HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 1 December 1993 1141 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 1 December 1993 The Council met at half-past Two o'clock PRESENT THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE JOHN JOSEPH SWAINE, C.B.E., LL.D., Q.C., J.P. THE CHIEF SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE MRS ANSON CHAN, C.B.E., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE NATHANIEL WILLIAM HAMISH MACLEOD, C.B.E., J.P. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE HONOURABLE JEREMY FELL MATHEWS, C.M.G., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALLEN LEE PENG-FEI, C.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SELINA CHOW LIANG SHUK-YEE, O.B.E., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, O.B.E., LL.D., J.P. THE HONOURABLE NGAI SHIU-KIT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PANG CHUN-HOI, M.B.E. THE HONOURABLE SZETO WAH THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WONG WANG-FAT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE RONALD JOSEPH ARCULLI, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN GILBERT BARROW, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS PEGGY LAM, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU WAH-SUM, O.B.E., J.P. 1142 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 1 December 1993 DR THE HONOURABLE LEONG CHE-HUNG, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES DAVID McGREGOR, O.B.E., I.S.O., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS ELSIE TU, C.B.E. THE HONOURABLE PETER WONG HONG-YUEN, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE VINCENT CHENG HOI-CHUEN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MOSES CHENG MO-CHI THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG THE HONOURABLE CHIM PUI-CHUNG REV THE HONOURABLE FUNG CHI-WOOD THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE THE HONOURABLE TIMOTHY HA WING-HO, M.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL HO MUN-KA DR THE HONOURABLE HUANG CHEN-YA DR THE HONOURABLE LAM KUI-CHUN DR THE HONOURABLE CONRAD LAM KUI-SHING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU CHIN-SHEK THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING THE HONOURABLE LEE WING-TAT THE HONOURABLE ERIC LI KA-CHEUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING THE HONOURABLE MAN SAI-CHEONG THE HONOURABLE TIK CHI-YUEN THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN DR THE HONOURABLE SAMUEL WONG PING-WAI, M.B.E., J.P. HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 1 December 1993 1143 DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG DR THE HONOURABLE YEUNG SUM THE HONOURABLE HOWARD YOUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ZACHARY WONG WAI-YIN DR THE HONOURABLE TANG SIU-TONG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHRISTINE LOH KUNG-WAI THE HONOURABLE ROGER LUK KOON-HOO THE HONOURABLE ANNA WU HUNG-YUK THE HONOURABLE JAMES TIEN PEI-CHUN, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALFRED TSO SHIU-WAI ABSENT THE HONOURABLE HUI YIN-FAT, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LEE CHU-MING, Q.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE EDWARD HO SING-TIN, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARVIN CHEUNG KIN-TUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE SIMON IP SIK-ON, O.B.E., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STEVEN POON KWOK-LIM THE HONOURABLE HENRY TANG YING-YEN, J.P. IN ATTENDANCE MR MICHAEL SUEN MING-YEUNG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS MR ALISTAIR PETER ASPREY, O.B.E., A.E., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY 1144 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 1 December 1993 MR RONALD JAMES BLAKE, J.P. SECRETARY FOR WORKS MR JAMES SO YIU-CHO, O.B.E., J.P. SECRETARY FOR RECREATION AND CULTURE MR ANTHONY GORDON EASON, J.P. SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS MR GORDON SIU KWING-CHUE, J.P. SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES MR LAM WOON-KWONG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER DR LEE SHIU-HUNG, I.S.O., J.P. SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE MR TAM WING-PONG SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES THE CLERK TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MR CLETUS LAU KWOK-HONG THE DEPUTY CLERK TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MR PATRICK CHAN NIM-TAK HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 1 December 1993 1145 Papers The following papers were laid on the table pursuant to Standing Order 14(2): Subject Subsidiary Legislation L.N. No. Legislative Council of Hong Kong Administrative Instructions for Regulating Admittance and Conduct of Persons (Amendment)(No. 2) Instructions 1993 ......................................................................................... 448/93 Clubs (Safety of Premises)(Fees)(Amendment) Regulation 1993 .......................................................................................... 449/93 Electricity (Registration)(Amendment) Regulation 1993............................................................................................................. 450/93 Electricity (Wiring)(Amendment) Regulation 1993 ............................................ 