Hansard of the Former Legislative Council Then, I Note the Request Made by Many Honourable Members That Direct Elections Be Held for ADC Members
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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 25 May 2011 10789 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 25 May 2011 The Council met at Eleven o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN IR DR THE HONOURABLE RAYMOND HO CHUNG-TAI, S.B.S., S.B.ST.J., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE MARGARET NG THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SOPHIE LEUNG LAU YAU-FUN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG, G.B.S. THE HONOURABLE WONG YUNG-KAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU KONG-WAH, J.P. 10790 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 25 May 2011 THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW CHENG KAR-FOO THE HONOURABLE TIMOTHY FOK TSUN-TING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LI FUNG-YING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE AUDREY EU YUET-MEE, S.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE VINCENT FANG KANG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-HING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE LEE WING-TAT DR THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG HOK-MING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE RONNY TONG KA-WAH, S.C. THE HONOURABLE CHIM PUI-CHUNG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 25 May 2011 10791 PROF THE HONOURABLE PATRICK LAU SAU-SHING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KAM NAI-WAI, M.H. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LAM TAI-FAI, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN THE HONOURABLE PAUL CHAN MO-PO, M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN DR THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KA-LAU THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-CHE THE HONOURABLE WONG SING-CHI THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE IP WAI-MING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE IP KWOK-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PAN PEY-CHYOU THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN DR THE HONOURABLE SAMSON TAM WAI-HO, J.P. 10792 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 25 May 2011 THE HONOURABLE ALAN LEONG KAH-KIT, S.C. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG THE HONOURABLE TANYA CHAN THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE WONG YUK-MAN MEMBERS ABSENT: DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE JOHN TSANG CHUN-WAH, G.B.M., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE WONG YAN-LUNG, S.C., J.P. THE SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL SUEN MING-YEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN LAM SUI-LUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND MAINLAND AFFAIRS THE HONOURABLE AMBROSE LEE SIU-KWONG, G.B.S., I.D.S.M., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY DR THE HONOURABLE YORK CHOW YAT-NGOK, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 25 May 2011 10793 MS FLORENCE HUI HIU-FAI, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS THE HONOURABLE MRS CARRIE LAM CHENG YUET-NGOR, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR DEVELOPMENT THE HONOURABLE EDWARD YAU TANG-WAH, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THE HONOURABLE EVA CHENG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING MR GREGORY SO KAM-LEUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MISS ADELINE WONG CHING-MAN, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND MAINLAND AFFAIRS CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MS PAULINE NG MAN-WAH, SECRETARY GENERAL MISS ODELIA LEUNG HING-YEE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MRS JUSTINA LAM CHENG BO-LING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 10794 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 25 May 2011 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. Director of Intellectual Property (Establishment) Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order 2011............... 88/2011 Construction Industry Council Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 2) Order 2011 ......................................... 89/2011 Public Health and Municipal Services (Designation of Public Swimming Pool) Order 2011................................. 90/2011 Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Amendment 91/2011 of Fourteenth Schedule) Order 2011 ..................... Public Health and Municipal Services (Setting Aside Places and Cessation of Setting Aside Place for Use as Public Pleasure Grounds) Order 2011 ................... 92/2011 Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Amendment of Fourth Schedule) Order 2011...... 93/2011 Waste Disposal Ordinance (Application of Section 16) Notice 2011............................................................ 94/2011 Waste Disposal (Amendment) Ordinance 2006 (Commencement) Notice 2011.............................. 95/2011 Human Organ Transplant (Amendment) Ordinance 2004 (Commencement) Notice 2011.............................. 96/2011 Administrative Instructions for Regulating Admittance and Conduct of Persons (Amendment) Instructions 2011 (Commencement) Notice ....................................... 97/2011 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 25 May 2011 10795 Other Papers No. 93 ─ Securities and Futures Commission Approved budget of income and expenditure for the financial year 2011/2012 No. 94 ─ Report of changes made to the approved Estimates of Expenditure during the fourth quarter of 2010-11 Public Finance Ordinance: Section 8 ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Questions. First question. Road Traffic Noise in West Kowloon 1. MR FREDERICK FUNG (in Cantonese): President, I have received complaints from quite a number of members of the public, pointing out that the noise problem in the West Kowloon district has persistently affected the lives of local residents, particularly during the small hours when vehicles travelling on major trunk roads in the district, for example, the West Kowloon Corridor (WKC), and so on, cause serious noise nuisance to residents living in the neighbourhood, for example, Fu Cheong Estate and Nam Cheong Estate in Sham Shui Po, the old district of Sham Shui Po and Tai Kok Tsui. Some members of the public have also pointed out that the noise problem is partly attributable to the illegal road racing activities on the WKC during the small hours. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (a) of the relevant data obtained from traffic noise surveys conducted by the authorities in the vicinity of the main roads in West Kowloon in the past five years and the changes in such data; whether the authorities had analysed if traffic noise along these roads showed signs of deterioration or mitigation; of the mitigation measures taken by the authorities to combat the noise problem in the aforesaid district in the past five years, and whether they have reviewed the effectiveness of such measures; 10796 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 25 May 2011 (b) of the respective numbers of complaints about the traffic noise along the WKC received by the Government in each of the past three years; whether the authorities regularly conduct traffic noise surveys in the small hours in the aforesaid district; if so, of the relevant data and analyses on the sources of traffic noise; the enforcement actions taken by the police to combat illegal road racing activities on the WKC; and the respective numbers of vehicles intercepted for suspected modification, prosecutions instituted and convictions of those involved; and (c) whether the authorities will, targeting at the noise problem in West Kowloon and its vicinity at present, explore and implement various new mitigation measures, including implementing traffic control measures (for example, restricting vehicles generating loud noise from using the relevant road sections during the small hours), introducing new technologies for noise barriers (for example, using lighter materials and collapsible or expandable components to reduce additional wind load on existing roads and flyovers), and installing double-glazed windows as noise insulation for residents who are subject to serious noise nuisance? SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT (in Cantonese): Good morning, President and Members. I thank Mr Frederick FUNG for his question. (a) The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has all along been using traffic flow data (for example, traffic flow, traffic speed and ratio of heavy traffic vehicles) to assess the traffic noise from major roads in Hong Kong. In Sham Shui Po, West Kowloon, traffic noise from the WKC is higher. Nearby residents are exposed to noise levels of up to 75 to 80 dB(A)L10 (1 hour) during the busiest traffic hours of the day. For the past few years, there was no significant change in the vehicular flow on the busy major roads in the district, and hence there was no significant change in the overall traffic noise level on these road sections. To mitigate the impact of traffic noise, the Highways Department (HyD) has resurfaced the WKC and other suitable road sections in LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 25 May 2011 10797 the district with low noise surfacing material to reduce traffic noise. The HyD will repave the roads regularly and monitor the condition of road surface. If road surfaces are damaged, the HyD will carry out maintenance works to reduce the traffic noise as far as practicable.