LCQ14: Smart City Development Blueprint for Hong Kong
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Question:
The Government commenced in 2015 a study on developing Hong Kong into a smart city. The Chief Executive stated in the 2016 Policy Address that the Innovation and Technology Bureau would, in collaboration with research institutions and public and private organisations, study the development of a smart city. The Government told this Council in June this year that a consultancy study on the smart city development blueprint (consultancy study) would commence in the second half of this year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the name(s) of the organisation(s) commissioned to conduct the consultancy study, the related consultancy fees and work schedule, and the progress to date of the study;
(2) whether the authorities have consulted the various government departments concerned on the scope of the consultancy study; whether they will explore the feasibility and details of conducting inter-departmental joint projects;
(3) given that smart city development involves the collaboration between public and private organisations on various fronts, of the criteria to be adopted by the Government for selecting its private sector partners, and how it ensures that the relevant selection criteria and procedures are in compliance with the principles of openness, impartiality and fairness;
(4) whether it has currently any plan to collaborate with certain private organisations in developing a smart city; if so, of the details (including the model of collaboration it intends to adopt); and
(5) as the authorities have indicated that a dedicated portal will be set up in the initial stage of the consultancy study for collating inputs regarding the smart city from stakeholders and the public at large, how the authorities will handle these inputs; whether the authorities will provide other channels and incentives to encourage the public to provide inputs and suggestions and participate in the development of a smart city?
Reply:
President,
Our reply to the different parts of the question is as follows:
(1) The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory Services Limited in September 2016 to conduct a consultancy study for formulating a Smart City Development Blueprint for Hong Kong. The scope of the consultancy study covers policy objectives and strategy, development plans, governance arrangements, digital infrastructure, open data sharing and public-private collaboration model. The consultancy study is expected to complete in mid-2017 at a cost of about $5 million.
(2) to (5) The consultancy company will consult stakeholders, including relevant bureaux and departments, on the development plans and recommendations pertaining to different areas of development of a smart city. A dedicated website will also be developed for collection of views from various stakeholders and members of the public. The consultancy company will make reference to the views collected and put forward recommendations applicable to the Smart City Development Blueprint for Hong Kong, including inter-departmental cooperation projects and public-private collaboration model.
In the course of implementing smart city projects, the Government will follow the established procedures and abide by the principles of impartiality and fairness. As the consultancy study has just started, the Government currently does not have any concrete plans regarding cooperation projects or collaboration model.
Ends/Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:10
Issued at HKT 15:10
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