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The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council will hold a meeting tomorrow (May 4) at 11am in the Chamber of the Legislative Council Building. During the meeting, Members will debate a motion on enhancing the My Home Purchase Plan.
The motion, to be moved by Hon Cheung Hok-ming, states: " That the Government put forward the My Home Purchase Plan ('MHPP') in the Policy Address announced in October last year, under which a total of 5 000 small and medium flats will be made available to eligible people to 'rent-and-buy', yet the community generally considers that there are still inadequacies in MHPP; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to resume the construction of Home Ownership Scheme flats, build additional public rental housing flats and enhance MHPP; the relevant enhancement measures should include:
(a) to make MHPP more flexible, and enhance the measure of 'rent-and-buy' to become 'rent-or-buy', thereby enabling applicants to purchase their flats at any time;
(b) to offer discounts on flat prices and impose restrictions on the resale of flats to prevent speculation;
(c) to increase the quantity of flats to be launched in the first year to 2 000;
(d) to allocate additional sites, including studying the use of some suitable sites on the Application List for constructing MHPP flats, with a view to increasing the supply of flats; and
(e) to review and expedite the various procedures of MHPP, so as to shorten the time between the planning and completion of projects."
Hon Frederick Fung, Hon Ronny Tong, Hon Lee Wing-tat, Hon Wong Kwok-hing and Hon Paul Chan will move separate amendments to Hon Cheung Hok-ming's motion.
Hon Andrew Leung will move a motion on promoting regional economic integration between Guangdong and Hong Kong. The motion, states: " That our country's Twelfth Five-Year Plan proposes to promote joint regional economic development, intensify exchanges and co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong, continue to materialise the Framework Agreement on Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation, and implement the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement and its seven Supplements; with the construction and completion of cross-boundary transport networks between the two places, the SAR Government must adopt a forward-looking attitude and formulate policies and measures which are conducive to promoting the development of the two places; in this connection, this Council urges the SAR Government:
(a) to assist Hong Kong businessmen with manufacturing businesses in the Pearl River Delta Region in upgrading and restructuring;
(b) to set up funds for promoting Hong Kong brand names, products and professional services on the Mainland market, so as to assist local small and medium enterprises in expanding into the Mainland domestic market;
(c) to provide support to local enterprises for developing small-scale technology industries and commercialising the achievements of their scientific research;
(d) to formulate appropriate policies to help Hong Kong businessmen on the Mainland enhance their innovation and scientific research capability, and assist enterprises in undertaking technological innovation and developing green economy in Guangdong Province;
(e) to jointly develop Qianhai New District in Shenzhen into a 'Hong Kong/Guangdong modern service industry innovation and co-operation exemplary zone';
(f) to strengthen financial co-operation and innovation by fostering on all fronts intensive co-operation between Guangdong and Hong Kong in financial markets, financial institutions and financial businesses, etc.;
(g) to jointly promote the formulation of an exchange mechanism for developing the logistics industry, with a view to establishing an international logistics centre and building a modern economic circulation sphere;
(h) to expand the scope of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao tourism co-operation; and
(i) to introduce tax provisions for cross-border workers and encourage Hong Kong's talents who are engaged in service industries as well as scientific and technological research to work on the Mainland, so as to support the development of high-end service sectors, manufacturing industries and technologies on the Mainland,
thereby enabling Hong Kong's professional services to radiate into the entire Guangdong Province, assisting in the rapid development of the high value-added Mainland economy, and developing Guangdong and Hong Kong into a world-class urban agglomeration to grasp the new opportunities of the regional economy."
Dr Hon Samson Tam, Hon Wong Kwok-hing, Hon Miriam Lau and Hon Chan Kam-lam will move separate amendments to Hon Andrew Leung's motion.
Hon Albert Chan and Hon Vincent Fang will move a proposed resolution under the
Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to repeal the Public Revenue Protection (Dutiable Commodities) Order 2011, laid on the table of the Legislative Council on March 2, 2011.
Meanwhile, Hon Kam Nai-wai will move a proposed resolution under the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to repeal the Public Revenue Protection (Motor Vehicles First Registration Tax) Order 2011, laid on the table of the Legislative Council on March 2, 2011.
On Bills, the Electoral Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2011 and the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2011 will be introduced into the Council for First and Second Readings. Second Reading debate on the bills will be adjourned.
Members will resume Second Reading debate on the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes (Amendment) Bill 2011 and the Securities and Futures and Companies Legislation (Structured Products Amendment) Bill 2010. If the Bills are supported by Members and receive their Second Reading, they will then go through the Committee Stage and be read the Third time.
Members will also ask the Administration 20 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.
The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the Legislative Council InfoFax Service (Tel: 2869 9568) or the Legislative Council website (www.legco.gov.hk). Please note that the agenda is subject to change, and the latest information about the agenda could be found in the Legislative Council website.
Members of the public are welcome to observe the proceedings of the meeting from the public galleries of the Legislative Council Chamber. They may reserve seats by calling 2869 9399 during office hours. Seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Members of the public can also listen to the meeting via the web broadcast system on the Legislative Council homepage.
Ends/Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:30
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