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LC: CS responds to Report No. 58 of Public Accounts Committee
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     Following is the speech (translated from Chinese) by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, in response to Report No. 58 of the Public Accounts Committee in the Legislative Council today (October 24):

President,

     Laid on the table today is the Government Minute (GM) responding to Report No. 58 of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

     When presenting Report No. 58 on July 4 to the Legislative Council (LegCo), the Chairman of PAC gave comments on two chapters in the Director of Audit's Reports -

(a) Unlawful occupation of government land; and
(b) Youth Square.

     We are grateful for the time and efforts that the PAC has devoted to investigating these subjects.  We accept the Committee's various recommendations and have set out the Administration's specific responses in the GM.  Today, I should like to highlight the key measures that we have taken in the relevant areas and the progress.

Unlawful occupation of government land
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     The Administration agrees with the Audit Commission and the PAC that land is a scarce and valuable resource in Hong Kong.  We also agree that the Government has to carry out land control actions effectively to protect government land from being unlawfully occupied.

     We would reiterate that the Administration considers it unacceptable for people to first occupy government land unlawfully and then apply for a short term tenancy (STT) in an attempt to regularise the situation after being detected.  As the department responsible for managing unleased government land, the Lands Department (LandsD) has reminded its District Lands Offices (DLOs) that approval of STTs should continue to be under strict control.  They also have to make clear to the applicants that the Government has no obligation to regularise the illegal occupations by means of STT or to suspend land control actions pending decisions on the STT applications.  If it is considered not justifiable to grant a STT, the DLO will reject the application as soon as possible.

     On the other hand, as we undertook at the PAC meeting in May this year, the Administration is in the process of reviewing the provisions in relation to unlawful occupation of government land in the Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 28) and formulating legislative amendment proposals, with a view to increasing the penalties against the relevant offences to achieve greater deterrent effects.  Taking into account the views of the Audit Commission and the PAC, we will also examine the possible introduction of a system of daily fines.  The Development Bureau and LandsD are putting together concrete proposals to amend the Land (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance and will consult the Panel on Development of the LegCo as soon as possible.

     In the light of the recommendations of the Audit Commission and the PAC, LandsD has already taken various measures and redeployed its manpower and available resources flexibly to further improve and refine its land control work.  To expedite the processing of backlog land control cases and to handle cases newly received, LandsD has assigned the New Territories Action Team in the Headquarters to take over from the 12 DLOs the outstanding cases received between July 2007 and December 2009, so as to enable the DLOs to focus on the handling of the cases received in recent years.  Furthermore, in order to strengthen the monitoring of land control cases, LandsD is working on the upgrading of the existing Land Control Information System, with a view to completing the project in 2014.  LandsD has also instructed the DLOs to step up the regular risk-based inspection programmes to protect government land from unlawful occupation, particularly the fenced-off areas, which are prone to be illegally occupied and black-spot sites.

     The Administration is grateful to the PAC for acknowledging the enforcement efforts of LandsD in late May this year in respect of the unlawful occupation of government land in Tai Tong Lychee Valley.  LandsD has the determination, and will continue to handle each and every case of unlawful occupation of government land impartially.

Youth Square
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     On Youth Square the PAC shares our view that promotion of youth development is a meaningful policy objective which requires public subsidy.  The Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) strives to ensure that public funding allocated to the Youth Square is expended prudently to achieve the intended objective.

     On the operation and performance of the Youth Square, HAB will consider drawing up further qualitative and quantitative performance targets to measure the contribution of the Youth Square to youth development in consultation with its Management Advisory Committee.  HAB will continue to listen to the views of the users and other stakeholders of the youth sector in managing and promoting the Youth Square.

     On the planning and implementation side, HAB is actively exploring the possibility of putting some of the less utilised areas of the Youth Square to more gainful uses, and is further considering the setting of focal theme(s) for the Youth Square to distinguish it from other youth related facilities and to boost youth patronage.

     As recommended by the Audit Commission, HAB has already published the operating results of the Youth Square at its website.  Moreover, the Administration will keep LegCo informed of the operating results of the Youth Square through reporting to the LegCo Panel on Home Affairs.

     As pledged to LegCo previously, HAB will review the management and operation mode of the Youth Square in 2013.  In the review, HAB will take into account the views and recommendations of the PAC, the Audit Commission as well as relevant parties and stakeholders in the youth sector with a view to better enabling the Youth Square to achieve its function in promoting youth development.  The 2013 review will also address the positioning of the Youth Square including its overall rental strategy.  HAB will report to the PAC the results of the 2013 review, which is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2013.

     Regarding PAC's recommendation in respect of monitoring of estimated cost and the awarded tender price of a project, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau has reminded all bureaux/departments in September 2012 that project and cost monitoring is an important on-going process.  Bureaux should consider keeping LegCo posted of developments where the overall estimate or the awarded tender price of core components of the approved funding proposal has changed significantly from the FC approved provision, even though no supplementary provision has to be sought from FC.

     Finally, I would like to thank PAC once again for its constructive comments and recommendations.  The Administration will, as always, respond positively and implement necessary improvements earnestly.  Thank you.

Ends/Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Issued at HKT 12:03

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