LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 8 November 2018 1633 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Thursday, 8 November 2018 The Council continued to meet at Nine o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, G.B.S., J.P. PROF THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, G.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, S.B.S., J.P. 1634 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 8 November 2018 THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CLAUDIA MO THE HONOURABLE STEVEN HO CHUN-YIN, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE FRANKIE YICK CHI-MING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WU CHI-WAI, M.H. HE HONOURABLE YIU SI-WING, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHARLES PETER MOK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHI-CHUEN THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAN-PAN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALICE MAK MEI-KUEN, B.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE KWOK KA-KI THE HONOURABLE KWOK WAI-KEUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK WING-HANG THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 8 November 2018 1635 DR THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LIAO CHEUNG-KONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, S.B.S., J.P. IR DR THE HONOURABLE LO WAI-KWOK, S.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHUNG KWOK-PAN THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WAN SIU-KIN THE HONOURABLE CHU HOI-DICK DR THE HONOURABLE JUNIUS HO KWAN-YIU, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HO KAI-MING THE HONOURABLE LAM CHEUK-TING THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-FAI THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-CHUN THE HONOURABLE WILSON OR CHONG-SHING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YUNG HOI-YAN DR THE HONOURABLE PIERRE CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHUN-YING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-KWAN, J.P. 1636 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 8 November 2018 THE HONOURABLE HUI CHI-FUNG THE HONOURABLE LUK CHUNG-HUNG, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU KWOK-FAN, M.H. THE HONOURABLE KWONG CHUN-YU THE HONOURABLE JEREMY TAM MAN-HO THE HONOURABLE GARY FAN KWOK-WAI THE HONOURABLE VINCENT CHENG WING-SHUN, M.H. THE HONOURABLE TONY TSE WAI-CHUEN, B.B.S. MEMBERS ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TIEN PUK-SUN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, S.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LEUNG THE HONOURABLE ALVIN YEUNG THE HONOURABLE JIMMY NG WING-KA, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HOLDEN CHOW HO-DING THE HONOURABLE TANYA CHAN THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LAU IP-KEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 8 November 2018 1637 DR THE HONOURABLE CHENG CHUNG-TAI THE HONOURABLE AU NOK-HIN PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: THE HONOURABLE WONG KAM-SING, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, AND CHIEF SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATION DR THE HONOURABLE LAW CHI-KWONG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND WELFARE PROF THE HONOURABLE SOPHIA CHAN SIU-CHEE, J.P. SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL WONG WAI-LUN, J.P. SECRETARY FOR DEVELOPMENT MR TSE CHIN-WAN, B.B.S., J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT MR SONNY AU CHI-KWONG, P.D.S.M., J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR SECURITY MR CASPAR TSUI YING-WAI, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND WELFARE DR CHUI TAK-YI, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH MR JACK CHAN JICK-CHI, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS DR RAYMOND SO WAI-MAN, B.B.S., J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING 1638 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 8 November 2018 CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR KENNETH CHEN WEI-ON, S.B.S., SECRETARY GENERAL MISS ODELIA LEUNG HING-YEE, DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MS ANITA SIT, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MISS FLORA TAI YIN-PING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MS DORA WAI, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 8 November 2018 1639 MEMBER'S MOTION PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): We now proceed to the third debate session. The debate theme is "Improving People's Livelihood". This session covers the following eight policy areas: Health and Medical Services; Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene; Poverty Alleviation; Family, Women and Children; Elderly Care; Support for Ethnic Minorities and the Disadvantaged; Retirement Protection and Labour Issues; and Welfare Services. Members who wish to speak in this session will please press the "Request to speak" button. MOTION OF THANKS Continuation of debate on motion which was moved on 7 November 2018 PROF JOSEPH LEE (in Cantonese): President, the theme of this session includes health and medical services, food safety, elderly care, and so on. I will first speak and express my views on the impacts of the medical and health measures proposed in the Policy Address and the related policies. The Policy Address proposes to enhance resources and policies for promoting primary health care. We certainly welcome this. As the Secretary is also aware, Kwai Tsing will be the first district with a District Health Centre ("DHC"), and various Members have already put forth different views. The Secretary should note that DHC is geared to preventing diseases as well as promoting and fostering public health. Despite the dissenting views among various sectors, the Secretary should avoid the medicalization of DHC, lest people may mistakenly think that the authorities intend to set up a health centre where they may seek medical consultation. I do not believe this is the intention of this plan or the Government's original policy intent. True, people may inevitably seek medical consultation at DHC when necessary; but the original intention of the plan is, after all, not for them to seek medical consultation. President, what does this mean? Yesterday, the University of Hong Kong ("HKU") announced an interesting finding. As pointed out in a report issued by HKU's University Health Service, an appropriate amount of exercise can improve 1640 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 8 November 2018 physical health, and even in the case of patients, it may also improve their health. Besides, strength and conditioning training may likewise achieve this objective. Recently, the Department of Health ("DH") joined hands with some doctors―I wonder why the latter also have knowledge in this respect―to launch the Exercise Prescription Project. As far as I remember, I once discussed all this at a meeting of the Panel on Health Services ("the Panel") several years ago. The purpose of DHC is to prevent diseases, so apart from resource allocation, the Secretary should also define its service scope. This plan is based on the major premises of preventing diseases, enhancing health and protecting public health rather than encouraging people to seek medical consultation from the centre. Regarding the specific details, the Secretary may need to give an account to the Panel. But we definitely support this plan, while also hoping that the Secretary can draw on various medical and health professions to enable people to realize that maintaining physical health is their own responsibility, and that the Government's responsibility is merely to set up platforms for the public to improve their health. This is the objective of setting up DHC. People should not think that it is an additional centre where they may seek medical consultation or undergo blood pressure tests, and that is all. This is not the original intention of this plan. But the plan definitely merits our support. Another point is about DHC's expansion. At present, DHC in Kwai Tsing will be operated on a pilot basis, and it is hoped that it can commence service next year with gradual expansion to the 18 districts in the territory. This will require substantial resources, so the Secretary should pay attention to the proper use of public money. Very often―I may be overly suspicious, perhaps―bid-rigging may occur, meaning the participation of a few large syndicates in the bidding process. And, DHC may ultimately be medicalized and turned into a clinic. This will run counter to the original intention of the plan, and the efforts of the Secretary and the Government may go down the drain. Certainly, I have longed to see the implementation of this plan for some 10 years, so I hope it can be materialized in the end. President, other proposals for promoting primary health care are all very desirable, and we will render our support. One proposal is the early vaccination against influenza and the lowering of the minimum eligible age. Besides, the provision of free vaccination against cervical cancer for students and the conduct of studies to identify risk factors associated with breast cancer all command our approval. While I have pointed out all along that it is important to offer LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 8 November 2018 1641 screening and vaccination at the second tier, I advise the Government against over-relying on screening.