OFFICIAL RECORD of PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 19 February 2020 the Council Met at Eleven O'clock
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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 February 2020 4539 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 19 February 2020 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, G.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, G.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. 4540 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 February 2020 THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. 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, S.B.S., 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, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, S.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, J.P. THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK WING-HANG THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 February 2020 4541 DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LIAO CHEUNG-KONG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, S.B.S., 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 THE HONOURABLE JIMMY NG WING-KA, B.B.S., J.P. 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, J.P. 4542 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 February 2020 THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-CHUN THE HONOURABLE WILSON OR CHONG-SHING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YUNG HOI-YAN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PIERRE CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHUN-YING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TANYA CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-KWAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HUI CHI-FUNG THE HONOURABLE LUK CHUNG-HUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU KWOK-FAN, M.H. DR THE HONOURABLE CHENG CHUNG-TAI THE HONOURABLE KWONG CHUN-YU THE HONOURABLE JEREMY TAM MAN-HO THE HONOURABLE TONY TSE WAI-CHUEN, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HOI-YAN MEMBERS ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LAU IP-KEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE VINCENT CHENG WING-SHUN, M.H., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 February 2020 4543 PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE MATTHEW CHEUNG KIN-CHUNG, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION THE HONOURABLE NICHOLAS W. YANG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY THE HONOURABLE LAU KONG-WAH, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS THE HONOURABLE JAMES HENRY LAU JR., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY DR THE HONOURABLE LAW CHI-KWONG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND WELFARE THE HONOURABLE JOSHUA LAW CHI-KONG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE THE HONOURABLE JOHN LEE KA-CHIU, S.B.S., P.D.S.M., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY THE HONOURABLE FRANK CHAN FAN, J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING PROF THE HONOURABLE SOPHIA CHAN SIU-CHEE, J.P. SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH THE HONOURABLE EDWARD YAU TANG-WAH, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THE HONOURABLE KEVIN YEUNG YUN-HUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION THE HONOURABLE PATRICK NIP TAK-KUEN, J.P. SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND MAINLAND AFFAIRS 4544 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 February 2020 CLERK IN ATTENDANCE: MR KENNETH CHEN WEI-ON, S.B.S., SECRETARY GENERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 February 2020 4545 LAYING OF SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION ON THE TABLE OF THE COUNCIL The following items of subsidiary legislation were laid on the table under Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure: Subsidiary Legislation Legal Notice No. Specification of Public Offices (Amendment) Notice 2020 ................................................... 9 of 2020 Solicitors (Professional Indemnity) (Amendment) Rules 2020 .................................................... 10 of 2020 Tax Reserve Certificates (Rate of Interest) (Consolidation) (Amendment) Notice 2020 ....... 11 of 2020 Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation ....................................... 12 of 2020 Prevention and Control of Disease (Disclosure of Information) Regulation ..................................... 13 of 2020 Pharmacy and Poisons (Amendment) Regulation 2020 .... 14 of 2020 Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (Amendment of Second Schedule) Order 2020 ......................................... 15 of 2020 URGENT QUESTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Urgent questions. I have permitted Ms Alice MAK and Dr KWOK Ka-ki to ask an urgent oral question respectively under Rule 24(4) of the Rules of Procedure. Both questions concern the measures for tackling the novel coronavirus outbreak. 4546 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 February 2020 I will call upon the two Members to ask their urgent questions one by one and the public officer to reply to the questions in turn. Then, I will first invite the two Members to ask supplementary questions and the public officers to reply to such questions one after the other. Afterwards, I will call upon other Members to ask questions. I am aware of the grave concern of Members and the public about the outbreak. I have therefore informed Members earlier that I will exercise discretion to allow as far as possible Members to raise supplementary questions as long as their questions relate to the outbreak. Members who wish to ask supplementary questions please press the "Request to speak" button as early as possible. Members have all noted that this meeting will end at 2:00 pm today. As the meeting time is very limited, Members should keep their questions as concise as possible, and should not make arguments when asking questions, so that more Members may ask questions. First urgent question. Measures for tackling the novel coronavirus outbreak 1. MS ALICE MAK (in Cantonese): President, as the authorities suspected that the cause for a tenant in Hong Mei House of Cheung Hong Estate in Tsing Yi being infected with the novel coronavirus recently was that a pipe of the toilet in the tenant's unit had not been sealed up, arrangements were made for around a hundred tenants in the building to live in quarantine centres temporarily. Has the Government laid down criteria specifying the circumstances under which mandatory closure of certain premises and temporary evacuation of the residents therein will be warranted; if not, whether it will forthwith do so; furthermore, whether the Government will immediately send officers to inspect those public housing units whose sewerage system is of a design similar to that of Cheung Hong Estate, with a view to preventing recurrence of similar incidents which will increase the risk of the virus spreading; besides, given that the outbreak has continued to aggravate, with an increasing number of people who are subject to quarantine or isolation, whether sufficient number of quarantine and isolation centres are in place and what are the related details (including the number of LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 19 February 2020 4547 places as well as the status of their usage and demand); and whether there are plans to requisition other facilities or premises, etc. for quarantine and isolation uses in an effort to increase supply to meet the demand? CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION (in Cantonese): President, first of all, on behalf of the Government, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the President for convening today's meeting and allowing us the opportunity to respond to Members' questions regarding the Government's work on handling the virus outbreak. I would also like to thank all the attending Members as well as the Legislative Council Secretariat staff and colleagues who have helped arrange this meeting. Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus infection, the Government has been closely monitoring the development of the situation and responded comprehensively with decisive and appropriate measures. In accordance with the Government's prevention and control strategies, we have introduced specific measures in the areas of health surveillance, compulsory quarantine, isolation treatment, health declaration, exit screening, reducing the flow of people between Hong Kong and the Mainland, enhancing "social distancing" locally, supporting frontline health care staff and provision of sufficient personal protective equipment. Today, 11 Directors of Bureaux and I stand ready to answer Members' questions on the Government's work in disease prevention and control, demonstrating that we attach great importance to our relation with the Council and the principle of working in an open and transparent manner. I will first respond to the questions raised by Mr Alice MAK, explaining the Government's follow‑up work in relation to a confirmed case of novel coronavirus infection at Hong Mei House of Cheung Hong Estate in Tsing Yi and reporting on the arrangements for quarantine and isolation facilities.