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Following is a question by the Hon Audrey Eu and a written reply by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Stephen Lam, in the Legislative Council today (February 1):
Question:
The Government Headquarters and the Legislative Council (LegCo) have been relocated to the new site at Tamar. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the total expenditure on the construction of the new Central Government Complex;
(b) the total expenditure on the construction of the LegCo Complex; and
(c) the respective expenditures on electricity and data on carbon emissions of LegCo from October to December 2010 and from October to December 2011?
Reply:
President,
(a) and (b) The Tamar Development Project (the Project) includes the design and construction of the Chief Executive¡¦s Office, Central Government Offices, Legislative Council (LegCo) Complex, open space, two elevated walkways and associated facilities. The approved project estimate is $5,528.7 million. The amount of total expenditure is yet to be finalised. Since the design and construction of the Project was awarded through one contract, there is no breakdown on the expenditure for the respective items in the contract.
(c) This part of the question touches on information of LegCo. The reply as obtained from the LegCo Secretariat is as follows -
During the period from October to December 2010, LegCo operated respectively in the LegCo Building, the Central Government Offices (West Wing), the Citibank Tower and the Murray Road Multi-storey Carpark Building. The electricity tariff in relation to the LegCo during this period was $165,240 per month on average. This did not include the electricity tariffs for the Central Government Offices (West Wing) and the Murray Road Multi-storey Carpark Building, as well as the air-conditioning charges for the Citibank Tower which were paid directly by the Government.
The electricity tariff in relation to the LegCo Complex during the period from September 20 to November 21, 2011 (Note 1) amounted to $1.46 million per month on average. This amount had included the tariff chargeable to the contractor due to the remedial works undertaken during this period. With the completion of major remedial works in the LegCo Complex, the LegCo Secretariat has put in place a series of administrative arrangements for reducing electricity consumption since December 2011, including an itemised review of the electricity consumption of various facilities.
This itemised review of electricity consumption is considered necessary as apart from a significant increase in conference and office space, LegCo is providing new and enhanced facilities and services to enhance public engagement and public understanding of the work of the legislature, such as guided educational tours, mock Council debates, etc., in its education galleries, activity rooms and exhibition halls which need to be open seven days a week throughout the year. It is expected that through the itemised review of electricity consumption, the Secretariat will be in a better position to exercise more effective use of electricity to carry out these activities.
Regarding carbon emission data, as tentatively estimated by the Architectural Services Department based on the electricity consumption of the LegCo Complex during the period from September 20 to November 21, 2011, the volume of carbon emission was some 1 527 tonnes (Note 2).
The LegCo Secretariat is always committed to conducting all its activities and operations in an environmentally responsible manner. In the Report on the Activities of The Legislative Council Commission every year, there is a report covering the environmental goal, policy and management adopted by the Secretariat. All staff are required to make efforts to protect the environment through the green measures set out in the report. Such measures include the reduction of electricity consumption and paper consumption for achieving environmental protection and reduction of carbon emission. The Secretariat is currently holding discussions with the Administration and considering the engagement of experts to conduct a comprehensive carbon audit for the LegCo Complex, with a view to continuing to implement carbon emission reduction measures based on the recommendations arising from the audit.
Notes:
(1) The meter-reading period of The Hongkong Electric Company Limited does not start on the first of every month.
(2) This is the volume of carbon emission indirectly generated by the purchase of electricity.
Ends/Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Issued at HKT 14:35
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