong;
(2)
whether it will consider driving HKEX to enhance the public float and market capitalization requirements for listed companies, so as to facilitate more large-scale and overseas enterprises to list in Hong Kong; and
(3)
whether it knows the strategies put in place by HKEX to enhance the efficiency and flexibility of the vetting process for listing, as well as to provide stronger support and clearer guidance for overseas quality enterprises, in response to the increasingly competitive environment of the international capital market?
Question 4
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Measures to cope with economic downturn
Hon Paul TSE to ask:
It has been reported that 300 enterprises in Hong Kong have ceased operation over the first half of this year. Quite a number of enterprises are facing cash flow difficulties, and some are even having their loan called in by the bank (an operation commonly known as "call loan"). Many members of the business sector are worried that, once unable to reverse the fiscal deficit, the Government will raise taxes significantly. Some academics have projected that the Government may need to raise the salaries tax rate to 26.5% before fiscal balance can hopefully be achieved. Against a backdrop of uncertain economic prospects, instability in work income, and substantial increase in living and tax expenses, the public's investment confidence and desire for consumption have been directly suppressed. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has examined if there are signs that the Government's fiscal deficit has narrowed since the release of this year's Budget and if there is room to reduce bond issuance volumes in the future;
(2)
in the light of the aforesaid worries of the business sector and members of the public about the economy and tax hikes, what policies or measures are put in place by the authorities to stabilize the confidence of various sectors; whether it can explicitly commit to not raising taxes; and
(3)
as it has been reported that a certain major property developer and a number of small and medium-sized developers in Hong Kong are facing operational crises, with some even defaulting on debts and being on the verge of closure, and foreign media have even described a certain major developer as "too big to fail", so much so that in the event of a closure, it stands to pose a serious crisis to local banks, whether the Government has assessed the negative impact on the banking system, economic structure, unemployment rate, public confidence in investment, consumer sentiment and even government revenue in the event of successive closures of developers, and whether it has formulated counter-measures?
Question 5
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Support for students with special educational needs
Hon Lillian KWOK to ask:
Integrated education has been implemented in Hong Kong since 1997 to provide comprehensive learning support for students with special educational needs ("SEN students") to help them integrate into mainstream schools, and a Three-Tier Intervention Model is currently adopted by public sector schools to provide support for students with different needs, including SEN students. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective numbers of SEN students currently studying in mainstream secondary schools, primary schools and kindergartens, with a breakdown by public sector, private and Direct Subsidy Scheme schools; the number of students currently supported by each tier of the Three-Tier Intervention Model in public sector schools, as well as the amount of the Learning Support Grant involved;
(2)
of the respective numbers of SEN students who dropped out from school, pursued further studies upon graduation and took up employment upon graduation in the past three years; among them, the respective numbers of SEN students from mainstream schools and special schools who were enrolled in Shine Skills Centre upon graduation; and
(3)
whether it will regularly review and update the employment support policies for SEN students in mainstream secondary schools, including studying the provision of vocational and professional education and training for them and assisting them in taking Qualifications Framework-recognized programmes in schools, so as to enable them to better plan for their future career development; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 6
(For oral reply)
(Translation)
Subsidizing patients to purchase continuous glucose monitors
Dr Hon David LAM to ask:
It is learnt that a continuous glucose monitor ("CGM") is a small sensor that can be inserted under the skin of the arm or abdomen to continuously measure the blood glucose level. Studies have found that using a CGM helps patients with Type 1 diabetes control their conditions and improve their quality of life, as well as reduce the incidence of serious diabetes-related complications. However, there are views pointing out that CGMs need to be replaced every two weeks, placing a considerable financial burden on low-income patient families. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
