WK Lo’s LegCo Express (Oct 2017)
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WK LO's LegCo Express
Oct 2017
1. Elected Chairman of Bills Committee on Road Tunnels (Government) (Amendment) Bill 2017
The Bill seeks to amend the Road Tunnels (Government) Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation to extend their application to the Tate's Cairn Tunnel (TCT). The Bill incorporates the existing tolls chargeable in respect of TCT into the Road Tunnels (Government) Regulations and provides for an exemption to allow specified vehicles to convey dangerous goods in Government tunnels in emergency situations. The Bill would come into operation on 11 July 2018 if passed. I was elected Chairman of the Bills Committee. The scrutiny finished on 3 Nov.
2. Elected Chairman of Subcommittee on Seventh Technical Memorandum for Allocation of Emission Allowances in Respect of Specified Licences
The Seventh Technical Memorandum for Allocation of Emission Allowances in Respect of Specified Licences (TM) was published in the Gazette on 13 Oct 2017 and tabled at LegCo on 18 Oct 2017 for negative vetting. The Seventh TM seeks to allocate for each emission year from 1 January 2022 the quantity of emission allowances for each type of specified pollutant to each of the four existing power plants and possible new electricity works in Hong Kong. Compared with the emission allowances for 2021 set under the Sixth TM, the Seventh TM will see a further tightening of 25% for SO2, 15% for NOx, and 11% for RSP for the electricity sector. A Subcommittee was set up to study the Seventh TM. I joined the Subcommittee on 31 Oct and was elected Chairman.
3. Major funding requests approved by the FC
On 13 Oct, the Finance Committee approved a major funding request of HK$ $20.6 billion for the reclamation works at Tung Chung East and advance works for the Tung Chung New Town Extension. On 20 Oct, the Finance Committee approved another major funding request of HK$42.4 billion for the Central Kowloon Route in order to improve traffic congestion along existing major east-west roads in Kowloon. These are funding requests delayed from last LegCo year.
4. Raised question regarding measures to boost innovation and technology development
At the LegCo meeting on 1 Nov, I asked if the Government will increase the percentage of Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 2.5 per cent within the coming decade and if there is a timetable for the implementation and review of the various measures to boost innovation and technology development. The Government replied that its goal is to increase the total R&D expenditure by local public and private sectors to about $45 billion, representing 1.5 per cent of the GDP by 2022. The Government will gradually increase public R&D investment, at the same time encouraging private enterprises to conduct more R&D activities. Please use the below link for my question and Government’s reply:
5. Raised question on safety of glass doors
At the LegCo meeting on 18 Oct, I asked the Government about the casualties resulting from accidents involving glass doors in each year since 2015 and the improvement measures implemented, and whether additional resources will be allocated for safety inspections and monitoring. The Government replied that the property owners and building managerial staff should carry out regular repair and maintenance in respect of the glass doors. The Government will continue to maintain dialogue with the industry and review the relevant practice notes and codes if necessary. Please use the below link for my question and Government’s reply:
6. Subcommittee on Waterworks (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2017
The Waterworks (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2017 was published in the Gazette on 13 Oct 2017 and tabled at the LegCo on 18 Oct 2017 for negative vetting. The amendments to the Waterworks Regulations (WWR) by the Amendment (No. 2) Regulation are exactly the same as those proposed by the Administration mainly in response to the views and suggestions of members of the Subcommittee on Waterworks (Amendment) Regulation 2017, which was formed in May 2017. The Amendment (No. 2) Regulation is to incorporate the proposed amendments into the WWR. I joined the Subcommittee in Oct.
7. Subcommittee on Subsidiary Legislation Relating to the Commissioning of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port
The Government published in the Gazette on 6 Oct that subsidiary legislation need to be enacted to cater for the commissioning of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Hong Kong Port (HKP) upon the opening of the Bridge. I joined the Subcommittee. The scrutiny finished on 23 Oct.
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