LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 4 December 2013 3579 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 4 December 2013 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 TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.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. 3580 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 4 December 2013 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. 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. DR THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KA-LAU 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. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 4 December 2013 3581 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 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 DR THE HONOURABLE KENNETH CHAN KA-LOK THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. 3582 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 4 December 2013 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 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. DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN 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 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 4 December 2013 3583 MEMBER ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN, S.B.S., J.P. PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE MRS CARRIE LAM CHENG YUET-NGOR, G.B.S., J.P. THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION THE HONOURABLE JOHN TSANG CHUN-WAH, G.B.M., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE RIMSKY YUEN KWOK-KEUNG, S.C., J.P. THE SECRETARY FOR JUSTICE MR YAU SHING-MU, J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING THE HONOURABLE TSANG TAK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS THE HONOURABLE MATTHEW CHEUNG KIN-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND WELFARE 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 RAYMOND TAM CHI-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND MAINLAND AFFAIRS THE HONOURABLE LAI TUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., I.D.S.M., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY 3584 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 4 December 2013 THE HONOURABLE EDDIE NG HAK-KIM, S.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION THE HONOURABLE PAUL TANG KWOK-WAI, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE DR THE HONOURABLE KO WING-MAN, B.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH THE HONOURABLE WONG KAM-SING, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THE HONOURABLE PAUL CHAN MO-PO, M.H., J.P. SECRETARY FOR DEVELOPMENT MS CHRISTINE LOH KUNG-WAI, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT MR GODFREY LEUNG KING-KWOK UNDER SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 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 ODELIA LEUNG HING-YEE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MRS PERCY MA, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 4 December 2013 3585 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) 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. Waste Disposal (Designated Waste Disposal Facility) (Amendment) Regulation 2013 .............................. 188/2013 Waste Disposal (Refuse Transfer Station) (Amendment) Regulation 2013 ...................................................... 189/2013 Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Public Pleasure Grounds) (Amendment of Fourth Schedule) (No. 2) Order 2013 ................................ 190/2013 Professional Accountants (Amendment) Ordinance 2013 (Commencement) Notice ........................................ 191/2013 Other Paper Report No. 6/13-14 of the House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Honourable Members, as all of you must be aware, since quite many items of business have to be dealt with in this meeting, I reckon that not all items of business on the Agenda can be disposed of by tomorrow evening. As some activities have already been scheduled for different periods tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, I intend to suspend this meeting at 12 pm 3586 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 4 December 2013 tonight until 2.30 pm tomorrow in the hope that the debate on the Member's motion on "Establishing a low-income subsidy system" can be concluded before the suspension of the meeting tomorrow evening until 9 am on Friday for, hopefully, the completion of all Agenda items by 2 pm. Otherwise, the meeting will have to be resumed at 7.30 pm on Friday after the conclusion of the Finance Committee meeting until all business items have been dealt with. QUESTIONS UNDER RULE 24(4) OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Questions. Apart from six oral questions for this meeting, I have permitted Mr CHAN Kam-lam and Dr KWOK Ka-ki to respectively ask an urgent question under Rule 24(4) of the Rules of Procedure. First urgent question. Immediate Measures to Ensure Personal Safety of Hong Kong Travellers in Thailand 1. MR CHAN KAM-LAM (in Cantonese): President, it has been reported that recently, the political situation in Thailand has deteriorated rapidly, with anti-government demonstrators attempting to occupy the government headquarters in Bangkok, the capital, and paralyse the Government's operation. There was even a shooting incident last weekend, resulting in five dead and 57 injured, and the Thai Government immediately imposed "curfew" in Bangkok. Besides, the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong indicated that as at Monday of this week, about 40 group tours, totalling about 1 000 Hong Kong people, still stayed in Bangkok. There are worries about their personal safety, and so far only some travel agencies have announced suspension of the departure of group tours. Some members of the tourism industry have pointed out that unless the authorities have issued a black Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for Thailand, quite a number of people who have enrolled in group tours will travel to Thailand in the coming period (especially during the travelling peak season in Christmas). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (a) of the authorities' current assessment of the situation in Thailand (especially in Bangkok); whether the OTA for Thailand will be raised to the black alert so that the relevant government departments LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 4 December 2013 3587 and travel agencies will expeditiously adopt corresponding measures to protect the personal safety of Hong Kong people who are staying in or going to travel to Thailand; whether the Government has discussed with the travel agencies about raising the OTA and suspending the departure of group tours to Thailand; (b) whether the Government knows the number of Hong Kong people who are still staying in Bangkok at present, including the number of people who are travelling in group tours and that of independent travellers; of the measures currently adopted to provide instant safety information and assistance proactively to travel agencies and independent travellers; whether the Immigration Department (ImmD) has looked into the requests for assistance from Hong Kong people in Thailand through the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (OCMFA) in Hong Kong and the Chinese Embassy in Thailand; and (c) whether the authorities have made preparation in case of further deterioration of the situation in Bangkok which results in emergencies, actions can be taken immediately, including providing chartered flights to carry Hong Kong people back to Hong Kong and sending ImmD's officers there to provide Hong Kong people with assistance? SECRETARY FOR SECURITY (in Cantonese): President, my reply to the three parts of the question is as follows: (a) The Hong Kong Special Administrative (HKSAR) Government has been closely monitoring the situation in Thailand.