OFFICIAL RECORD of PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 31
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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 31 January 2018 6061 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 31 January 2018 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. 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. THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. 6062 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 31 January 2018 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, 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. DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 31 January 2018 6063 DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN DR THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, B.B.S., 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 THE HONOURABLE JIMMY NG WING-KA, 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 THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-CHUN THE HONOURABLE WILSON OR CHONG-SHING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YUNG HOI-YAN 6064 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 31 January 2018 DR THE HONOURABLE PIERRE CHAN 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, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE CHENG CHUNG-TAI THE HONOURABLE KWONG CHUN-YU THE HONOURABLE JEREMY TAM MAN-HO MEMBERS ABSENT: PROF THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE MATTHEW CHEUNG KIN-CHUNG, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION THE HONOURABLE PAUL CHAN MO-PO, G.B.M., G.B.S., M.H., J.P. FINANCIAL SECRETARY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 31 January 2018 6065 THE HONOURABLE MS TERESA CHENG YEUK-WAH, G.B.S., S.C., J.P. SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE MR TSE CHIN-WAN, B.B.S., J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, AND SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT 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 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 MICHAEL WONG WAI-LUN, J.P. SECRETARY FOR 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 6066 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 31 January 2018 CLERK IN ATTENDANCE: MR KENNETH CHEN WEI-ON, S.B.S., SECRETARY GENERAL THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO ATTEND THIS MEETING UNDER RULE 8 OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS PUT BY MEMBERS. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 31 January 2018 6067 THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S QUESTION TIME PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Members please remain standing while the Chief Executive enters the Chamber. (A number of Members repeatedly shouted slogans: "Oppose unreasonable 'DQ'; Shame on political persecution") PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Will Members please keep quiet. (A number of Members continued to shout slogans when the Chief Executive entered the Chamber and walked towards the rostrum) PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): The Chief Executive's Question Time. PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Members who wish to ask questions please press the "Request to speak" button. This is the first Chief Executive's Question Time. Each Member will be given three minutes to put questions to and receive replies from the Chief Executive, and the question time of each Member should not exceed 1.5 minutes. When three minutes are up, the bell will ring as a reminder. In order to allow more Members to put questions, the Question Time should be conducted in a "short question, short answer" format. MR CHAN HAN-PAN (in Cantonese): President, Chief Executive, welcome to the Legislative Council to answer our questions. In fact, many elderly people have said that the rate of increase of the Old Age Allowance (commonly known as "fruit grant") is meagre this year. Many elderly people are glad to see that the Treasury has been "overflowing with cash" recently and they hope that there can be a greater increase in the "fruit grant" in future. But some elderly people aged 65 said that they cannot receive the "fruit grant" because they are required to take a means test. They said that it hurts their feelings when they have to be subject to such thorough and detailed inquiry even on their retirement at the age of 65. May I ask the Chief Executive if it is possible to lower the age eligible for the non-means-tested "fruit grant" from 70 at present to 65 given that the Government is in such a robust financial position. 6068 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 31 January 2018 CHIEF EXECUTIVE (in Cantonese): I thank Mr CHAN Han-pan for his question. Like Members, I am very much concerned about the well-being of the elderly in Hong Kong and this is why we have, over the past few years, substantially increased the provision of care for the elderly. For instance, in respect of social security, we have introduced the Old Age Living Allowance ("OALA") and we will implement the enhancement of OALA at a later time this year; and in respect of services, there is also enhancement in health care services and even nursing care services. However, as I said in the beginning of the part on the people's livelihood in the Policy Address, while we appreciate that there are many aspirations in society, this is not merely a matter of supply and demand but also an issue of resource allocation because after all, public resources are not without limits. Of course, just as Mr CHAN Han-pan said just now, what is before our eyes now is that the Treasury seems to be "overflowing with cash" but to the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ("SAR"), we have to look at whether public finance can ensure the sustainability of various schemes. Therefore, in respect of cash allowances for the elderly, we have adopted a multi-tiered approach in providing assistance to the elderly, and we will also relax the asset test on elderly recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance. We hope that through OALA and the enhancement of OALA, the elderly will live more at ease upon retirement. As regards the "overflowing" Treasury, Members have to be more patient while waiting for the release of the Budget by the Financial Secretary next month and see what relief measures will be announced. MR CHAN HAN-PAN (in Cantonese): Chief Executive, elderly people aged 65 will have some savings anyway but this has prevented them from receiving any welfare benefit. While they may apply for OALA, they nevertheless have to take the means test. Therefore, I hope that the Chief Executive can consider lowering the age eligible for the non-means-tested "fruit grant" from 70 at present to 65 in order to help the elderly. MR LEUNG YIU-CHUNG (in Cantonese): President, the Chief Executive stated in public yesterday that the disqualification of a person from candidacy in the Legislative Council by-election has nothing to do with politics. I wonder if the Chief Executive has read the reasons stated by the Returning Officer. The political affiliation of the candidate is mentioned in seven of the 11 paragraphs and in particular, it is mentioned in paragraph 9 that as the candidate's political LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 31 January 2018 6069 affiliation (Demosistō) has clearly shown that the candidate does not uphold the Basic Law sincerely and in good faith and so, it is said in paragraph 11 that she is disqualified from running in the election.