Official Record of Proceedings of A
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 19 May 2004 6087 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 19 May 2004 The Council met at half-past Two o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE MRS RITA FAN HSU LAI-TAI, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH TING WOO-SHOU, J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, G.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID CHU YU-LIN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN IR DR THE HONOURABLE RAYMOND HO CHUNG-TAI, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LEE CHU-MING, S.C., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE ERIC LI KA-CHEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LUI MING-WAH, J.P. THE HONOURABLE NG LEUNG-SING, J.P. 6088 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 19 May 2004 THE HONOURABLE MARGARET NG THE HONOURABLE MRS SELINA CHOW LIANG SHUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG THE HONOURABLE CHAN KWOK-KEUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE BERNARD CHAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SOPHIE LEUNG LAU YAU-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE SIN CHUNG-KAI THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WONG WANG-FAT, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG, G.B.S. THE HONOURABLE WONG YUNG-KAN THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE HOWARD YOUNG, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE YEUNG SUM THE HONOURABLE YEUNG YIU-CHUNG, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE LAU CHIN-SHEK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU KONG-WAH, J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 19 May 2004 6089 THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, J.P. THE HONOURABLE AMBROSE LAU HON-CHUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHOY SO-YUK THE HONOURABLE ANDREW CHENG KAR-FOO THE HONOURABLE SZETO WAH DR THE HONOURABLE LAW CHI-KWONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE TANG SIU-TONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LI FUNG-YING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HENRY WU KING-CHEONG, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL MAK KWOK-FUNG THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE LEUNG FU-WAH, M.H., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LO WING-LOK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG SING-CHI 6090 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 19 May 2004 THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE THE HONOURABLE IP KWOK-HIM, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU PING-CHEUNG THE HONOURABLE AUDREY EU YUET-MEE, S.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, J.P. MEMBERS ABSENT: DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE HUI CHEUNG-CHING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TIMOTHY FOK TSUN-TING, S.B.S., J.P. PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL SUEN MING-YEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION AND SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, PLANNING AND LANDS THE HONOURABLE HENRY TANG YING-YEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE ELSIE LEUNG OI-SIE, G.B.M., J.P. THE SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE PROF THE HONOURABLE ARTHUR LI KWOK-CHEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER DR THE HONOURABLE PATRICK HO CHI-PING, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 19 May 2004 6091 THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK MA SI-HANG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN LAM SUI-LUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR RICKY FUNG CHOI-CHEUNG, J.P., SECRETARY GENERAL MS PAULINE NG MAN-WAH, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MR RAY CHAN YUM-MOU, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 6092 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 19 May 2004 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. Legal Aid (Assessment of Resources and Contributions) (Amendment) Regulation 2004 ....................... 83/2004 Electoral Affairs Commission (Electoral Procedure) (Legislative Council) (Amendment) Regulation 2004......................................... 84/2004 Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulation 2004......................................... 85/2004 Medical Laboratory Technologists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2004......................................... 86/2004 Occupational Therapists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2004......... 87/2004 Optometrists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2004 ....................... 88/2004 Physiotherapists (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2004 ....................... 89/2004 Radiographers (Registration and Disciplinary Procedure) (Amendment) Regulation 2004 ....................... 90/2004 Airport Authority Ordinance (Map of Restricted Area) Order ..................................................... 91/2004 Hong Kong Airport (Control of Obstructions) (Exemption) (Amendment) Order 2004............................. 92/2004 Prisons (Amendment) Order 2004........................... 93/2004 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 19 May 2004 6093 Rules of the District Court (Amendment) Rules 2004 ... 94/2004 Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 1) Notice 2004....................................................... 95/2004 Import and Export Ordinance (Specification of Ending Date under Section 42) Notice 2004................. 96/2004 Import and Export (Registration) Regulations (Specification of Ending Date under Regulation 15) Notice 2004.............................................. 97/2004 Telecommunications (Amendment) Ordinance 2003 (30 of 2003) (Commencement) Notice 2004 ....... 98/2004 Legal Aid Ordinance Resolution of the Legislative Council (L.N. 45 of 2004) (Commencement) Notice 2004.............................................. 99/2004 Other Papers No. 85 ─ Report by the Trustee of the Correctional Services Children's Education Trust for the period from 1st September 2002 to 31st August 2003 No. 86 ─ The Government Minute in response to the Report No. 41 of the Public Accounts Committee dated February 2004 No. 87 ─ Annual Report 2002-2003, containing Statement of Accounts and Auditors' Report, of the Hospital Authority No. 88 ─ Report and Statement of Accounts of the Samaritan Fund, together with the Director of Audit's Report, for the year ended 31 March 2003 Second Report of the Legislative Council Select Committee on Building Problems of Public Housing Units 6094 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 19 May 2004 ADDRESSES PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Addresses. The Chief Secretary for Administration will address the Council on the Government Minute in response to the Report No. 41 of the Public Accounts Committee dated February 2004. The Government Minute in response to the Report No. 41 of the Public Accounts Committee dated February 2004 CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION: President, laid on the table today is the Government Minute responding to Report No. 41 of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The PAC report records the Committee's observations on the Accounts of the Government for the year ended 31 March 2003. It deals with the Administration's response to cases in two previous PAC Reports No. 38 and 39. In addition, it examines five of the six subjects in the Director of Audit's Report No. 41 which the PAC has chosen for this purpose. The Administration is grateful for the time and effort of the PAC. I would like to respond to some of the comments made by Dr the Honourable Eric LI, Chairman of the PAC, who spoke on 25 February when tabling the PAC's Report. The Chairman stressed the need for the Administration to take expeditious action in implementing the PAC's recommendations. He cited as an example the proposed relocation of the General Post Office (GPO) in Central to make the point that had the Administration relocated the GPO before the site was re-zoned, it would have been possible for the site to be sold and to bring substantial revenue to the Government. On the general issue, let me say that I welcome the constructive spirit based on which the comments and observations were made, and that we have always used our best endeavours for early implementation of the PAC's recommendations. Our efforts are clearly laid before Members — in the Government Minute which is submitted regularly to the Legislative Council. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 19 May 2004 6095 Members will understand, however, that the implementation of some of these recommendations may involve many difficult manoeuvres, and hence takes longer to conclude. In all cases though, we do keep Members informed with detailed explanation of such difficulties, as appropriate and necessary. In respect of the particular case of the GPO, we note the PAC's concern that had the Administration promptly carried out the relocation exercise in early 1999 as recommended by the Committee, the GPO site might have been released for redevelopment during more favourable market conditions. However, it has to be appreciated that the relocation and reprovisioning of the GPO involve the identification of a replacement site and the construction of a replacement facility. A detailed appraisal is needed to find out how best to meet the projected increase in demand for future postal service. We also need to ensure optimal land use of the site for the reprovisioning project. These tasks involve many departments and bureaux, and it would not be reasonable to expect to accomplish them within one year, between the time which the PAC's recommendation was made in 1999 and the changes to the town plan made in 2000 which imposed a height restriction on the redevelopment of the GPO site. In the event, plans for the relocation were crystallized in 2002, a cost-benefit analysis was then undertaken to re-examine the economic case for the relocation exercise. This study concluded that taking into account the reprovisioning costs and the land value of the sites involved, the costs far outweigh the benefits. This was also the reason why the Administration decided not to proceed with the project.