OFFICIAL RECORD of PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 22
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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 22 March 2017 5139 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 22 March 2017 The Council met at Eleven o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, G.B.S., J.P. PROF THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, B.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. 5140 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 22 March 2017 THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG# THE HONOURABLE CLAUDIA MO THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TIEN PUK-SUN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STEVEN HO CHUN-YIN, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE FRANKIE YICK CHI-MING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE WU CHI-WAI, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YIU SI-WING, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHARLES PETER MOK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHI-CHUEN THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAN-PAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LEUNG THE HONOURABLE ALICE MAK MEI-KUEN, B.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE KWOK KA-KI THE HONOURABLE KWOK WAI-KEUNG THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK WING-HANG # According to the Judgment of the Court of First Instance of the High Court on 14 July 2017, LEUNG Kwok-hung, Nathan LAW Kwun-chung, YIU Chung-yim and LAU Siu-lai have been disqualified from assuming the office of a member of the Legislative Council, and have vacated the same since 12 October 2016, and are not entitled to act as a member of the Legislative Council. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 22 March 2017 5141 THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN DR THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LIAO CHEUNG-KONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, J.P. IR DR THE HONOURABLE LO WAI-KWOK, S.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHUNG KWOK-PAN THE HONOURABLE ALVIN YEUNG THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WAN SIU-KIN THE HONOURABLE CHU HOI-DICK DR THE HONOURABLE JUNIUS HO KWAN-YIU, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HO KAI-MING THE HONOURABLE LAM CHEUK-TING THE HONOURABLE HOLDEN CHOW HO-DING THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-FAI THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-CHUN THE HONOURABLE WILSON OR CHONG-SHING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YUNG HOI-YAN DR THE HONOURABLE PIERRE CHAN 5142 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 22 March 2017 THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHUN-YING THE HONOURABLE TANYA CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-KWAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HUI CHI-FUNG THE HONOURABLE LUK CHUNG-HUNG THE HONOURABLE LAU KWOK-FAN, M.H. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LAU IP-KEUNG, M.H., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE CHENG CHUNG-TAI THE HONOURABLE KWONG CHUN-YU THE HONOURABLE JEREMY TAM MAN-HO THE HONOURABLE NATHAN LAW KWUN-CHUNG# DR THE HONOURABLE YIU CHUNG-YIM# DR THE HONOURABLE LAU SIU-LAI# MEMBERS ABSENT: DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG THE HONOURABLE JIMMY NG WING-KA, J.P. # According to the Judgment of the Court of First Instance of the High Court on 14 July 2017, LEUNG Kwok-hung, Nathan LAW Kwun-chung, YIU Chung-yim and LAU Siu-lai have been disqualified from assuming the office of a member of the Legislative Council, and have vacated the same since 12 October 2016, and are not entitled to act as a member of the Legislative Council. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 22 March 2017 5143 PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: PROF THE HONOURABLE ANTHONY CHEUNG BING-LEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING PROF THE HONOURABLE K C CHAN, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY THE HONOURABLE GREGORY SO KAM-LEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THE HONOURABLE LAI TUNG-KWOK, G.B.S., I.D.S.M., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY DR THE HONOURABLE KO WING-MAN, B.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH THE HONOURABLE WONG KAM-SING, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN SUI WAI-KEUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND WELFARE THE HONOURABLE ERIC MA SIU-CHEUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR DEVELOPMENT MR GODFREY LEUNG KING-KWOK, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR KENNETH CHEN WEI-ON, S.B.S., SECRETARY GENERAL MISS ODELIA LEUNG HING-YEE, DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MS ANITA SIT, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MS DORA WAI, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 5144 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 22 March 2017 PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Will the Clerk please ring the bell to summon Members to the Chamber. (After the summoning bell had been rung, a number of Members entered the Chamber) TABLING OF PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table under Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure: Subsidiary Legislation/Instruments L.N. No. Road Tunnels (Government) (Amendment) Regulation 2017 ................................................... 