LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 10 June 2009 8729 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 10 June 2009 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 IR DR THE HONOURABLE RAYMOND HO CHUNG-TAI, S.B.S., S.B.ST.J., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING, 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. 8730 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 10 June 2009 THE HONOURABLE WONG YUNG-KAN, S.B.S., J.P. 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 EMILY LAU WAI-HING, 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 ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LI FUNG-YING, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT CHAN WAI-YIP THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE, 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, J.P. THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, S.B.S., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 10 June 2009 8731 THE HONOURABLE ALAN LEONG KAH-KIT, S.C. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG HOK-MING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, B.B.S. 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. THE HONOURABLE KAM NAI-WAI, M.H. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING 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. THE HONOURABLE TANYA CHAN 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. 8732 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 10 June 2009 THE HONOURABLE WONG YUK-MAN 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. PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE HENRY TANG YING-YEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL SUEN MING-YEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION THE HONOURABLE AMBROSE LEE SIU-KWONG, I.D.S.M., J.P. SECRETARY FOR SECURITY DR THE HONOURABLE YORK CHOW YAT-NGOK, S.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH THE HONOURABLE TSANG TAK-SING, 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, S.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 10 June 2009 8733 THE HONOURABLE MRS CARRIE LAM CHENG YUET-NGOR, 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 CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MS PAULINE NG MAN-WAH, SECRETARY GENERAL MRS CONSTANCE LI TSOI YEUK-LIN, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MRS JUSTINA LAM CHENG BO-LING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 8734 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 10 June 2009 TABLING OF PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table pursuant to Rule 21(2) of the Rules of Procedure: Subsidiary Legislation/Instruments L.N. No. Industrial Training (Clothing Industry) Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 1) Order 2009............... 118/2009 Air Pollution Control (Specified Processes) (Amendment) Regulation 2009 ..................................................... 119/2009 Land Survey (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2009......... 120/2009 Airport Authority Ordinance (Map of Restricted Area) (Amendment) Order 2009...................................... 121/2009 ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Questions. First question. Measures to Promote Gender Equality 1. MS EMILY LAU (in Cantonese): President, regarding the work of implementing gender mainstreaming and promoting gender equality, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council: (a) given that the authorities have, since 2002, applied the Gender Mainstreaming Checklist to 30 policy and programme areas which are of relevance to women, and provided training on gender mainstreaming to over 4 000 civil servants, whether the authorities have any plan to apply the Checklist to all other policy and programme areas as well as provide relevant training to all politically appointed officials and directorate civil servants; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; (b) given that the work target of at least 25% for each gender for the purpose of appointing non-official members of advisory and LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 10 June 2009 8735 statutory bodies had been attained at the end of 2005, whether the authorities have any plan to raise this target; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (c) given that the authorities have, since 2003, set up in all bureaux and government departments a network of Gender Focal Points (GFPs), most of whom being directorate officers, to assist the Government in promoting gender mainstreaming and offer suggestions, of the number of meetings held in the past three years between these GFPs and the bureaux concerned, the suggestions they have made and how such suggestions have been implemented? SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND WELFARE (in Cantonese): President, (a) Since 2002, the Administration has, with the assistance of the Women's Commission (WoC), applied the Gender Mainstreaming Checklist (the Checklist) to 30 policy or programme areas which are of relevance to women. The Checklist was developed by WoC to facilitate government officials to take into account the perspectives and needs of the two genders in the formulation of policies and programmes. This is to ensure that women and men have equitable access to, and benefit from, society's resources and opportunities, thus promoting women's advancement and fostering gender equality and harmony in the long run. Apart from adopting the Checklist, officers from a number of bureaux and departments have also applied the gender mainstreaming concept in the course of their work, taking into account the needs and perspectives of both genders. The Administration will continue to apply the Checklist to more policy areas and promote the gender mainstreaming concept. For gender mainstreaming to become an integral part of the policy formulation and service delivery processes, we consider it crucial to first develop a better understanding and awareness of the concept across the civil service. To enhance civil servants' understanding of and sensitivity to gender-related issues, we have been providing training to civil servants at different levels to equip them with the relevant knowledge and skills in applying gender mainstreaming to their work. Such training has covered a broad spectrum of staff from directorate officers involved in policy formulation to front-line 8736 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 10 June 2009 officers engaged in service delivery. To date, over 4 000 civil servants of various grades and ranks have attended different classroom gender-related training. We have also arranged a briefing on gender mainstreaming for Principal Officials and Heads of Departments. (b) In making appointments to advisory and statutory bodies (ASBs), the Administration aims to secure the services of the most suitable persons to meet the requirements of the board or committee concerned. In making appointments, we will consider a host of factors including a candidate's ability, expertise, experience, integrity and commitment to public service; the functions and nature of the board or committee concerned; and the gender balance, and so on. For statutory bodies, the appointing authorities will also take into account the relevant statutory requirements. In considering the above factors, the appointing authorities aim to achieve the objective that the composition of ASBs could broadly reflect the interests and views of the community and that the principle of appointment by merit can be upheld. According to information provided by Home Affairs Bureau, the overall women's participation rate in ASBs was 27.6% as at April this year, which has already achieved the 25% gender benchmark target. For certain ASBs relating to such sectors or professions with the majority of their practitioners being male; or with mainly male candidates recommended by the relevant professional bodies or institutions; or with the term of appointment of their members lasting for a few years, the appointing authorities will only have the opportunity to raise the women's participation rate further when making new appointments. As a result, the Administration does not have plans to further raise the gender benchmark at present.