OFFICIAL RECORD of PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 17 June 2009 the Council Met at Eleven O'clock
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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 17 June 2009 8985 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 17 June 2009 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 DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING, 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. 8986 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 17 June 2009 THE HONOURABLE WONG YUNG-KAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU KONG-WAH, J.P. 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 LI FUNG-YING, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE AUDREY EU YUET-MEE, S.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-HING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE LEE WING-TAT DR THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALAN LEONG KAH-KIT, S.C. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG HOK-MING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, B.B.S. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 17 June 2009 8987 THE HONOURABLE RONNY TONG KA-WAH, S.C. THE HONOURABLE CHIM PUI-CHUNG 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 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. THE HONOURABLE TANYA CHAN 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 WONG YUK-MAN 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. 8988 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 17 June 2009 DR THE HONOURABLE PAN PEY-CHYOU THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN DR THE HONOURABLE SAMSON TAM WAI-HO, J.P. MEMBERS ABSENT: 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 VINCENT FANG KANG, S.B.S., J.P. PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE JOHN TSANG CHUN-WAH, J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL SUEN MING-YEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN LAM SUI-LUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND MAINLAND AFFAIRS DR THE HONOURABLE YORK CHOW YAT-NGOK, S.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH THE HONOURABLE DENISE YUE CHUNG-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE THE HONOURABLE MATTHEW CHEUNG KIN-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND WELFARE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 17 June 2009 8989 MS JULIA LEUNG FUNG-YEE, J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY THE HONOURABLE EDWARD YAU TANG-WAH, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THE HONOURABLE EVA CHENG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING MR RAYMOND TAM CHI-YUEN, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND MAINLAND AFFAIRS CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MS PAULINE NG MAN-WAH, SECRETARY GENERAL MRS VIVIAN KAM NG LAI-MAN, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MRS JUSTINA LAM CHENG BO-LING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MRS PERCY MA, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 8990 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 17 June 2009 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 pursuant to Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure: Subsidiary Legislation/Instruments L.N. No. Public Health and Municipal Services (Setting Aside Places for Use as Public Pleasure Grounds) (No. 2) Order 2009 ............................................................. 124/2009 Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Amendment of Fourth Schedule) (No. 2) Order 2009 ............................................................. 125/2009 Declaration of Increase in Pensions Notice 2009 .............. 126/2009 Widows and Orphans Pension (Increase) Notice 2009...... 127/2009 Other Papers Report of the Bills Committee on Disciplined Services Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2009 Report of the Bills Committee on Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2009 ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Questions. First question. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 17 June 2009 8991 Sanitary Facilities in Public Toilets in Government Premises 1. MR ALBERT CHAN (in Cantonese): President, I have learnt that most of the toilets in the venues under the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and Housing Department as well as most of those in various Government Offices do not have facilities such as automatic sensor water taps, automatic sensor or manually-operated soap dispensers and electric hand dryers. Quite a number of members of the public have relayed to me that such toilets have a rather heavy flow of people but do not have the aforesaid sanitary facilities, and they are worried that diseases spread easily through these toilets. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (a) of the respective numbers of toilets without the aforesaid sanitary facilities, as well as the respective percentages of such numbers in the total number of the toilets in the aforesaid venues, broken down by government department and the type of sanitary facility; (b) of the reasons for not installing such sanitary facilities in these toilets; and (c) whether it will expeditiously install such sanitary facilities in these toilets, so as to reduce the chance of diseases spreading; if it will, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that? SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH (in Cantonese): President, sensor-activated hand-washing facilities are convenient to use, and can effectively prevent re-contamination of washed hands as there is no need for direct contact with hand-washing facilities. However, in considering whether sensor-activated hand-washing facilities should be installed, we have to take into account a variety of factors, including physical constraints, technical feasibility, system reliability, and installation and maintenance costs. In fact, according to the latest Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care issued by the World Health Organization in May this year, manually-operated taps are considered the optimal standard within health-care settings to ensure a continuous water supply. Meanwhile, when sensor-activated hand-washing facilities break down, users will not be able to complete the hand-washing procedure, therefore these facilities may pose more serious hidden health risks. The reply to each part of the question is set out below: 8992 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 17 June 2009 (a) The vast majority of the public toilets under the management of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and Housing Authority (HA) and of the visitors' toilets in Government joint-user office buildings under the management of the Government Property Agency (GPA) are provided with basic and up-to-standard hand-washing facilities, including sensor-activated or manually-operated taps, liquid soap or hand sanitizers, and hand dryers or paper towels. The number of public toilets without sensor-activated taps, sensor-activated or manually-operated soap dispensers or electric hand dryers, and their percentages in the total number of public toilets are set out in the table attached to the reply. (b) and (c) The constraints of sensor-activated hand-washing facilities have been mentioned above. In fact, the spread of disease can also be prevented if the manually-operated hand-washing facilities are used properly, such as wrapping the faucet with paper towel or splashing water to clean it before turning the tap off. In addition, the provision of elbow- or foot-activated taps in some hospitals also helps prevent direct contact with hand-washing facilities by hands. At present, toilets under the management of the FEHD which are not equipped with sensor-activated taps, manually-operated soap dispensers or electric hand dryers are mainly flushing toilets converted from aqua privies in earlier periods or aqua privies yet to be converted into flushing toilets. Since 2000-2001, these hand-washing facilities have already been provided in newly built, reprovisioned or refurbished toilets (including those in the public markets and other venues of the FEHD) as well as flushing toilets converted from aqua privies. To step up disease prevention efforts, the FEHD has already installed hand sanitizers at all of its public toilets and aqua privies. Public toilets under the management of the LCSD, AFCD and HA as well as visitors' toilets in Government joint-user office buildings under the management of the GPA have been provided with the LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 17 June 2009 8993 basic and up-to-standard hand-washing facilities, including sensor-activated or manually-operated taps, liquid soap and electric hand dryers or paper towel.