*******************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (March 26) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, Members will debate a motion on safeguarding academic freedom.
The motion, to be moved by Dr Kenneth Chan, states: "That this Council safeguards academic freedom, encourages academics to participate in public affairs for actively promoting social progress and reform, and urges the Administration to ensure that all academic research and activities are free from any forms of interference."
Mr Ip Kin-yuen, Mr Martin Liao, Dr Elizabeth Quat and Dr Helena Wong will move separate amendments to Dr Kenneth Chan's motion.
Mr Tam Yiu-chung will move another motion on properly dealing with problems arising from cross-boundary students. The motion states: "That the continuously increasing number of cross-boundary students in recent years has given rise to quite a number of problems; a large number of cross-boundary students pouring into the districts near various immigration control points for attending school lead to keen competition for school places in New Territories districts, thereby affecting local students' opportunities for admission to school in the vicinity of their residence and increasing the pressure on various land immigration control points; furthermore, cross-boundary students need to shuttle between two places and leave early and return late on school days, rendering them physically and mentally exhausted and posing danger to their personal safety, and long coach journeys also affect their studies in school; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to:
(1) set up an inter-departmental task force to study the problems arising from cross-boundary students, including the demand for and supply of kindergarten places as well as primary and secondary school places in Hong Kong, and the impacts of cross-boundary students on the development of manpower resources in Hong Kong, so as to formulate more effective and comprehensive support strategies;
(2) having regard to cross-boundary students' demand for school places, expeditiously make good planning for kindergarten places as well as primary and secondary school places in various districts, and while increasing the number of places in the school net exclusively for cross-boundary primary students, also ensure local students' opportunities for admission to school in the vicinity of their residence, so as to avoid affecting local students' opportunities for attending school;
(3) having regard to the actual situation of families with Hong Kong-citizen children living in the Mainland, pursue with Mainland authorities the opportunities for providing compulsory education to Hong Kong-citizen children, specifically the conduct of studies in conjunction with Mainland authorities under the educational co-operation framework between two places on establishing Hong Kong-style schools in Shenzhen and setting up more schools and classes exclusively for Hong Kong-citizen children, so as to alleviate the education demand of Hong Kong-citizen children in Hong Kong;
(4) commence collation and evaluation of data and information in a systematic and continuous manner, including the population characteristics of families with cross-boundary students and the intentions of cross-boundary students to study and work in Hong Kong in the future, so as to make more comprehensive and accurate planning for manpower resources;
(5) enhance the services and support for cross-boundary students and their families, and increase the opportunities for cross-boundary students to participate in and experience community activities in Hong Kong; and
(6) perfect the immigration arrangements and transportation support for cross-boundary students, so that they can cross the boundary safely for attending school."
Mr Ip Kin-yuen, Mr James Tien, Mr Michael Tien, Mr Tang Ka-piu, Mr Gary Fan and Dr Helena Wong will move separate amendments to Mr Tam Yiu-chung's motion.
Meanwhile, Mr Ma Fung-kwok will move a proposed resolution under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to seek the Council's approval to extend the period for amending the Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Po Leung Kuk, laid on the table of LegCo on February 26, 2014 to the meeting of April 16, 2014.
On other motion, the Secretary for the Environment will move a proposed resolution under the Motor Vehicles (First Registration Tax) Ordinance to extend the period of exemption for the first registration tax in respect of motor vehicles that are propelled solely by electric power and do not emit any exhaust gas to March 31, 2017. Dr Fernando Cheung will move an amendment to the proposed resolution.
On Bills, Members will resume Second Reading debates on the Rural Representative Election Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2013, the Securities and Futures (Amendment) Bill 2013 and the Loans (Amendment) Bill 2014. If the Bills are supported by Members and receive their Second Readings, they will then go through the Committee Stages and will be read the Third times.
In addition, the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Bill, the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2014 and the Pharmacy and Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2014 will be introduced into the Council for First and Second Readings. Debates on the Bills 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 on 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 LegCo Webcast on the LegCo Website.
Ends/Monday, March 24, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:45
NNNN