as it has been reported that the Hong Kong Children's Hospital currently only provides a limited number of CGMs to young diabetes patients, while the "Jockey Club Support for Young People with Diabetes" funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club only provides eligible diabetes patients between the ages of 2 and 30 with access to a two-year CGM supply, which fails to meet the long-term needs of the patients, whether the Government knows if the Hospital Authority ("HA") will continuously provide young diabetes patients with a full year's supply of CGMs to cater for their needs; and
(2)
whether it knows if HA will include CGMs in Privately Purchased Medical Items and, through the Samaritan Fund, provide subsidies to diabetes patients in financial need; if HA will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 7
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Diagonal crossings
Hon Dennis LEUNG to ask:
Last year, the Government conducted trials of diagonal crossings at the two crossroads at the junction of Sha Kok Street and Yat Tai Street in Sha Tin and the junction of Carnarvon Road and Granville Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. Some Tseung Kwan O residents have relayed that as the pedestrian flows at the crossroads at the junction of Tong Chun Street and Po Yap Road in Tseung Kwan O ("the Tseung Kwan O crossroads") during different periods are extremely high, they hope that diagonal crossings can be tried out and implemented at that crossroads, so as to facilitate the travelling of local residents to and from MTR Tseung Kwan O Station. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has assessed and prepared a report on the effectiveness of the two trials of diagonal crossings in Sha Tin and Tsim Sha Tsui; if so, of the contents of the report; if not, when it will conduct such an assessment;
(2)
whether it will include the Tseung Kwan O crossroads as a new trial location for diagonal crossings; if so, when the trial will be conducted; if not, of the reasons for that; and
(3)
as there are views that while the Tseung Kwan O crossroads has five to six carriageways on each side with a diagonal distance of as long as 40 to 50 metres, its traffic signal cycle time is similar to that of other crossroads, leaving insufficient time for pedestrians to cross the road diagonally, whether the Government will consider readjusting the traffic signal timings at that crossroads, so as to facilitate a trial of diagonal crossings?
Question 8
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Measures to encourage childbirth
Hon SHANG Hailong to ask:
It has been reported that Hong Kong's fertility rate has remained persistently low in recent years, with the total fertility rate for 2023 standing at only 0.8, which is significantly below the replacement level of 2.1 required to maintain the population level. This situation presents profound challenges to Hong Kong's future economic development, public service demands and workforce structure. The latest report published by the United Nations Population Fund indicates that the primary cause of the global decline in fertility rates is insufficient "reproductive autonomy", which includes structural barriers such as economic pressure, gender inequality, lack of partner support and want of comprehensive reproductive health services. There are views that Hong Kong's current pro-natalist policies largely focus on providing short-term economic incentives (e.g. allowances and increased maternity leave) without formulating long-term strategies to address the aforementioned structural barriers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will conduct a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the existing pro-natalist measures, and propose ground-breaking policies to address the current structural economic issues faced by citizens (such as high housing costs, intense educational competition, and job instability);
(2)
given that a survey has reportedly indicated that only 22% of enterprises offer family-friendly measures beyond those required by law, whether the authorities will consider implementing a "family-friendly workplace certification" programme, through which enhanced subsidies would be provided to enterprises to offer more flexible working arrangements and childrearing support;
(3)
whether the authorities will consider drawing on overseas and the Mainland experiences to actively expand the childcare service network, such as by exploring the introduction of a "neighbourhood childcare voucher scheme", subsidizing parents to use qualified private childcare services within their communities, or making better use of idle government sites or community facilities in commercial areas to establish more childcare service centres; and
(4)
whether the authorities will consider allowing "top talent", "quality migrants" and "professionals" admitted under various talent admission schemes to apply for the Newborn Baby Bonus scheme, with a view to encouraging more talent to stay in Hong Kong and contribute to its development?
