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Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, at a stand-up media session at the Legislative Council Building tonight (May 28):
Reporter: What is your reaction to results of the voting tonight?
Secretary for Food and Health: We have struggled to find a balance for this particular regulation, mainly to satisfy small number of consumers who might be choosing some sort of food products that might only be sold in small volume in Hong Kong and with health claims. It is important to note that once this regulation is passed in the present state, they might be deprived of this choice. On the other hand, the trade has to work harder to ensure that these products would have to comply with the new regulation in two years' time.
Reporter: Will there not be a labelling scheme?
Secretary for Food and Health: There will be a labelling scheme for all the food with nutritional claims.
Reporter: We now have the original proposal in place but the amendment ones failed?
Secretary for Food and Health: All the amendments have failed to be passed. In other words, we now fall back to the original proposal of the regulation.
Reporter: Are you happy or not happy with the fact that you fall back to the original proposal?
Secretary for Food and Health: We are satisfied with the original proposal. But on the other hand, our amendments will be able to enhance this regulation. To some extent, we are disappointed.
Reporter: (about the amendments)
Secretary for Food and Health: The main pressure comes from the trade and consumers. We have received quite a number of signatures from different campaigns, e-mails and letters from certain consumers who claimed that they are buying certain products that might disappear from the shelf if we did not have the amendments.
Reporter: Will the consumers be better off or worse off with the voting results tonight?
Secretary for Food and Health: In general, this regulation will improve the information and the choice for all the consumers in Hong Kong. That is definite. It is a big step forward for Hong Kong consumers. The difference is on the minor differences of addressing the small volume of products that might have nutritional claims.
(Please also refer to the Chinese session of the transcript)
Ends/Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Issued at HKT 21:11
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