LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 28 October 2010 883 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Thursday, 28 October 2010 The Council continued to meet at Nine o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN IR DR THE HONOURABLE RAYMOND HO CHUNG-TAI, S.B.S., S.B.ST.J., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE MARGARET NG THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SOPHIE LEUNG LAU YAU-FUN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG, G.B.S. THE HONOURABLE WONG YUNG-KAN, S.B.S., J.P. 884 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 28 October 2010 THE HONOURABLE LAU KONG-WAH, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW CHENG KAR-FOO THE HONOURABLE TIMOTHY FOK TSUN-TING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LI FUNG-YING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE AUDREY EU YUET-MEE, S.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE VINCENT FANG KANG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-HING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE LEE WING-TAT DR THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG HOK-MING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE RONNY TONG KA-WAH, S.C. THE HONOURABLE CHIM PUI-CHUNG PROF THE HONOURABLE PATRICK LAU SAU-SHING, S.B.S., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 28 October 2010 885 THE HONOURABLE KAM NAI-WAI, M.H. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LAM TAI-FAI, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN THE HONOURABLE PAUL CHAN MO-PO, M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN DR THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KA-LAU THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-CHE THE HONOURABLE WONG SING-CHI THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE IP WAI-MING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE IP KWOK-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PAN PEY-CHYOU THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN DR THE HONOURABLE SAMSON TAM WAI-HO, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALAN LEONG KAH-KIT, S.C. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG 886 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 28 October 2010 THE HONOURABLE TANYA CHAN THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP MEMBERS ABSENT: DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG YUK-MAN PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE JOHN TSANG CHUN-WAH, G.B.M., J.P. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HONOURABLE STEPHEN LAM SUI-LUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AND MAINLAND AFFAIRS THE HONOURABLE AMBROSE LEE SIU-KWONG, G.B.S., I.D.S.M., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY DR THE HONOURABLE YORK CHOW YAT-NGOK, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH 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 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 28 October 2010 887 PROF THE HONOURABLE K C CHAN, S.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY THE HONOURABLE MRS CARRIE LAM CHENG YUET-NGOR, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR DEVELOPMENT THE HONOURABLE EDWARD YAU TANG-WAH, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT THE HONOURABLE EVA CHENG, J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING THE HONOURABLE MRS RITA LAU NG WAI-LAN, J.P. SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MR GREGORY SO KAM-LEUNG, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MS FLORENCE HUI HIU-FAI, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MRS CONSTANCE LI TSOI YEUK-LIN, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MRS VIVIAN KAM NG LAI-MAN, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MRS JUSTINA LAM CHENG BO-LING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MRS PERCY MA, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 888 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 28 October 2010 PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Good morning. We now proceed to the first debate session on the Motion of Thanks debate. MEMBERS' MOTIONS MOTION OF THANKS Continuation of debate on motion which was moved on 27 October 2010 MR ALAN LEONG (in Cantonese): Good morning, President. The Government has let the public see a naked bogus consultation during the past few months. Various opinion surveys have shown that the call for the resumption of the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) has been the strongest ever since the reunification. This is also a policy related to people's livelihood ardently hoped for by the people of Hong Kong. Unfortunately, the Government still insisted on its own views after conducting the public consultation and proposed a so-called My Home Purchase (MHP) Plan which is far from being realistic at all. President, there are few issues on which various political parties and groups can reach a consensus in this Council, and this issue of resumption of the HOS is one of them. But despite this strong political consensus, the Government still holds on to its view and insists on not resuming the HOS. This total disregard of public opinion in administration is really inconceivable to me. President, although the Policy Address has put forward a number of measures to improve people's livelihood, they seem to be only scratching the surface of the problems which are structural in nature. Unresolved, they have caused deep-rooted conflicts in society. The Chief Executive is like a doctor who despite his knowledge of the causes of the illness, fails to prescribe an instant cure to the patient. His prescription can only arrest the coughs, but not treat the disease. This MHP Plan is used by the authorities as a major initiative to fine-tune the housing policy, but it cannot put people's mind at ease. President, after the Policy Address was delivered, if only we look at the number of people who go to inspect the flats, the rise in the prices of real estate stocks and the volume of new flats traded at record-high prices, we will see that such market responses are telling the Government that this MHP Plan will not LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 28 October 2010 889 help solve the housing problem of the people. That is to say, these signs are telling the Chief Executive that he has failed to deliver. President, under this MHP Plan, the Government will provide some small and medium flats for lease to eligible applicants at prevailing market rent. The tenancy period is five years, after which the tenants may choose to purchase these flats or flats in the private market. In the latter case, they will receive a subsidy equivalent to half of the rental paid during the tenancy period and use it as part of the down payment. President, if we think about it carefully, we will find that many details about this Plan are not yet made public, and many loopholes may be found in the Plan as well. Speaking of numbers, the first batch of 1 000 flats in the Plan will not be available in the market until 2014 at the earliest. However, the number of eligible applicants from the sandwich class who are unable to purchase their first home due to the high land price policy is, according to estimates made by some scholars, as many as 140 000 people. This Plan aims at providing some 4 000 to 5 000 flats within three years, which is really a drop in the ocean. It can also be likened to water from a distant place that cannot put out a fire in front of your eyes. I do not think the Government can offer any plausible explanation to the great number of people who cannot purchase their homes. President, what is more outrageous is that the MHP Plan is actually far detached from the reality. The original intent of this policy is to provide some relief to the sandwich class who intends to buy a home but is barred from doing so because of the exorbitant property prices. It is hoped that people in that class can save up some money while they rent the flats under the Plan. But if we do some calculations, we will find that it is almost impossible for these applicants to buy a home in this way. President, details on the income floor of this Plan are not yet announced while an income ceiling is mentioned. If the income ceiling for an individual is set at $23,000 and the asset limit must be not more than $300,000, then the rent payable under the Plan is about $9,000. Even if the rent rebate is half of the total rent paid during the period, that is, $240,000, the sum can hardly suffice as down payment.