Question 9
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Pilot Programme on Smart Recycling Systems
Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok to ask:
The Environmental Protection Department ("EPD") has extended the "Pilot Programme on Smart Recycling Systems" ("the Pilot Programme") starting from mid-2022 and gradually installed smart recycling bins and gift redemption units in some Recycling Stations and Recycling Stores since the end of that year. Starting from March 2023, smart recycling bins have also been progressively set up in housing estates, villages, shopping malls, universities, government venues, etc. The number of application points under the Pilot Programme has been increased from four locations in the initial phase to more than 800 locations at present. In addition, smart recycling bins support 24-hour operation and are equipped with sensors to enable recyclables collection service contractors ("the contractors") to monitor the overflowing of recycling bins. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that some members of the public have relayed that they find from time to time that the smart recycling bins are overflowing, and despite their complaints, the follow-up actions taken by the authorities concerned have been slow, and they are often forced to take the recyclable items back home and thus reducing their incentives for recycling, of the respective numbers of such complaints received, number of cases with follow-up actions completed and average time taken to handle a complaint by EPD in each month since March 2023;
(2)
whether the authorities have put in place a regular monitoring mechanism to assess and review the contractors' handling of complaints about the overflowing of smart recycling bins as well as their general service performance, and require the contractors to make improvements within a specified period of time; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
with the gradual increase in the number of smart recycling bins application points under the Pilot Programme, whether the authorities will allocate additional resources at the same time to step up inspections and random checks, thereby ensuring that the smart recycling systems can serve their functions; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 10
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Procedures for healthcare personnel to compile and modify medical records
Hon CHAN Hoi-yan to ask:
It has been reported that several medical incidents involving the subsequent modification of medical records have previously occurred in public hospitals, sparking controversy (e.g. a medical incident at Queen Mary Hospital in 2020 where a girl was suspected to have gone into a vegetative state due to delayed blood transfusion, which involved doctors modifying the medical records after surgery, and the family considered that the relevant contents had a critical impact on understanding the incident's circumstances). There are views that under the existing mechanism, there is no effective procedure to ensure the necessity and legitimacy of modifying medical records, which lacks protection for both healthcare personnel and patients. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it knows, among the complaints received by the Hospital Authority ("HA") in the past five years, the respective numbers of complaints involving the procedures for compiling medical records, the accuracy of the contents of records and the subsequent modification of the contents of medical records;
(2)
whether it knows if HA has currently formulated relevant guidelines on the procedures and conditions for healthcare personnel to compile medical records and modify their contents; if HA has, of the details, and whether it has plans to improve such guidelines;
(3)
whether it knows, with respect to modifications made by healthcare personnel to the contents of the complied medical records, if HA currently has a mechanism in place to verify the accuracy of the modified contents; if HA has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that and the difficulties involved;
(4)
as there are views pointing out that in the past, a single doctor was responsible for recording medical procedures and confirming all surgical steps in some surgeries, which might affect the accuracy of the records, whether the Government knows if HA will consider amending the relevant procedures to require two or more healthcare personnel to be responsible for recording and confirming, so as to avoid unnecessary disputes; if HA will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(5)
whether it knows if HA will consider introducing different tools to record surgical procedures (e.g. making audio or video recordings with patients' consent) to protect both healthcare personnel and patients and reduce disputes; if HA will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 11
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Facilitating the re-domiciliation of non-Hong Kong-registered enterprises to Hong Kong
Hon Edmund WONG to ask:
The Companies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024, which was passed on 14 May this year, seeks to introduce a company re-domiciliation regime ("the Regime") that enables non-Hong Kong-registered enterprises to transfer their domicile to Hong Kong without having to undergo winding-up procedures in their original domicile while preserving their legal identities. The Amendment Ordinance took effect on 23 May this year, and the Regime opened for applications on the same day. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the number of enquiries and applications received by the authorities from non-Hong Kong enterprises regarding the Regime between 23 May and 30 June this year; the following information on such non-Hong Kong enterprises applying for re-domiciliation to Hong Kong: (i) nature of business, (ii) company assets and scale, and (iii) original domicile;
(2)
whether it has estimated the average processing time from receipt of an application for re-domiciliation from a non-Hong Kong enterprise to formal approval of the enterprise to establish a presence in Hong Kong (i.e. the successful transfer of its domicile to Hong Kong);
(3)
whether any non-Hong Kong enterprises have successfully established a presence in Hong Kong through the Regime to date; if so, of the number of such enterprises, the nature of their business, their company assets and scale, as well as their original domicile; and
(4)
whether it will formulate a promotional plan to promote the Regime through Invest Hong Kong and overseas economic and trade offices to attract more non-Hong Kong enterprises to apply for re-domiciliation to Hong Kong; if so, of the details of the plan (including the resources involved); if not, the reasons for that?
