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Speeches & Questions of the Council

Question – Hong Kong’s competitiveness (Abraham Shek)

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According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014 of the World Economic Forum (the Report), Hong Kong’s position in the overall rankings of the Global Competitiveness Index among 148 countries/economies has advanced by two places to the seventh this year. Despite the advancement in overall ranking, Hong Kong ranked significantly low in several areas (e.g. Hong Kong’s enrollments for primary and secondary education remained at low rankings of 89th and 93rd respectively). The report recommended that Hong Kong needed to improve on higher education (ranked 22nd) and innovation (ranked 23rd)…

Question – Services provided to suicide-prone persons (Abraham Shek)

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It has been reported that the Suicide Prevention Services (SPS), which provides dedicated services specifically for suicide prevention, received in 2012-2013 more than 34 000 calls for assistance, a record high in recent three years. Meanwhile, the media have recently reported suicide cases from time to time, in which some of the victims were students still at school. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council…

Question – Procurement procedures of Hospital Authority (Lau Wong-fat)

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It has been reported that the mainland authorities have conducted investigations into the alleged use of means such as hospitality, etc. by foreign-funded pharmaceutical manufacturers to entice healthcare personnel into prescribing to patients pharmaceuticals made by the pharmaceutical manufacturers concerned. It has also been reported that some healthcare personnel on the Mainland accepted money from milk powder companies for distributing their formula products to new-born babies so that the babies will get used to taking the formula products of such brands. Some members of the public have relayed to me their concern about the aforesaid situation happening in local healthcare institutions…

Question – Measures to combat pickpocketing crimes (Abraham Shek)

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It has been reported that in the first eight months of this year, the number of pickpocketing cases on Hong Kong Island recorded an increase of 26.5% over the same period last year. It has been learnt that some pickpockets are mainlanders who came to Hong Kong with the intent of committing crimes. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council…

Question – Repair works of tenement building at Kai Ming Street (Priscilla Leung)

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It is learnt that in October 2009, the Buildings Department (BD) issued repair orders to the owners of a tenement building at 51 Kai Ming Street, To Kwa Wan, requiring them to repair the external walls, common areas and pipes of the building. In early 2010, BD further found that there were problems with the cantilevered slab balconies of the building and, therefore, issued statutory orders to the owners requiring them to arrange for a detailed investigation.

Question – Postgraduate Certificate in Laws programmes offered by universities (Abraham Shek)

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A report of the Steering Committee on the Review of Legal Education and Training released in August 2001 recommended that the postgraduate qualification programme, namely Post Graduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL), be discontinued and a free-standing institution be established, preferably in its own premises, to conduct a course of practical vocational preparation for law graduates seeking to be admitted as barristers or solicitors in Hong Kong.

Speech – Formulating Long-term Infrastructure Planning to Promote Sustainable Development (Andrew Leung)

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Now that the world economy is showing signs of recovery, but with severe competition from nearby countries, I believe we must develop our infrastructure, invest in the future, develop the economy and improve people’s living before we can achieve an edge in our competition with other cities in future.

Question – Efforts to reduce inter-generational poverty (Abraham Shek)

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A study report released by the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd) in January 2013 indicated that in 2011, Hong Kong children from families in the top 10% income bracket were more likely (3.7 times) to receive university education than those from families earning half of the median household income or less.