LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 27 March 2019 7889 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 27 March 2019 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. 7890 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 27 March 2019 THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CLAUDIA MO 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 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 CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN DR THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, B.B.S., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 27 March 2019 7891 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, S.B.S., J.P. IR DR THE HONOURABLE LO WAI-KWOK, S.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALVIN YEUNG THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WAN SIU-KIN THE HONOURABLE CHU HOI-DICK 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 DR THE HONOURABLE PIERRE CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHUN-YING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TANYA CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-KWAN, J.P. 7892 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 27 March 2019 THE HONOURABLE HUI CHI-FUNG THE HONOURABLE LUK CHUNG-HUNG, J.P. 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 THE HONOURABLE GARY FAN KWOK-WAI THE HONOURABLE AU NOK-HIN THE HONOURABLE VINCENT CHENG WING-SHUN, M.H. THE HONOURABLE TONY TSE WAI-CHUEN, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HOI-YAN MEMBERS ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TIEN PUK-SUN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHARLES PETER MOK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK WING-HANG THE HONOURABLE CHUNG KWOK-PAN THE HONOURABLE JIMMY NG WING-KA, J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 27 March 2019 7893 PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: 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 THE HONOURABLE JOHN LEE KA-CHIU, S.B.S., P.D.S.M., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY 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 MR SONNY AU CHI-KWONG, P.D.S.M., J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR SECURITY CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR KENNETH CHEN WEI-ON, S.B.S., SECRETARY GENERAL MISS ODELIA LEUNG HING-YEE, DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MS ANITA SIT, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MS DORA WAI, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 7894 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 27 March 2019 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) PAPERS TO BE LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE COUNCIL The following papers were laid on the table under Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure: Subsidiary Legislation/Instrument Legal Notice No. Merchant Shipping (Safety) (IMSBC Code) (Amendment) Regulation 2019.......................... 36 of 2019 Other Papers HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund Financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2018 (including Report of the Director of Audit) Self-financing Post-secondary Education Fund Financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2018 (including Report of the Director of Audit) Hong Kong Rotary Club Students' Loan Fund Financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2018 (including Report of the Director of Audit) Sing Tao Charitable Foundation Students' Loan Fund Financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2018 (including Report of the Director of Audit) AIDS Trust Fund 2017-18 Annual Report, Financial statements and Report of the Director of Audit for the year ended 31 March 2018 Report No. 14/18-19 of the House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 27 March 2019 7895 URGENT QUESTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Questions. Apart from six oral questions for this meeting, with my permission, three urgent oral questions will be asked by Dr Elizabeth QUAT, Dr Helena WONG and Dr Priscilla LEUNG respectively under Rule 24(4) of the Rules of Procedure. The urgent questions asked today are about the Government's measures for tackling the recent outbreak of measles epidemic in Hong Kong. I will first call upon: Dr Elizabeth QUAT to ask her question and the public officer to reply, then Dr Helena WONG to ask her question and the public officer to reply; and finally Dr Priscilla LEUNG to ask her question and the public officer to reply. I will forthwith invite the three Members to ask supplementary questions, and then other Members may ask supplementary questions. Members who wish to ask supplementary questions please press the "Request to speak" button as early as possible, so that we can estimate when the urgent questions will end and oral question 1 will start. Having regard to the situation, I will as far as possible allow Members to ask supplementary questions if they so wish. To allow more Members to ask questions, questions raised by Members should be as concise as possible. Members should not make arguments when asking questions. PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Urgent question one. Tackling the outbreak of measles epidemic 1. DR ELIZABETH QUAT (in Cantonese): President, measles is a highly contagious disease which may cause various kinds of complications and even death. It has been reported that the Centre for Health Protection ("CHP") has confirmed that there is a recent outbreak of measles epidemic. This year up to the present, more than 20 confirmed cases of measles infection have been recorded, and a number of those who have contracted the disease work in the airport. The Director of the Carol Yu Centre for Infection of the University of Hong Kong has pointed out that there may be a second-round spread of measles 7896 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 27 March 2019 and the situation is bleak. Regarding the immediate measures to tackle the outbreak of measles epidemic, will the Government inform this Council: (1) given that members of the public born before 1967 did not receive measles vaccination in their childhood, whether the Government will immediately conduct measles antibody tests and provide measles vaccination for such members of the public for free; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (2) whether it will immediately request airline companies to step up cleansing and disinfection of cabins of aircraft departing from and arriving in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (3) whether CHP will immediately classify the measles response level as "emergency" and announce in a timely manner the latest development of the measles epidemic and the corresponding measures, so as to allay the concern of the public and visitors; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that? SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH (in Cantonese): President, measles is a highly infectious disease caused by the measles virus. It can be transmitted by airborne droplet spread or direct contact with nasal or throat secretions of infected people, and, less commonly, by articles soiled with nasal or throat secretions. Generally speaking, a patient can pass the disease to other people from four days before to four days after the appearance of skin rash. The incubation period normally ranges from 7 to 18 days, but can be up to 21 days. Although there is no specific treatment, drugs may be prescribed to reduce the symptoms of measles, and antibiotics may be used to treat bacterial complications. My reply to the three parts of the question on the control measures taken in Hong Kong is as follows: (1) Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent measles.