Question 12
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Registration of proprietary Chinese medicines and import and export of Chinese herbal medicines
Prof Hon CHAN Wing-kwong to ask:
Regarding the registration of proprietary Chinese medicines ("pCms") and the import and export of Chinese herbal medicines, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the respective quantities and total values of imported and exported Chinese herbal medicines in each of the past five years;
(2)
of the following information on the applications for registration of pCms received by the Chinese Medicines Board under the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong in each of the past five years: (i) the number of applications, (ii) the number of cases in which the Certificate of registration of pCms ("the Certificate") was issued, (iii) the number of cases in which the Certificate was not issued, and (iv) among such cases, the main reasons for rejecting the applications for registration;
(3)
given that the National Medical Products Administration and the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration respectively promulgated the notice regarding the streamlining of approval procedures for Hong Kong and Macao registered traditional pCms for oral use in January this year and the notice regarding the streamlining of approval procedures for Hong Kong and Macao registered traditional pCms for external use in August 2021, so as to streamline the approval procedures for Hong Kong pCms on the Mainland, whether the Government knows the following information on the applications for registration and selling of pCms on the Mainland submitted by holders of traditional pCms for oral and external use in Hong Kong through the above measures since August 2021: (i) the number of applications, (ii) the number of approved applications, and (iii) the number of types of pCms involved in the approved applications;
(4)
whether it knows the registration and selling status of Hong Kong pCms in overseas countries; and
(5)
of the measures put in place by the authorities to assist Hong Kong Chinese medicine traders in making full use of the advantages of Hong Kong's trade, testing and certification, and registration systems, etc. to actively expand their business on the Mainland and overseas, so as to promote the development of the Chinese medicine industry, thereby developing Hong Kong into a bridgehead for promoting the internationalization of Chinese medicine?
Question 13
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Supporting the development of the Chinese medicine industry
Hon SHIU Ka-fai to ask:
Some members of the Chinese medicine ("CM") sector have relayed to me that they hope the Government will further support the development of the local CM industry. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will consider providing financial assistance to local manufacturers of CM drugs with Good Manufacturing Practice ("GMP") certification to assist them in continuing to innovate and upgrade their equipment to ensure that the quality of their products meets international standards, as well as establishing an intellectual property ("IP") protection mechanism (covering applications for patents, registration of trade marks, development of technologies to keep formulae confidential, and engagement of professional legal consultants) to cope with possible IP litigation both within and outside the country;
(2)
whether it will consider collaborating with local universities and industry organizations to provide CM enterprises with professional training related to IP management, so as to assist such enterprises in enhancing their awareness and application of IP, including how to apply for patents and trade marks both within and outside the country, protect traditional knowledge and techniques from improper use, and cope with IP disputes in the international market, etc.;
(3)
whether it will consider stepping up local law enforcement efforts to strengthen the combat against IP infringement activities in the CM market (including expediting investigations into and the handling of infringement cases), so as to lower enterprises' cost of safeguarding their IP rights; whether it will strengthen its cooperation with other countries or regions in respect of IP to assist local CM enterprises in applying for and protecting IP rights overseas more conveniently;
(4)
whether it will consider providing support for local pharmaceutical companies to step up publicity efforts on their GMP-compliant CM products, and enhancing the promotion and publicity of the brand image of local CM products (e.g. assisting pharmaceutical companies in participating in international and Mainland exhibition events), with a view to facilitating the export of local CM products and better integrating the local CM industry into the market of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area;
(5)
whether it will consider subsidizing local proprietary CM manufacturers' employment of graduates in CM disciplines from local institutions, so as to entice more young people to join the CM industry, thereby solving the talent shortage problem in the industry and facilitating the transmission and innovation of relevant techniques;
(6)
of the respective testing methods currently adopted by the Government for traditional CM decoction pieces and purified granules; as some members of the sector have relayed that the testing methods adopted by the Government for CM products such as CM decoction pieces cannot cater for actual situations, thus hindering the development of the CM industry (for example, the current testing methods have failed to address cases where, even if exceedances of toxic elements are detected in respect of the decoction pieces of a single CM upon testing, the substances in the medicinal broth produced by decocting such pieces with other CMs are different from the single CM as the raw material), whether the Government has, over the past five years, discussed with the sector how to improve the relevant testing methods, and considered changing the existing testing requirements for CM decoction pieces and ways of handling exceedances, so as to improve the relevant regulatory regime; and
