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The following is issued on behalf of Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting this Wednesday (October 9) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, Members will consider a motion under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance.
The motion, to be moved by Dr Kwok Ka-ki, states: "That this Council appoints a select committee to inquire into the incident of the Secretary for Development Mr Paul Chan Mo-po owning farmland located in the areas of the North East New Territories New Development Areas Project and related issues; and that in the performance of its duties the committee be authorised under section 9(2) of the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance (Cap. 382) to exercise the powers conferred by section 9(1) of that Ordinance."
Ir Dr Lo Wai-kwok will move a motion on formulating long-term infrastructure planning to promote sustainable development. The motion, states: "That, given the changes in the global economic environment as well as the development needs and social aspirations in Hong Kong, this Council urges the SAR Government to expeditiously formulate long-term infrastructure planning, properly conduct public consultation, correspondingly allocate resources, and ensure the timely provision of adequate land and various supporting infrastructure facilities, so as to enhance the functions of Hong Kong as a regional economic hub, boost the economy and promote employment, bring forth a quality environment and green living, promote sustainable development, and create more opportunities of upward mobility for the new generation."
Mr Charles Mok will move an amendment to Ir Dr Lo Wai-kwok's motion.
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Members will also debate a motion on formulating a target ratio of housing expenses and a standard for the average living space per person. The motion, to be moved by Mr Tony Tse, states: "That at present, the legislation and relevant guidelines of Hong Kong on residential housing standards mainly regulate hardware such as building safety and hygiene, etc., but no policy or clear objectives and guidelines with legislative effect have been formulated regarding software such as the average living space per person and the ratio of housing expenses to household income, etc.; given the continuous increases of the residential housing prices and rents in recent years, housing expenses have imposed a heavy burden on the public and seriously affected their quality of life; according to statistics, the home purchase affordability rate, which reflects mortgage payment expenditure, has risen to 56% in the first quarter of 2013, and the 2009/10 Household Expenditure Survey also indicates that housing expenses account for 37% of the total household expenditure of private residential housing households in Hong Kong, a percentage which is far higher than the average of around 21% in member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; in addition, the Chief Executive has indicated that more than half of the private dwellings in Hong Kong have a saleable area smaller than 50 square metres; he has also pointed out that the Government must properly formulate long-term planning, so as to provide a more spacious living environment to the next generation; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to:
(1) expeditiously formulate a comprehensive target ratio of housing expenses, lower the ratio of housing expenses to household income of private residential housing households to 30% or below within five years, and further lower this ratio to 25% or below within 15 years, so as to alleviate the public's burden of housing expenses;
(2) formulate and implement a standard for the average living space per person, and through increasing land for building residential housing and new flats, coupled with comprehensive long-term planning, gradually increase the average living space per person for households of public and private housing, so as to improve the living environment of the public; and
(3) while alleviating the public's burden of housing expenses and increasing the average living space per person, review and reconstruct a housing ladder to facilitate upward mobility, so as to meet the needs of people from different social groups and strata, and provide more incentives for public rental housing households to encourage them to move upwards and acquire their own homes, so as to improve the quality of their living environment and strengthen the turnover of housing units."
Mr Frederick Fung, Dr Kwok Ka-ki, Mr Wong Kwok-hing and Mr Wu Chi-wai will move separate amendments to Mr Tony Tse's motion.
Meanwhile, Mr Dennis Kwok will move a proposed resolution under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to resolve that in relation to the Solicitors (General) Costs (Amendment) Rules 2013, laid on the table of the Legislative Council on June 26, 2013, the period for amending subsidiary legislation referred to in section 34(2) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap. 1) and deemed to be extended under section 34(3) of that Ordinance, be extended under section 34(4) of that Ordinance to the meeting of November 6, 2013.
Mr Dennis Kwok will also move another proposed resolutions under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to resolved that in relation to the Arbitration (Appointment of Arbitrators and Mediators and Decision on Number of Arbitrators) Rules, laid on the table of the Legislative Council on July 3, 2013, the period for amending subsidiary legislation referred to in section 34(2) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance (Cap. 1) and deemed to be extended under section 34(3) of that Ordinance, be extended under section 34(4) of that Ordinance to the meeting of November 6, 2013.
On bills, the Peak Tramway (Amendment) Bill 2013 will be introduced into the Council for First and Second Readings. Debate on the Bill will be adjourned.
During the meeting, Members will also ask the Administration 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.
The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo 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 LegCo website.
Members of the public are welcome to observe the proceedings of the meeting from the public galleries of the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. They may reserve seats by calling 3919 3399 during office hours. Seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Members of the public can also watch or listen the meeting via the web broadcast system on the LegCo website.
Ends/Monday, October 7, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:03
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