LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 30 April 2003 5595 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 30 April 2003 The Council met at half-past Two o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE MRS RITA FAN HSU LAI-TAI, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH TING WOO-SHOU, J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, G.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID CHU YU-LIN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN IR DR THE HONOURABLE RAYMOND HO CHUNG-TAI, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LEE CHU-MING, S.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ERIC LI KA-CHEUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LUI MING-WAH, J.P. THE HONOURABLE NG LEUNG-SING, J.P. 5596 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 30 April 2003 THE HONOURABLE MARGARET NG THE HONOURABLE MRS SELINA CHOW LIANG SHUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG THE HONOURABLE HUI CHEUNG-CHING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KWOK-KEUNG THE HONOURABLE BERNARD CHAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SOPHIE LEUNG LAU YAU-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE SIN CHUNG-KAI THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WONG WANG-FAT, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG THE HONOURABLE WONG YUNG-KAN THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE HOWARD YOUNG, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE YEUNG SUM THE HONOURABLE YEUNG YIU-CHUNG, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE LAU CHIN-SHEK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU KONG-WAH LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 30 April 2003 5597 THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, J.P. THE HONOURABLE AMBROSE LAU HON-CHUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHOY SO-YUK THE HONOURABLE ANDREW CHENG KAR-FOO THE HONOURABLE SZETO WAH THE HONOURABLE TIMOTHY FOK TSUN-TING, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LAW CHI-KWONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE TANG SIU-TONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LI FUNG-YING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HENRY WU KING-CHEONG, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL MAK KWOK-FUNG THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE LEUNG FU-WAH, M.H., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LO WING-LOK THE HONOURABLE WONG SING-CHI THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE 5598 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 30 April 2003 THE HONOURABLE IP KWOK-HIM, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU PING-CHEUNG THE HONOURABLE AUDREY EU YUET-MEE, S.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, J.P. MEMBERS ABSENT: DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, J.P. PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE DONALD TSANG YAM-KUEN, G.B.M., J.P. THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION THE HONOURABLE ANTONY LEUNG KAM-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE ELSIE LEUNG OI-SIE, G.B.M., J.P. THE SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL SUEN MING-YEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, PLANNING AND LANDS PROF THE HONOURABLE ARTHUR LI KWOK-CHEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER DR THE HONOURABLE YEOH ENG-KIONG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, WELFARE AND FOOD LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 30 April 2003 5599 THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN IP SHU-KWAN, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND LABOUR DR THE HONOURABLE SARAH LIAO SAU-TUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND WORKS THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK MA SI-HANG SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN LAM SUI-LUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR RICKY FUNG CHOI-CHEUNG, J.P., SECRETARY GENERAL MR LAW KAM-SANG, J.P., DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MR RAY CHAN YUM-MOU, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 5600 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 30 April 2003 PRESENTATION OF PETITION PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Presentation of petition. In accordance with Rule 20 of the Rules of Procedure, Mr Michael MAK informed me yesterday that he would present a petition to this Council. Under Rule 20(5) of the Rules of Procedure, Mr Michael MAK may not make a speech beyond a summary statement of the number and description of the petitioners and the substance of the petition. MR MICHAEL MAK (in Cantonese): Madam President, thank you very much for granting me permission to present a petition today. This petition is jointly presented by me, four other Members of this Council, 44 health care workers and members of the community. The substance of the petition can be summarized as follows: We urge the Government to take decisive initiatives to provide promptly comprehensive and sound preventive measures against infection, including the provision of individual protective gear, so as to ensure that co-workers exposed to the risk in their working environment are given effective protection. Thank you, Madam President. TABLING OF PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table pursuant to Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure: Subsidiary Legislation/Instruments L.N. No. Antiquities and Monuments (Declaration of Proposed Monument) Notice 2003............................... 100/2003 Import and Export (General) Regulations (Amendment of Seventh Schedule) (No. 4) Notice 2003 ............ 101/2003 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 30 April 2003 5601 Massage Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance 2001 (28 of 2001) (Commencement) Notice 2003 ....... 102/2003 Massage Establishments (Amendment) Regulation 2003 (L.N. 51 of 2003) (Commencement) Notice 2003.............................................. 103/2003 Fugitive Offenders (Sri Lanka) Order (L.N. 28 of 2003) (Commencement) Notice 2003 ....................... 104/2003 Prevention of the Spread of Infectious Diseases (Amendment) Regulation 2003....................... 107/2003 Frontier Closed Area (Permission to Enter) (Amendment) Notice 2003.............................................. 108/2003 Juvenile Offenders (Amendment) Ordinance 2003 (6 of 2003) (Commencement) Notice 2003 ........ 109/2003 Other Papers No. 77 ─ Report No. 40 of the Director of Audit on the results of value for money audits - March 2003 No. 78 ─ Report of changes to the approved Estimates of Expenditure approved during the third quarter of 2002-03 (Public Finance Ordinance : Section 8) No. 79 ─ Annual Report 2002 Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Questions. First question. 5602 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 30 April 2003 Measures to Combat Atypical Pneumonia 1. MR MICHAEL MAK (in Cantonese): Madam President, on 12th of this month, the Chief Executive met the President of the State in Shenzhen. During the meeting, the Chief Executive reported on the development of atypical pneumonia in Hong Kong and the series of measures taken by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government to combat the disease, and said that the SAR Government would strengthen the co-operation and exchanges with Guangdong Province in this respect. The President pledged full support of the Central Government should the SAR require the help of the Mainland, for example, in acquiring medical supplies and protective gears. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (a) whether the issue of setting up a notification mechanism on serious diseases between the Governments of SAR and Guangdong Province was raised during the meeting; if so, of the details and progress of the notification mechanism; of the consensus reached between the two Governments on the prevention and treatment of atypical pneumonia, and whether they will consider formulating common preventive and treatment measures to combat the disease; (b) whether, in consideration of the facilities and equipment of the SAR Government at present, it has assessed the need to receive material assistance from the Central Government; if it has, of the assessment results; if it has not, of the measures taken and the additional facilities or equipment provided to reduce the risks of infection on front-line health care personnel; and (c) whether it is aware of the amount of money spent by the Hospital Authority (HA) since the outbreak of atypical pneumonia on purchasing supplies and equipment and employing additional staff to combat the disease; whether the HA has assessed the time and the amount of money required to combat the disease, and whether the Government's creation of a commitment of $200 million for the HA, the Department of Health (DH), the Information Services Department and other bureaux/departments to combat the disease, is sufficient for providing the HA with the amount of money it requires; if it has, of the assessment results; if the HA considers the commitment to be insufficient for providing the amount of money the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 30 April 2003 5603 HA requires, whether the HA has plans to seek additional financial support from the Government? SECRETARY FOR HEALTH, WELFARE AND FOOD (in Cantonese): Madam President, (a) On 12 April 2003, the President of the Central People's Government met the Chief Executive of the SAR. Further strengthening of co- operation between Guangdong Province and Hong Kong in the prevention and treatment of infectious atypical pneumonia was discussed at the meeting. The first meeting of the Guangdong Province - Hong Kong Expert Group on Prevention and Treatment of Infectious Atypical Pneumonia was held on 17 and 18 April in Guangzhou. The two sides agreed to further improve the notification mechanism for infectious atypical pneumonia and will pass to each other regularly the latest information on the disease which would include relevant statistics as well as clinical treatment, epidemiological investigations, and progress on pathological study.