(7)
as some members of the sector have relayed that the batches of CM decoction pieces supplied to Hong Kong are relatively small, making it difficult for the sector to carry out comprehensive testing, whether the Government has formulated measures to facilitate the operation of the sector in the light of this situation; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 14
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Supporting the cinema industry
Hon CHAN Pui-leung to ask:
There are views that a number of cinemas in Hong Kong have closed down one after another in recent months and the industry is facing challenges such as rising operational costs and competition from streaming platforms, raising concerns that the wave of cinema closures may continue to spread. On the other hand, as cinemas serve as both an important platform for film exhibition and an important outlet for public consumption, culture and entertainment, the industry's long-term development is in dire need of government support. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has compiled statistics on the number of cinema closures and new openings in each of the past five years;
(2)
whether it has compiled statistics on the following information of the cinemas in each of the 18 districts across the territory at present: (i) the number of cinemas, (ii) the seating capacity, (iii) the number of seats per 1 000 population, (iv) the number of screens, and (v) the average ticket price; and how such figures compare with those from five years ago;
(3)
as regards districts with "zero/few cinemas", whether the Government will, by making reference to past practices, consider including a cinema requirement in the land lease of individual land sale sites, stipulating that the cinema shall not be converted to other uses within the first seven years of operation; whether it has formulated measures to increase cinema supply; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
of the following information on the Cinema Day, which has been sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency and held since 2023: the annual (i) number of participating cinemas, (ii) number of screenings, (iii) attendance, (iv) box-office takings, and (v) amount of government funding; whether it has assessed the effectiveness of the Cinema Day in supporting the development of the cinema industry; whether the authorities have other measures in place to further support the cinema industry?
Question 15
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Formulating a comprehensive population policy
Hon Nixie LAM to ask:
According to data from the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong's total fertility rate in 2024 was only 0.841, far below the 2.1 level required for population replacement. Furthermore, a survey by a youth service organization indicated that only 36% of young people in Hong Kong who had responded in the survey expressed a preference for marriage or childbearing. Another survey showed that just around 23.27% of respondents aged between 19 and 29 expressed a desire to have children, ranking among the lowest levels globally. There are views that the Government should adopt measures to enhance marriage and fertility rates among young people and develop a comprehensive population policy to avoid population ageing and workforce shrinkage. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it will commence a systematic survey and study on the marriage and fertility situation of young people in Hong Kong, so as to deeply analyse the core factors influencing their decisions regarding marriage and childbearing, particularly through assessment in areas such as financial burdens, housing difficulties and job stability, with a view to gaining a more precise understanding of their concerns and expectations; if so, of the direction and timetable of the survey and study; if not, the reasons for that;
(2)
as there are views pointing out that young people's lack of knowledge and confidence in future planning and gender relations indirectly undermine their willingness to marry and have children, whether the Government will consider, through cross-departmental collaboration, integrating existing fertility support measures for young people (e.g. child-rearing subsidies, priority quotas for public housing allocation, and childcare services for working families) and consolidating such information within the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau's "HKYouth+" mobile application, as well as adding a designated information corner to the application that covers topics such as reproductive health, sex education, and marriage and fertility support, with a view to strengthening support for young people in the aspects of affective education and reproductive health information; if so, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3)
as there are views pointing out that although the Government has established the Human Resources Planning Commission to follow up on population policy, Hong Kong's current population policy still lacks comprehensiveness, whether the Government will review the Commission's work or establish a task force coordinated by an official at the level of Secretary of Department to institutionally integrate cross-departmental resources, with a view to formulating more comprehensive population policy objectives for Hong Kong to address the long-term challenges of population development?
