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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 29 January 1997 1 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 29 January 1997 The Council met at half-past Two o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WONG WANG-FAT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALLEN LEE PENG-FEI, C.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SELINA CHOW LIANG SHUK-YEE, O.B.E., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, O.B.E., LL.D. (CANTAB), J.P. THE HONOURABLE SZETO WAH THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EDWARD HO SING-TIN, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE RONALD JOSEPH ARCULLI, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, O.B.E., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE EDWARD LEONG CHE-HUNG, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG 2 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 29 January 1997 THE HONOURABLE CHIM PUI-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL HO MUN-KA DR THE HONOURABLE HUANG CHEN-YA, M.B.E. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING THE HONOURABLE LEE WING-TAT THE HONOURABLE ERIC LI KA-CHEUNG, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING THE HONOURABLE HENRY TANG YING-YEN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN DR THE HONOURABLE SAMUEL WONG PING-WAI, O.B.E., F.Eng., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG DR THE HONOURABLE YEUNG SUM THE HONOURABLE HOWARD YOUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ZACHARY WONG WAI-YIN THE HONOURABLE CHRISTINE LOH KUNG-WAI THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 29 January 1997 3 THE HONOURABLE CHAN WING-CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN THE HONOURABLE ANDREW CHENG KAR-FOO THE HONOURABLE PAUL CHENG MING-FUN THE HONOURABLE CHENG YIU-TONG DR THE HONOURABLE ANTHONY CHEUNG BING-LEUNG THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG HON-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE CHOY KAN-PUI, J.P. THE HONOURABLE DAVID CHU YU-LIN THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN THE HONOURABLE IP KWOK-HIM THE HONOURABLE AMBROSE LAU HON-CHUEN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LAW CHEUNG-KWOK THE HONOURABLE LAW CHI-KWONG THE HONOURABLE LEE KAI-MING THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE BRUCE LIU SING-LEE THE HONOURABLE LO SUK-CHING THE HONOURABLE MOK YING-FAN THE HONOURABLE MARGARET NG 4 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 29 January 1997 THE HONOURABLE NGAN KAM-CHUEN THE HONOURABLE TSANG KIN-SHING DR THE HONOURABLE JOHN TSE WING-LING THE HONOURABLE MRS ELIZABETH WONG CHIEN CHI-LIEN, C.B.E., I.S.O., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAWRENCE YUM SIN-LING MEMBERS ABSENT THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LEE CHU-MING, Q.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE NGAI SHIU-KIT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU CHIN-SHEK THE HONOURABLE SIN CHUNG-KAI PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING MR MICHAEL SUEN MING-YEUNG, C.B.E., J.P. CHIEF SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE DONALD TSANG YAM-KUEN, O.B.E., J.P. FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE JEREMY FELL MATHEWS, C.M.G., J.P. ATTORNEY GENERAL MR GORDON SIU KWING-CHUE, J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT MR PETER LAI HING-LING, J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 29 January 1997 5 MR KWONG KI-CHI, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE TREASURY MISS DENISE YUE CHUNG-YEE, J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY MR STEPHEN IP SHU-KWAN, J.P. SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES MRS DORIS HO KO SUET-YIU, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE MR TAM WING-PONG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY (w.e.f. 6.30 pm on 29 January 1997) MRS STELLA HUNG KWOK WAI-CHING, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS MR ANTHONY GEFFREY COOPER, J.P. DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE MR RICKY FUNG CHOI-CHEUNG, SECRETARY GENERAL MR LAW KAM-SANG, DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MISS PAULINE NG MAN-WAH, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MR RAY CHAN YUM-MOU, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 6 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 29 January 1997 PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table pursuant to Standing Order 14(2): Subject Subsidiary Legislation L.N. No. Post Office (Amendment) Regulation 1997 ................ 27/97 Telecommunication (Amendment) Regulation 1997 ...... 28/97 Amusement Rides (Safety) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 1997 ......................................... 29/97 Aerial Ropeways (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 1997 ......................................... 30/97 Lifts and Escalators (Safety) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 1997 ......................................... 31/97 Electricity (Registration) (Amendment) Regulation 1997 ......................................... 32/97 Electricity (Wiring) (Amendment) Regulation 1997...... 33/97 Fire Services Department (Reports and Certificates) (Amendment) Regulation 1997 ....... 