LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 February 2014 6125 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 12 February 2014 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 THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG DR THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE VINCENT FANG KANG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-HING, B.B.S., M.H. PROF THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P., Ph.D., R.N. 6126 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 February 2014 THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE RONNY TONG KA-WAH, S.C. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LAM TAI-FAI, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, B.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-CHE THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE IP KWOK-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALAN LEONG KAH-KIT, S.C. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE WONG YUK-MAN THE HONOURABLE CLAUDIA MO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 February 2014 6127 THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TIEN PUK-SUN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE NG LEUNG-SING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STEVEN HO CHUN-YIN THE HONOURABLE FRANKIE YICK CHI-MING THE HONOURABLE WU CHI-WAI, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YIU SI-WING THE HONOURABLE GARY FAN KWOK-WAI THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHARLES PETER MOK THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHI-CHUEN THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAN-PAN THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LEUNG THE HONOURABLE ALICE MAK MEI-KUEN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE KWOK KA-KI THE HONOURABLE KWOK WAI-KEUNG THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK 6128 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 February 2014 THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG THE HONOURABLE SIN CHUNG-KAI, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN DR THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LIAO CHEUNG-KONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. THE HONOURABLE TANG KA-PIU DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, J.P. IR DR THE HONOURABLE LO WAI-KWOK, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHUNG KWOK-PAN THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHUNG SHU-KUN, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TONY TSE WAI-CHUEN MEMBERS ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KA-LAU DR THE HONOURABLE KENNETH CHAN KA-LOK DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 February 2014 6129 PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE JOHN TSANG CHUN-WAH, G.B.M., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY PROF THE HONOURABLE ANTHONY CHEUNG BING-LEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING PROF THE HONOURABLE K C CHAN, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY THE HONOURABLE GREGORY SO KAM-LEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THE HONOURABLE WONG KAM-SING, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THE HONOURABLE PAUL CHAN MO-PO, M.H., J.P. SECRETARY FOR DEVELOPMENT MR YAU SHING-MU, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING MR GODFREY LEUNG KING-KWOK, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MR JAMES HENRY LAU JR., J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY 6130 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 February 2014 CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR KENNETH CHEN WEI-ON, S.B.S., SECRETARY GENERAL MRS JUSTINA LAM CHENG BO-LING, DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MR ANDY LAU KWOK-CHEONG, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MISS FLORA TAI YIN-PING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MISS ODELIA LEUNG HING-YEE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 February 2014 6131 TABLING OF PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table under Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure: Subsidiary Legislation/Instruments L.N. No. Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995 (Amendment of Schedule 16) Order 2013 (Commencement) Notice ...................................................................... 15/2014 Dangerous Goods (Consignment by Air) (Safety) Regulations (Amendment of Schedule) Order 2013 (Commencement) Notice ........................................ 16/2014 Other Paper No. 73 ─ Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Reports of the Director of Audit on the Accounts of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the year ended 31 March 2013 and the Results of Value for Money Audits (Report No. 61) (February 2014 ─ P.A.C. Report No. 61) ADDRESSES PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Address. Mr Abraham SHEK will address the Council on the Public Accounts Committee Report No. 61. 6132 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 February 2014 Report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Reports of the Director of Audit on the Accounts of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the year ended 31 March 2013 and the Results of Value for Money Audits (Report No. 61) (February 2014 ─ P.A.C. Report No. 61) MR ABRAHAM SHEK: President, on behalf of the Public Accounts Committee (the Committee), I have the honour to table our Report No. 61 today. The Committee has, as in the past, decided to hold hearings on those chapters covered by the Director of Audit's Report No. 61 which, in our view, contained more serious allegations of irregularities or shortcomings. The Committee's Report tabled today covers our conclusions and recommendations on three of the 10 chapters selected. I now report the conclusions and recommendations on the three chapters covered in our Report No. 61. First, I would like to speak on the direct land grants to private clubs at nil or nominal premium, which are commonly called private recreational leases (PRLs). The Committee finds it unacceptable and inexcusable that the Home Affairs Bureau only started to conduct a comprehensive review of the PRL policy in September 2013, despite the facts that the Executive Council was informed by the Administration in 1969 that the Government would review he PRL policy from time to time to ensure that public interest continued to be served, and the Administration was further urged by some Members of the Legislative Council as early as 2002 to review the PRL policy. The Committee notes that the comprehensive review of the PRL policy would not cover the renewal of the remaining 13 PRLs that expired in 2011 or 2012, but might impact on the renewal of the PRLs that expired after 2014. Preliminary results of the review are expected to be available by the end of 2014. To better monitor the implementation of the "opening-up" scheme to provide eligible outside bodies greater access to the clubs' facilities under the renewed PRLs, the Committee urges the Home Affairs Bureau to expeditiously: LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 February 2014 6133 (1) come up with detailed guidelines to help private clubs report the scheme usage in their quarterly reports; and (2) set up a proper mechanism to verify the reported usage of the clubs' sports facilities by eligible outside bodies. In order to ensure the proper and effective use of the PRL sites, the Committee also urges the Home Affairs Bureau and the Lands Department to: (1) clearly define the scope and responsibility between them in conducting inspections on the PRL sites and to formulate plans on how such inspections should be conducted on a routine basis; and (2) draw up a set of assessment guidelines to ensure that only a reasonable proportion of the land on the PRL sites will be used for social and ancillary facilities. President, I would like to declare my interest. I am a member of a number of those clubs that have been mentioned above and this has been reported in the Committee meetings and in the Report. The second subject I will briefly report is the management of roadside skips. The Committee expresses alarm and strong resentment, and finds it unacceptable that although relevant trade associations and relevant government departments were generally in support of introducing a permit system to regulate and facilitate skip operations back in 2007 to address the various problems caused by roadside skips, the proposed permit system was eventually not taken forward. The Lands Department considered the placing of roadside skips a road management issue, whilst the Transport Department considered it a land issue. Unfortunately, such shuffling of responsibility had relegated the management of roadside skips as a non-issue at the expense of public safety. The Committee considers that the Transport Department should take the lead to introduce a permit system for regulating and facilitating skip operations, as roadside skips cause obstruction and pose safety risks to road users, and it is the policy purview of the Transport and Housing Bureau and the Transport Department to ensure smooth vehicular traffic and road safety.