LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 26 January 2000 3571 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 26 January 2000 The Council met at half-past Two o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE MRS RITA FAN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH TING WOO-SHOU, J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE DAVID CHU YU-LIN THE HONOURABLE HO SAI-CHU, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN THE HONOURABLE EDWARD HO SING-TIN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL HO MUN-KA IR DR THE HONOURABLE RAYMOND HO CHUNG-TAI, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEE WING-TAT THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE ERIC LI KA-CHEUNG, J.P. 3572 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 26 January 2000 THE HONOURABLE LEE KAI-MING, S.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 PROF THE HONOURABLE NG CHING-FAI THE HONOURABLE MARGARET NG THE HONOURABLE MRS SELINA CHOW LIANG SHUK-YEE, J.P. THE HONOURABLE RONALD ARCULLI, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG THE HONOURABLE HUI CHEUNG-CHING THE HONOURABLE CHRISTINE LOH THE HONOURABLE CHAN KWOK-KEUNG THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN THE HONOURABLE BERNARD CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHAN WING-CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM DR THE HONOURABLE LEONG CHE-HUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SOPHIE LEUNG LAU YAU-FUN, J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 26 January 2000 3573 THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE GARY CHENG KAI-NAM, J.P. THE HONOURABLE SIN CHUNG-KAI THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WONG WANG-FAT, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG THE HONOURABLE WONG YUNG-KAN THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HOWARD YOUNG, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE YEUNG SUM THE HONOURABLE YEUNG YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE LAU CHIN-SHEK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU KONG-WAH THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, J.P. THE HONOURABLE AMBROSE LAU HON-CHUEN, 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 THE HONOURABLE TIMOTHY FOK TSUN-TING, S.B.S., J.P. 3574 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 26 January 2000 THE HONOURABLE LAW CHI-KWONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FUNG CHI-KIN DR THE HONOURABLE TANG SIU-TONG, J.P. MEMBERS ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LEE CHU-MING, S.C., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, J.P. PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE DONALD TSANG YAM-KUEN, J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE ELSIE LEUNG OI-SIE, J.P. THE SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE MR GORDON SIU KWING-CHUE, J.P. SECRETARY FOR PLANNING AND LANDS MR RAFAEL HUI SI-YAN, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES MR JOSEPH WONG WING-PING, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER MR LAM WOON-KWONG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE MR DAVID LAN HONG-TSUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 26 January 2000 3575 MRS LILY YAM KWAN PUI-YING, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND FOOD DR YEOH ENG-KIONG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE MISS YVONNE CHOI YING-PIK, J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR RICKY FUNG CHOI-CHEUNG, J.P., SECRETARY GENERAL MR LAW KAM-SANG, J.P., DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MS PAULINE NG MAN-WAH, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MR RAY CHAN YUM-MOU, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 3576 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 26 January 2000 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. Legislative Council (Formation of Election Committee) (Appeals) (Amendment) Regulation 2000 .......... 13/2000 Legislative Council (Subscribers and Election Deposit for Nomination) (Amendment) Regulation 2000....... 14/2000 Distribution of Number of Members Among Designated Bodies (Election Committee) (Legislative Council) Order 2000............................................... 15/2000 Maximum Scale of Election Expenses (Legislative Council) Order 1997 (Amendment) Order 2000 .............. 16/2000 Estate Agents (Registration of Determination and Appeal) Regulation................................................ 17/2000 Census and Statistics (Labour Earnings Survey) Order .. 18/2000 Companies Ordinance (Amendment of Eighth Schedule) Order 2000............................................... 19/2000 Other Papers No. 63 ─ Occupational Deafness Compensation Board Annual Report 1998-99 No. 64 ─ Employees Compensation Assistance Fund Board Annual Report 1997/98 No. 65 ─ Annual Report of the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund Board 1998-99 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 26 January 2000 3577 No. 66 ─ Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund Board 1998 Annual Report No. 67 ─ Hong Kong Arts Development Council Annual Report 1998/1999 No. 68 ─ The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Annual Report 1998-1999 No. 69 ─ The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts - Financial Statements and Auditor's Report for the year ended 30th June 1999 No. 70 ─ Li Po Chun Charitable Trust Fund Annual Report for the period 1 September 1998 to 31 August 1999 Report of the Bills Committee on Hong Kong Arts Development Council (Amendment) Bill 1999 ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Questions. First question. Review of the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme 1. MR YEUNG YIU-CHUNG (in Cantonese): Madam President, in view of the imminent completion of the six-month Youth Pre-employment Training Programme, will the Government inform this Council: (a) of the respective preliminary comments on the Programme given by the organizations offering the workplace attachment places and the Programme participants, as well as the criteria it will adopt for evaluating the effectiveness of the Programme; (b) how it will assist the participants who have completed the Programme in seeking employment; and 3578 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 26 January 2000 (c) given that the age profile of the unemployed population in Hong Kong is becoming younger, whether it has assessed if the Programme is effective in tackling the problem of youth unemployment? SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER (in Cantonese): Madam President, (a) During the implementation of the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme, the Government has kept in close touch with the participating organizations and the Programme trainees to collect their opinions with a view to keeping the operation of the Programme under review and implementing improvement measures. Early this month, the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme Co-ordination Office of the Labour Department has started the mid-term review of the Programme. Besides making reference to the comments received in the past, the review also collated the opinions from a small-scale sample survey of trainees, training providers, youth organizations providing case management service as well as organizations providing workplace attachment places. According to the preliminary findings of the survey, all organizations providing workplace attachment places and 99% of the trainees surveyed considered that the Programme was worth implementing. We will conduct a comprehensive review of the Programme upon its completion in March this year to evaluate its effectiveness in two major areas: (1) whether the participants themselves approve of the Programme and whether they consider their self-confidence, job search and interpersonal skills as well as job-specific skills have been enhanced through participation in it; (2) whether the training providers and organizations providing workplace attachment places consider that the participants have shown improvement in various aspects, including their employability, on completion of the training. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 26 January 2000 3579 (b) The objective of the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme is to add value in the participants by enhancing their employability and competitiveness through the provision of a series of employment- related training courses and workplace attachment training, and to make them better prepared for future employment during the economic upturn. We do not expect all of them to be able to secure jobs immediately upon completion of the Programme, but we will take measures to help them enter the job market. These measures include: (1) To provide training courses and workplace attachment training in collaboration with certain sectors: For example, under the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme, we have jointly organized training courses and workplace attachment training in retailing and catering with the Hong Kong Retail Management Association and the Association of Restaurant Managers respectively. The participating organizations have expressed interest in employing those trainees who perform well after the attachment. (2) To hold employment seminars: For example, an employment seminar on assistant hair stylist was held in early January under the Youth Pre-employment Training Programme. Another seminar on hotel housekeeping will be held in mid- February. (3) Employment Exhibition: The Labour Department will run an "Employment Information Workshop" in mid-February for the first time for trainees who have completed the training to provide updated information on the job market, display job vacancies, provide employment service and so on. (4) Employment Service: The Local Employment Service of the Labour Department will set up a special counter to provide employment service for the trainees. The Department will also send letters to participants to invite them to post their personal particulars and