LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 6 May 2015 9785 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 6 May 2015 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. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-HING, B.B.S., M.H. 9786 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 6 May 2015 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, J.P. 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, S.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. THE HONOURABLE ALAN LEONG KAH-KIT, S.C. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 6 May 2015 9787 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, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHI-CHUEN THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAN-PAN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE KENNETH CHAN KA-LOK THE HONOURABLE CHAN YUEN-HAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LEUNG THE HONOURABLE ALICE MAK MEI-KUEN, J.P. 9788 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 6 May 2015 DR THE HONOURABLE KWOK KA-KI THE HONOURABLE KWOK WAI-KEUNG THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, S.B.S., 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, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. THE HONOURABLE TANG KA-PIU, 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, B.B.S. MEMBER ABSENT: DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 6 May 2015 9789 PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: PROF THE HONOURABLE ANTHONY CHEUNG BING-LEUNG, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT AND HOUSING PROF THE HONOURABLE K C CHAN, G.B.S., J.P. SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY THE HONOURABLE PAUL TANG KWOK-WAI, J.P. SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE MR JAMES HENRY LAU JR., J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MR KENNETH CHEN WEI-ON, S.B.S., SECRETARY GENERAL MRS JUSTINA LAM CHENG BO-LING, DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL MISS FLORA TAI YIN-PING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MISS ODELIA LEUNG HING-YEE, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 9790 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 6 May 2015 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/Instrument L.N. No. Merchant Shipping (Limitation of Shipowners Liability) (Amendment) Ordinance 2005 (Commencement) Notice ..................................................................... 81/2015 Other Papers No. 92 ─ Quality Education Fund Financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2014 No. 93 ─ Education Development Fund Financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2014 Report No. 18/14-15 of the House Committee on Consideration of Subsidiary Legislation and Other Instruments WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS Effectiveness of Charging Requirement on Reduction of Disposal of Plastic Shopping Bags 1. MR CHAN HAK-KAN (in Chinese): President, following the launch of the Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bags (PSBs) (the first phase) (the First Phase Scheme) in July 2009, the Government has fully implemented the PSB charging requirement at the retail level (the fully implemented PSB charging requirement) since 1 April this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 6 May 2015 9791 (1) of the amount of PSB charges handed over to the Government by shop operators during the period when the First Phase Scheme was implemented; (2) of the number of inspections conducted by the authorities on shop operators' collection of PSB charges since last month; (3) of the number of complaints received by the authorities about the fully implemented PSB charging requirement since last month (such as overcharging by shop operators and their refusal to give out exempted PSBs free of charge); (4) whether the authorities have estimated the extent by which the disposal of PSBs can be reduced as a result of the fully implemented PSB charging requirement; if they have, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; when the authorities will review the effectiveness of the fully implemented PSB charging requirement; (5) given that the number of PSBs distributed in the first quarter upon the implementation of the First Phase Scheme was 13 462 899, but there was a reversal of the decline in the number after about two years and such number rose to 17 959 779 in the 22nd quarter, whether the authorities have looked into the reasons for such a trend and of the authorities' measures to ensure that a reversal of the decline in the number of PSBs distributed will not recur; (6) as the survey on disposal of PSBs conducted by the authorities showed that the disposal of "PSBs from unknown sources" accounted for almost 80% of total disposal, whether the authorities have new methods to identify the sources of such PSBs so as to adopt measures to reduce the disposal of such PSBs; if they do, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (7) as I have learnt that at present, there are a number of countries requiring that retailers may only use degradable PSBs, whether the Government will consider implementing such practice in Hong Kong? 9792 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 6 May 2015 SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT (in Chinese): President, (1) The first phase of the Environmental Levy Scheme on Plastic Shopping Bags (PSBs) was implemented between 7 July 2009 and 31 March 2015. As at 30 April 2015, the registered retailers paid environmental levy of about $172 million in total to the Government. (2) and (3) PSB charging has been fully implemented since 1 April 2015. As at 4 May 2015, officers of the Environmental Protection Department inspected 9 778 retail outlets and received 5 188 enquiries or complaints. These enquiries/complaints were mainly about the scope of regulation, exemption arrangements and charging level under the new initiative, whereas a small number were reports of suspected contravention cases. (4) to (6) As we have indicated when the bill was introduced, overseas experiences suggest that the application of an economic disincentive at the retail end could effectively reduce PSB distribution. In Hong Kong, landfill disposal of PSBs distributed by the regulated retail sectors declined by over 75% in one year after implementation of the PSB Levy Scheme. That said, as revealed in the disposal surveys conducted in the past few years, over 95% of the PSBs found in the landfills were attributable to retail sectors not being regulated; the total disposal figure was also on the rise. Therefore, excessive use of PSB remains a problem in Hong Kong which should be tackled by extending the charging initiative. It would however run the risk of over-estimation by simplistically assuming that the overall PSB disposal figure could be cut down by a similar magnitude as in the first phase upon full implementation of PSB charging. On one hand the registered retailers in the first phase might not be able to achieve further reduction in PSB distribution. On the other hand the law has provided for exemption LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 6 May 2015 9793 to cater for food hygiene considerations and we do not expect the relevant sectors to sharply reduce the amount of PSBs that they distribute.