Question 16
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Mobile applications to assist with travel for persons with disabilities
Hon Andrew LAM to ask:
Regarding mobile applications to assist with travel for persons with disabilities ("PWDs"), will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
which funded projects under the current government funding schemes for software and application development are related to assistance with barrier-free travel for PWDs (set out in a table);
(2)
of the Government's plans (e.g. provision of funding support) in place to integrate, enhance and link up existing mobile applications that assist with barrier-free travel for PWDs, so as to optimize the use of resources and enable such applications to more effectively serve PWDs; and
(3)
given that since 2020 the Lands Department has been developing a set of 3D Digital Map with functions including provision of barrier-free route planning for people with different commuting needs, how the Government promotes the best use of such digital map among the public and private sectors and identifies access points in need of improvement, so as to lay down a foundation for future improvement and update of the relevant software and hardware (e.g. the relevant mobile applications and barrier-free facilities)?
Question 17
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Monitoring the operation of government departments and the performance of civil servants
Hon Carmen KAN to ask:
Regarding the monitoring of the operation of government departments and the performance of civil servants, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
whether it has compiled statistics on the following information in respect of the investigations/audits conducted by the Office of The Ombudsman and the Audit Commission ("Audit") since 2015 (set out in a table):
(i)
the subjects and names of government departments involved in the investigation reports/audit reports completed each year; and
(ii)
the number of investigations/audits conducted on various government departments, and the subjects on which investigations/audits had been conducted repeatedly (set out by department and year);
(2)
whether it knows which of the subjects examined by Audit mentioned in (1) have not yet completed the follow-up work in accordance with the recommendations of Audit and the Public Accounts Committee of this Council;
(3)
of the measures put in place by the Government to improve the operation of government departments which have been investigated/examined repeatedly and found to have problems; whether it has held the then responsible personnel (including accountability officials and civil servants) responsible and imposed punishments; if so, of the details, including the number of the relevant personnel being punished (with a breakdown by the investigated/examined subjects and government departments) and the form of penalty imposed; if not, the reasons for that, and whether it will study the establishment of the relevant mechanism;
(4)
whether the authorities have put in place an incentive mechanism for government departments with outstanding performance, so as to further increase the incentive of government personnel; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and whether they will study establishing the relevant mechanism; and
(5)
since the promulgation of the updated Civil Service Code ("the Code") last year, of the number of civil servants who have been issued with notifications by the Government under section 12 of the Public Service (Administration) Order and not granted increments as a result of substandard performance (with a breakdown by rank), and how such number compares with the data before the Code was updated; of the measures in place to enhance the effectiveness of rewarding and punishing civil servants for their performance, e.g. whether it will study reforming the incremental point system to improve their overall performance; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 18
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Employment support services
Dr Hon NGAN Man-yu to ask:
The Employment Information and Promotion Programme Office ("EIPPO") of the Labour Department ("LD") is responsible for promoting employment services, assisting job-seekers in finding jobs through the provision of employment information, and helping employers recruit suitable staff. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the details of EIPPO's existing staffing establishment (including the number of posts, rank distribution and the ratio of full-time to contract staff); between 2022 and 2024, (i) the operating expenses of EIPPO, (ii) the number of job fairs organized, and (iii) the number of job vacancies processed, together with a breakdown by year and industry type (e.g. retail, construction and service);
(2)
of the number of successful placements referred by EIPPO ("successful job matching") between 2022 and 2024 and its percentage in the total number of job vacancies processed by EIPPO, together with a breakdown by the age, sex, academic qualification and group (e.g. ethnic minorities or persons with disabilities) of job seekers, and the industry of the placement; whether it has laid down clear definitions and criteria for successful job matching (e.g. staying in employment for three months or more);
(3)
