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The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (March 16) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury will move a motion under Rule 91 of the Rules of Procedure. The motion states: "That Rule 18(1) of the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region be suspended to the extent that the motion to be moved by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury under section 7(1) of the Public Finance Ordinance (Cap. 2) at the Council meeting of March 16, 2016 - (a) is to be placed before any Government bill on the Agenda for the meeting; and (b) is to be so placed on the Agenda for any subsequent Council meeting at which the motion continues to be an item of business."
If the motion is passed, the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury will move a proposed resolution under the Public Finance Ordinance to seek the Council's approval to give for a sum not exceeding $90,454,884,000 to be charged on the general revenue for expenditure on the services of the Government in respect of the financial year commencing on April 1, 2016.
On Government bills, Members will resume the Second Reading debate on the Bankruptcy (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Deposit Protection Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Promotion of Recycling and Proper Disposal (Electrical Equipment and Electronic Equipment) (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Property Management Services Bill, the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes (Amendment) Bill 2015 and the Interception of Communications and Surveillance (Amendment) Bill 2015. 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. The Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2014 is at the Committee stage.
In addition, the Judiciary (Five-day Week) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2016 and the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2016 will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the bills will be adjourned.
On Government motions, the Secretary for Transport and Housing will move a proposed resolution under the Road Traffic Ordinance to resolve that the period extended to June 20, 2016 by Legal Notice No. 54 of 2011, and for which there remains in force the limit on the number of vehicles which may be registered as public light buses specified in the Public Light Buses (Limitation on Number) Notice, be further extended to June 20, 2021.
The Secretary for Transport and Housing will also move two separate proposed resolutions under the Public Bus Services Ordinance. The first proposed resolution is moved to resolve that the franchise granted on September 22, 2015 under the Public Bus Services Ordinance to Citybus Limited (城巴有限公司) and published in the Gazette as G.N. 7692 of 2015 is not subject to sections 27, 28, 29 and 31 of that Ordinance for the entire period of the franchise. The second proposed resolution is moved to resolve that the franchise granted on September 22, 2015 under the Public Bus Services Ordinance to New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited (新大嶼山巴士(1973)有限公司) and published in the Gazette as G.N. 7693 of 2015 is not subject to sections 27, 28, 29 and 31 of that Ordinance for the entire period of the franchise.
On Members' bills, Members will resume the Second Reading debate on the Kowloon Tong Church of the Chinese Christian and Missionary Alliance Incorporation (Amendment) Bill 2014. If the Bill is supported by Members and receives its Second Reading, it will then go through the Committee stage and be read the third time.
The Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) Limited (Merger) Bill will also be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the Bill will be adjourned.
On Members' motions, Mr Jeffrey Lam will move a proposed resolution under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to extend the period for amending the Securities and Futures (Amendment) Ordinance 2014 (Commencement) Notice 2016, the Securities and Futures (OTC Derivative Transactions-Clearing and Record Keeping Obligations and Designation of Central Counterparties) Rules, the Securities and Futures (OTC Derivative Transactions-Reporting and Record Keeping Obligations) Rules (Commencement) Notice, the Securities and Futures (OTC Derivative Transactions-Reporting and Record Keeping Obligations) (Amendment) Rules 2016, the Securities and Futures (OTC Derivative Transactions Reporting Obligation-Fees) Rules and the Securities and Futures (Fees) (Amendment) Rules 2016 laid on the table of the Council on February 17, 2016 to the meeting of April 13, 2016.
Mr Andrew Leung will move two separate proposed resolutions under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance. The first proposed resolution seeks the Council's approval to extend the period for amending the International Organizations (Privileges and Immunities) (ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office) Order laid on the table of the Council on February 24, 2016 to the meeting of April 13, 2016. The second proposed resolution seeks the Council's approval to extend the period for amending the Securities and Futures (Short Position Reporting) (Amendment) Rules 2016 laid on the table of the Council on March 2, 2016 to the meeting of April 20, 2016.
Mr Wong Ting-kwong will move a proposed resolution under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to extend the period for amending the Rating (Exemption) Order 2016 laid on the table of the Council on March 2, 2016 to the meeting of April 20, 2016.
Mr Andrew Leung will move two separate motions under Rule 49E(2) of the Rules of Procedure. The first motion states: "That this Council takes note of Report No.8/15-16 of the House Committee laid on the Table of the Council on December 16, 2015 in relation to the Census and Statistics (2016 Population Census) Order and the Fifth Technical Memorandum for Allocation of Emission Allowances in Respect of Specified Licences." The second motion states: "That this Council takes note of Report No.9/15-16 of the House Committee laid on the Table of the Council on January 6, 2016 in relation to the Legislative Council Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 5) Order 2015 and the Maximum Amount of Election Expenses (Legislative Council Election) (Amendment) Regulation 2015."
In addition, Mr Wong Yuk-man will move a motion under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance. The motion states: "That this Council appoints a select committee to inquire into the clashes between the Police and members of the public in Mong Kok from the night of February 8 to the early morning of February 9, 2016 which caused injuries to many people, and other related matters; 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."
Mr Tommy Cheung will move a motion on actively studying the establishment of a middle class commission. The motion states: "That this Council requests the Government to actively study the establishment of a middle class commission."
Mr Frankie Yick, Mr Sin Chung-kai, Mr Christopher Cheung, Dr Kwok Ka-ki and Ms Starry Lee will move separate amendments to Mr Tommy Cheung's motion.
Mr Yiu Si-wing will also move a motion on reconstructing the image of Hong Kong's tourism industry. The motion states: "That according to the Third Quarter Economic Report 2015 published by the Government in November 2015, inbound tourism slackened further in the third quarter of 2015, and overall visitor arrivals to Hong Kong fell by 6.4 per cent as compared to the same period last year, the first decline since the third quarter of 2009; the Report also points out that exports of travel services (covering visitors' spending on shopping, food and beverages, accommodation and entertainment, etc) fell by 5.6 per cent in real terms in the third quarter, and the average achieved hotel room rate also dropped by 13.1 per cent as compared to the same period last year; as the share of tourists' shopping expenditure in retail sales value has been substantial (around 42 per cent in 2014), the further slackening of inbound tourism has led to a decline in Hong Kong's total retail sales value for seven consecutive months this year, recording the longest downward trend over the past six years; this will also further affect Hong Kong's economy and employment; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to seriously review the reasons for the decline in visitor arrivals to Hong Kong, formulate corresponding measures and allocate additional resources to reconstruct the positive image of the tourism industry, with a view to preventing the continued decline in visitor arrivals to Hong Kong which will affect Hong Kong's economic development."
Mr Tang Ka-piu, Mr Poon Siu-ping, Mr Gary Fan, Mr Paul Tse, Mr Chan Hak-kan, Mr Charles Peter Mok, Mr Sin Chung-kai, Mr Jeffrey Lam and Dr Fernando Cheung will move separate amendments to Mr Yiu Si-wing's motion.
Ms Claudia Mo will move a motion for the adjournment of the Council under Rule 16(4) of the Rules of Procedure. The motion states: "That this Council do now adjourn for the purpose of debating the following issue: the successive 'forced disappearance' of the shareholders and managers of Causeway Bay Books."
During the meeting, Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies. Meanwhile, Mr Albert Chan, Mr Wong Yuk-man and Dr Helena Wong will ask three urgent questions respectively on "students committing suicide" under Rule 24(4) of the Rules of Procedure.
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. Members of the public can also watch or listen the meeting via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website.
Ends/Monday, March 14, 2016
Issued at HKT 22:55
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