34/2017 Tsing Ma Control Area (Tolls, Fees and Charges) (Amendment) Regulation 2017 ............................. 35/2017 Tsing Sha Control Area (Tolls, Fees and Charges) (Amendment) Regulation 2017 ............................. 36/2017 Antiquities and Monuments (Declaration of Proposed Monument) (Hung Lau) Notice ............................ 37/2017 Pharmacy and Poisons (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2017 ................................................... 38/2017 Designation of Libraries (Amendment) Order 2017 ......... 39/2017 Smoking (Public Health) (Designation of No Smoking Areas) (Amendment) Notice 2017 ........................ 40/2017 Other Papers No. 73 ― Correctional Services Department Welfare Fund Report by the Commissioner of Correctional Services of Hong Kong Incorporated on the Administration of the Fund, Financial Statements and Report of the Director of Audit for the year ended 31 March 2016 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 22 March 2017 5145 No. 74 ― Hong Kong Rotary Club Students' Loan Fund Financial Statements and Report of the Director of Audit for the year ended 31 August 2016 No. 75 ― Sing Tao Charitable Foundation Students' Loan Fund Financial Statements and Report of the Director of Audit for the year ended 31 August 2016 No. 76 ― Hong Kong Arts Development Council Annual Report 2015/16 No. 77 ― The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Annual Report 2015/16, Consolidated Financial Statements and Independent Auditor's Report for the year ended 30th June 2016 No. 78 ― Report of changes made to the approved Estimates of Expenditure during the third quarter of 2016-17 Public Finance Ordinance : Section 8 No. 79 ― AIDS Trust Fund 2015-16 Annual Report, Financial statements and Report of the Director of Audit for the year ended 31 March 2016 Report No. 13/16-17 of the House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Questions. First question. Manpower of the construction industry 1. IR DR LO WAI-KWOK (in Cantonese): President, according to a survey on labour shortage in the construction industry conducted by the Hong Kong Construction Association in November last year, the shortage rate of construction workers stood at about 7.5%, which was lower than the corresponding rates of 18.6% and 12.8% in the same period of the preceding two years. While the 5146 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 22 March 2017 manpower shortage problem has been slightly alleviated, the industry is still plagued by the problem of an ageing labour force. At present, over 40% of construction workers (i.e. about 170 000 people) are 50 years old or above. Some members of the construction industry have pointed out that various infrastructure projects should commence in an orderly manner in accordance with the future manpower supply and demand situation of the construction industry. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) given that the first batch of railway projects (including the Northern Link and Kwu Tung Station, the Tuen Mun South Extension and the East Kowloon Line) under the Railway Development Strategy 2014 is expected to commence in 2018 and 2019 the soonest, whether the Government has explored ways to ensure that such new railway projects commence as scheduled or even ahead of schedule, with a view to making good use of the construction industry manpower to be released following the completion of the works projects of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao-Bridge and the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link within the next one to two years, thereby avoiding the recurrence of the situation where, owing to the concurrent commencement of a number of works projects, the projects concerned have to compete with each other for manpower; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (2) whether it will work out a list of infrastructure and public works projects prioritized according to their degree of urgency, for the purpose of improving the projection on the manpower supply and demand situation of the construction industry and the distribution of work, so as to ensure the sustainable development of the construction industry and avoid the situation where workers suffer from the plight of "dying of overwork at one time and of starvation at another"; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (3) whether it has, in the light of the lessons learnt from past experience, assessed the required numbers of workers and professionals when planning various public works projects, so as to facilitate the early planning of suitable complementary measures, including the formulation, after strengthening the communication with the relevant stakeholders, of project-based plans for importation of foreign labour; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that? LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 22 March 2017 5147 SECRETARY FOR DEVELOPMENT (in Cantonese): President, the Government has been implementing capital works projects in a continuous, timely and orderly manner with a view to improving people's quality of living, enhance the long-term competitiveness and promote the economic development of Hong Kong.