whether LD has formulated performance indicators for EIPPO's work, such as participation rates at job fairs, vacancy filling rates or job seeker satisfaction levels; if so, of the details (including the key indicators and their attainment between 2022 and 2024); if not, the reasons for that;
(4)
whether it has plans to comprehensively review the effectiveness of EIPPO's services, so as to enhance the employment support measures for vulnerable workers (including low-skilled workers, women, ethnic minorities and middle-aged persons); if so, of the details (including the timetable, scope and objectives of the review); if not, the reasons for that, and whether it will conduct the relevant review;
(5)
whether it will consider strengthening cooperation with enterprises, social organizations and non-governmental organizations to establish an "employment support platform for vulnerable workers", and encouraging enterprises to provide internships and long-term employment opportunities suitable for vulnerable workers; if so, of the details (including the content of the plan, the implementation timetable, the measures to provide subsidies or incentives to enterprises, as well as the expected effectiveness); if not, the reasons for that, and whether there are other alternative measures; and
(6)
whether it will, by drawing reference from LD's practice of setting up industry-specific job centres (e.g. the Recruitment Centre for the Catering Industry, the Recruitment Centre for the Retail Industry and the Construction Industry Recruitment Centre), convert job centres in some districts into one-stop employment support centres specifically targeting women, the elderly and ethnic minorities, with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of such centres?
Question 19
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Promoting efficient district governance
Hon CHAN Yung to ask:
The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs pointed out during a media interview last month that the District Councils, "the three district committees" (i.e. the Area Committees, the District Fight Crime Committees and the District Fire Safety Committees) and the District Services and Community Care Teams ("Care Teams") are the troika of district governance, with clear divisions of work and high levels of collaboration. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
how it will continue to strengthen cooperation among the aforesaid three parties;
(2)
given that the Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs mentioned in the aforesaid interview that the scope of work of the Care Teams is under review, of the current progress of the relevant work; and
(3)
whether it will, by drawing on the district governance experiences of the Mainland and Singapore, continue to enhance support in terms of systems, policies and resources, so as to provide more care services for the communities and residents (such as establishing government centres in districts with single-window services from various government departments)?
Question 20
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Preventing child abuse
Hon Maggie CHAN to ask:
It has been reported that Hong Kong has recently witnessed a series of shocking cases of child abuse, including a recent incident where a deliveryman repeatedly abused his biological daughter, leading to her death. The defendant was ultimately convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, and he was sentenced to imprisonment of six years and five months for his child abuse offence. There are views that as the current maximum penalty of child abuse is only ten years, it fails to fully reflect its severity and effectively prevent child abuse from taking place, and, given that Hong Kong has seen cases of child abuse resulting in death in the past, it is imperative for the authorities to significantly increase the maximum penalty for child abuse offence, so as to enhance deterrence and protect children. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
of the following information regarding child abuse cases successfully prosecuted by the authorities last year: (i) number of cases, (ii) date of prosecution, (iii) date of sentence, (iv) whether the perpetrator was a direct relative of the victim, (v) whether the abuse resulted in the death of or grievous bodily harm to the child, and (vi) term of imprisonment in cases where imprisonment was imposed; and
(2)
whether it has plans to review relevant legislation to increase the maximum penalty for child abuse offence; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Question 21
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Fire safety of old buildings
Hon Vincent CHENG to ask:
It has been reported that a No. 3 alarm fire broke out at New Lucky House in Jordan in April last year, resulting in five deaths and 40 injuries of members of the public. This Council subsequently passed the Fire Safety (Buildings) (Amendment) Bill 2024 ("the Bill") in December last year to enable the Government to carry out fire safety improvement works for target building owners who fail to comply with the Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance, and to increase the penalties imposed on persons who fail to comply with Fire Safety Directions, etc., so as to enhance the fire safety standards of old buildings. However, it is learnt that at present, there are still cases with, among others, public passageways obstructed by miscellaneous articles and smoke stop doors not closed in individual composite buildings and factory buildings. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
