Working Reports
WK LO's LegCo Express (Feb 2018)
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WK Lo’s LegCo Express
Feb 2018
1. Response to the Budget 2018
The Financial Secretary delivered the Budget 2018 on 28 Feb. I am pleased that the Budget had adopted many of the suggestions of mine and of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong, in particular those regarding promoting innovation and technology, supporting SMEs, relieving the financial burden of the middle class, poverty alleviation, and elderly care. The Budget spelled out more proactive moves for the use of surpluses to improve livelihood of people and stimulate economic growth. I think this Budget is pragmatic, focusing development, caring for the communities, and benefitting people’s livelihood.
The Budget also promised to increase manpower to support the implementation of various new policies and initiatives and ease the work pressure on civil servants. In 2018-19, the civil service establishment is expected to expand by 6700 posts to 188451. This represents a year-on-year increase of about 3.7 per cent, the highest since reunification. The posts of Buildings Department and Highways Department both increased by 6.8% while those of Civil Engineering and Development Department also registered an increase of 4.8%. In 2018-19, about 580 new jobs related to construction and engineering professions will be increased, of which about 340 are engineering posts, including 6 directorate posts. In addition, the Government will convert about 400 time-limited positions into permanent positions and extend about 590 positions in the coming year, 200 of them are engineering posts.
2. Report of the Bills Committee on Waterworks (Amendment) Bill 2017
I was elected as Chairman of the Bills Committee on Waterworks (Amendment) Bill 2017. The Bills Committee has held six meetings to meet with the Administration and received views from deputations. I delivered a Chairman report of the Bills Committee at the LegCo meeting on 7 Feb. The Administration also proposed a CSA that the Bill will come into operation on the day on which it is published in the Gazette as an Ordinance. The Bill was passed at the LegCo meeting on 8 Feb.
3. Report of the Bills Committee on Road Tunnels (Government) (Amendment) Bill 2017
I was elected as Chairman of the Bills Committee on Road Tunnels (Government) (Amendment) Bill 2017. The Bills Committee seeks to provide for an exemption to allow, upon permission granted by the Commissioner for Transport with conditions as necessary, specified vehicles to convey dangerous goods in Government tunnels in emergency situations. I delivered a Chairman report of the Bills Committee at the LegCo meeting on 2 Feb. The Bill was passed on the same day.
4. Establishment of the Subcommittee to Follow Up the Issues Related to the Wang Chau Development Project
The Government commissioned a study in 2012 on the feasibility of a public housing development and the extension of the Yuen Long industrial estate at Wang Chau. The Subcommittee was set up to discuss on the issues related to the Wang Chau Development Project and the major views and concerns raised by the members and the public. I joined the Subcommittee and attended the first meeting on 28 Feb.
5. Funding requests approved in the PWSC and the FC in Feb
On 6 Feb, the PWSC endorsed a funding request of HK$192 million to carry out the second package of the construction of public infrastructure works to dovetail with the phased implementation of the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) and support its early phases of development especially the commissioning of the Xiqu Centre. The construction works were entrusted to WKCDA for completion in stages by the end of 2018.
On 2 Feb, the FC approved a commitment to inject HK$560 million as equity from the Capital Investment Fund, and a guarantee by the Government for a commercial loan amounting to $240 million and the interest arising therefrom to the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation for developing an InnoCell adjacent to the Hong Kong Science Park.
6. Visited West Kowloon Station of Hong Kong Section of Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link
Together with other LegCo members, I visited the West Kowloon Station of the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link on 27 February. The tour aims to better understand the facilities of the station and the co-location arrangement before its commissioning. Members visited the "Hong Kong Port Area" and the "Mainland Port Area" of the station, as well as touring along the departing and arriving passengers' routes to learn more about the co-location arrangement. Members also visited the facilities and received briefings on the latest works progress of the station.