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Following is the speech by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr David Lan, in moving the committee stage amendments to the Adaptation of Laws (No.16) Bill 1998 in the Legislative Council today (June 26):

Madam Chairman,

I move to amend Schedule 3, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12 and 14 as set out in the paper circulated to Members . The Schedule adapts the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation. Some of the adaptation proposals in the Schedule are no longer necessary or appropriate as the relevant provisions have been repealed or amended by the Provision of Municipal Services (Reorganization) Ordinance. Amendments are proposed to Schedule 3 to reflect the changes.

I move to amend section 2 of Schedule 4, Section 2(b) of Schedule 11 and section 1(b) of Schedule 14 in line with Government's agreement to adapt all references of "Governor" to "Chief Executive".

I move to amend section 11 of Schedule 6 and section 7 of Schedule 12. The amendments to the two saving provisions are proposed to achieve consistency in wording with the text of item 10 of Annex 3 of the "Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Treatment of Laws Previously in Force in Hong Kong in accordance with Article 160 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China".

I move to delete section 10 of Schedule 7 and section 11(a) of Schedule 14. The sections seek to adapt two non-immunity provisions. As the proposed change from "Crown" to "Government" is beyond the scope of the Adaptation of Laws Programme, we propose to take out the relevant non-immunity provisions and introduce such legislative amendments in a separate legislative exercise in the coming session in 2000 - 2001.

End/Monday, June 26, 2000

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