given that the Hong Kong Fire Services Department ("FSD") indicated in January this year that the authorities had inspected about 1 000 old buildings with higher risk and issued more than 8 600 Fire Hazard Abatement Notices ("FHANs"), of the percentage of "three-nil buildings" among such buildings, the number of persons prosecuted and convicted, and the reasons why they were prosecuted, with a breakdown by the 18 districts across the territory;
(2)
given that the authorities issued FHANs to or took enforcement actions against the non-compliant buildings during the inspections of the buildings mentioned in (1), of the compliance rate of the buildings concerned so far; whether the authorities will further inspect the buildings concerned on a regular basis; if so, of the details;
(3)
of the number of old buildings which the authorities will proactively inspect in the coming year;
(4)
given that according to the paper submitted by the Government to the Panel on Security of this Council in December last year, FSD will select 10 to 20 old buildings at the initial stage after the passage of the Bill for the Government to carry out defaulted works, of the number of buildings finally selected by the authorities, as well as their names, and the number of three-nil buildings among such buildings; the progress and estimated costs of the relevant works;
(5)
whether the authorities will consider increasing the number of buildings for which defaulted works will be carried out; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(6)
as it is learnt that although FSD is inviting some owners of old buildings to participate in the Pilot Scheme on the Internet of Things ("IoT") fire detection system ("the Scheme") which aims to make use of IoT technology by installing sensors inside flats or in the public areas of buildings, so that in the event of a fire, the sensors will transmit the relevant information directly to FSD, thereby speeding up the efficiency of the authorities in carrying out fire-fighting operations, only a small number of buildings in each district are invited to participate in the Scheme, of the details of the Scheme and the criteria adopted by the authorities for inviting building owners to participate in the Scheme?
Question 22
(For written reply)
(Translation)
Toys safety
Prof Hon CHOW Man-kong to ask:
It has been reported that certain toys (e.g. "slime", powerful magnetic beads and toy aqua beads, etc.) pose potential safety hazards. For instance, in 2023, there were 6 000 cases of children seeking emergency medical treatment in the United States ("US") due to the inadvertent use of toy aqua beads, and there was even a 10-month-old infant found dead as a result. In Hong Kong, there are also numerous cases in which the unsafe toys have endangered children's health. Regarding toys safety, will the Government inform this Council:
(1)
in each of the past five years, of the number of (i) proactive inspections (both online and offline) conducted by the Customs and Excise Department ("C&ED") for the purpose of enforcing the Toys and Children's Products Safety Ordinance (Cap. 424) ("the Ordinance"), (ii) reports received and their details (including the names of the substandard toys seized in enforcement actions and their hazardous nature), (iii) prohibition notices served on retailers and wholesalers, and (iv) cases of conviction for contravening the Ordinance and the penalty imposed in each of such cases;
(2)
whether it has compiled statistics, through channels such as schools and the number of visits to accident and emergency departments, on the number of cases involving Hong Kong children suffering from suffocation, acute toxicity and injury due to the inadvertent use of toys in each of the past five years; if so, of the details of each case (including the age of the children involved, the names of toys and whether they have been put on the C&ED's list concerning "cases of unsafe products" ("the list"), as well as the follow-up actions taken by C&ED; if not, whether it will consider establishing a notification mechanism to ensure that all the stakeholders (especially parents and teachers) will stay timely informed of toy safety incidents which involve significant social interests and children's safety;
(3)
given that according to a test report published by the Consumer Council in August 2019, the boron migration of 12 models of slime or putty toys exceeded the recommended upper limit of the European standard, and prolonged exposure to or indirect excessive intake of the substance may result in vomiting or even affect one's fertility, whether the authorities have prohibited the local sale of relevant toys associated with health risks since the publication of the report; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4)
it is learnt that the US Consumer Product Safety Commission intended to impose more stringent regulation on toy aqua beads last year, and members of the public can still purchase such toy aqua beads and other toys on the list through online or offline channels at present, whether the authorities will consider stepping up the regulation of the safety of relevant products as well as banning local sale of certain toys which have caused fatal accidents overseas; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?