34/97 Gas Safety (Gas Supply) (Amendment) Regulation 1997 ......................................... 35/97 Gas Safety (Registration of Gas Installers and Gas Contractors) (Amendment) Regulation 1997 . 36/97 Gas Safety (Registration of Gas Supply Companies) (Amendment) Regulation 1997........ 37/97 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 29 January 1997 7 Road Traffic (Parking) (Amendment) Regulation 1997 ......................................... 38/97 Official Languages (Alteration of Text Under Section 4D) (No. 2) Order 1997 ..................... 39/97 Places for Post-Mortem Examination (Amendment) Order 1997 ............................................... 40/97 Occupational Retirement Schemes (Preparation of Actuarial Certificates) Rules .......................... 41/97 Occupational Retirement Schemes (Periodic Certification of Registered Defined Benefit Schemes) Rules .......................................... 42/97 Medical Registration (Amendment) Ordinance 1996 (7 of 1996) (Commencement) Notice 1997 ........ 43/97 Medical Registration (Fees) Regulation (L.N. 517 of 1996) (Commencement) Notice 1997 ............ 44/97 Medical Registration (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulation (L.N. 520 of 1996) (Commencement) Notice 1997 .............................................. 45/97 Medical Practitioners (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) Regulation (L.N. 521 of 1996) (Commencement) 46/97 Notice 1997 .............................................. Wild Animals Protection (Amendment) Ordinance 1996 (77 of 1996) (Commencement) Notice 1997 ....... 47/97 8 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 29 January 1997 Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Plant (Importation and Pest Control) Ordinance) Order ....................................... (C) 3/97 Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Civil Aviation (Aircraft Noise) Ordinance) Order ....................................... (C) 4/97 Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Antibiotics Ordinance) Order ........................ (C) 5/97 Official Languages (Authentic Chinese Text) (Trading with the Enemy Ordinance) Order ....... (C) 6/97 Sessional Papers 1996-97 No. 62 ─ Hong Kong Council for Academic Accreditation Annual Report 1995-96 No. 63 ─ Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Reports of the Director of Audit on the Accounts of the Hong Kong Government for the year ended 31 March 1996 and the Results of Value for Money Audits (January 1997 ─ PAC Report No. 27) ADDRESS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): We will start the sitting with an address. Under Standing Order No. 14(5), no debate may arise on the address, but I may allow short questions seeking elucidation on the matters raised in the address. Mr Eric LI. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 29 January 1997 9 Report of the Public Account Committee on the Reports of the Director of Audit on the Accounts of the Hong Kong Government for the year ended 31 March 1996 and the Results of Value for Money Audits (January 1997 ─ PAC Report No. 27) MR ERIC LI: Mr President, on behalf of the Public Accounts Committee, I have pleasure in tabling the Committee's Report No. 27 today. This Report contains three main parts: (a) the Committee's assessment of the actions taken by the Administration in response to the recommendations made by the Committee in our previous reports; (b) the observation of the Committee on the Report of the Director of Audit on the accounts of the Hong Kong Government for the year ended 31 March 1996 and further information supplied by the Director of Audit; and (c) the conclusions reached by the Committee on the Director of Audit's Report on the results of value for money audits completed between March and September 1996. Whilst we appreciate the generally positive attitude adopted by the Administration in implementing the Committee's recommendations, there remain, nonetheless, some areas of concern, which I will now highlight. I should like to speak on two of these. First, on the actions taken by the Administration in response to the recommendations made by this Committee. The Committee is gravely disappointed with the unduly long time taken to implement the transfer of the management of community centres and community halls from the Home Affairs Department to the Social Welfare Department. This issue was first raised in the Director of Audit's Report No. 19 tabled in this Council on 18 November 1992. An agreement in principle was reached by the Social Services Policy Group in September 1993 to transfer the management responsibilities to the Social Welfare Department. However, 10 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 29 January 1997 to date, the transfer is still outstanding because the necessary resources to facilitate it are yet to be identified. We urge the Administration to expeditiously come up with a concrete proposal to put the grossly under-utilized facilities to good use. We have also invited the Director of Audit to conduct a follow-up study on this matter. The Committee is also concerned about the slow progress made in a number of other issues, such as the issue on "Abuse of policy governing the registration and licensing of goods vehicles" and "The