451/93 Air Pollution Control (Specified Processes) (Removal of Exemption) Order................................................................... 452/93 Revised Edition of the Laws (Correction of Errors)(No. 4) Order 1993........................................................................... 453/93 Specification of Public Office ............................................................................. 454/93 Amusement Game Centres (Appeal Board) Regulation (L.N. 435 of 1993) (Commencement) Notice 1993.................................................................... 455/93 Sessional Paper 1993-94 No. 32 — Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund Report of the Board of Trustees for the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993 PRESIDENT: I should like to welcome Mrs Anson CHAN, Chief Secretary, to this Council. 1146 HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 1 December 1993 Oral answers to questions Post-1997 holidays 1. MR PANG CHUN-HOI asked (in Cantonese): In reply to my question in early February this year concerning Hong Kong's holiday arrangements after 1997 and the designation of 1 May as a labour holiday, the Secretary for Education and Manpower indicated that a review would be completed this year. Will the Government inform this Council of the progress and outcome of the review? SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER (in Cantonese): Mr President, in my reply to Mr PANG Chun-hoi's question in the Legislative Council on 3 February this year, I said that the Administration was reviewing Hong Kong's holidays and considering the following: (a) first, which of our present holidays should be retained after 1997; and (b) secondly, the need for additional or replacement holidays after 1997. The review is still in progress. We intend to complete our initial review in the near future. MR PANG CHUN-HOI (in Cantonese): Mr President, the Secretary says in his reply that the review is in progress and that it is hoped that an initial review can be completed in the near future. In the answer the Secretary gave last time, that is, in February this year, he indicated that the review would be completed within this year. But now it is already early December. And in fact the last review on holidays Was conducted as early as 1982, more than 10 years from now. Can the Administration confirm when it can complete the present review? SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER (in Cantonese): Yes, Mr President, in our answer to Mr PANG's question earlier this year, we did say we hoped that the review could be concluded this year. So we are still within schedule. We hope we can complete our initial review as soon as possible, and then proceed to the next stage of preparatory work. MR LAU CHIN-SHEK (in Cantonese): Mr President, will the Secretary inform this Council if they will look at narrowing the gap between statutory holidays for blue-collar workers and general holidays for white-collar workers in its review? In the interim, will the floating holiday of the first Monday following the Queen's birthday be replaced by a labour holiday on 1 May? HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 1 December 1993 1147 SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER (in Cantonese): Mr President, the present gap regarding holidays between these two categories of people is within the scope of the review. As to whether the present holiday on the first Monday following the Queen's birthday will be changed before 1997, the answer is negative. MR SZETO WAH (in Cantonese): Mr President, it has been mentioned in the official reply that the review will cover the Labour Day and other holidays after 1997. Does that mean that even if the results of the review are available, they will only be implemented after 1 July 1997? SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER (in Cantonese): Mr President, the emphasis of our current review is to identify those holidays that ought to be changed after 1997. During our review, we have listened to the suggestions of individual organizations on Hong Kong's holiday arrangements. Their views will be included in the review. MRS SELINA CHOW (in Cantonese): Mr President, as part of the review, has the Administration sought the views of the employers and employees or will it do so in the near future? SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER (in Cantonese): Mr President, since this review involves possible changes to some of our holidays as a result of changeover of sovereignty in 1997, we have to discuss with the Chinese side after the inital review has been completed. After the discussion and before any changes are implemented, legislative process will follow during which the views of the public will definitely be sought. Meanwhile, we are happy to listen to any views put forward by the public on this subject. DR CONRAD LAM (in Cantonese): Mr President, the Secretary has just said that the review on holidays after 1997 is in progress. Can he confirm whether 1 July will be designated as a general holiday after 1997? SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER (in Cantonese): Mr President, obviously we need to consider those holidays that will have to be changed as a result of changeover of sovereignty. As to whether 1 July will be designated as an additional holiday, I am sorry to say I cannot give my views now as the review is still in progress.