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The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council will hold a meeting this Wednesday (November 19) at 11am in the Chamber of the Legislative Council Building. During the meeting, Members will debate a motion on the concern about the cross harbour tunnels failing to divert traffic flows effectively and their high tolls.
The motion, to be moved by Hon Chan Hak-kan, states: "That, as presently the Eastern Harbour Crossing (EHC) and Western Harbour Crossing (WHC) have failed to achieve the function of diverting cross-harbour traffic flows effectively, and their tolls are on the high side, imposing a heavy burden on vehicle owners and the general public, this Council urges the Government to:
(a) discuss with the management of EHC and WHC for the provision of more toll concessions, such as offering lower tolls during non-peak hours and half tolls for commercial vehicles which do not carry passengers or goods;
(b) actively discuss with the two tunnel companies and various bus companies to make more room for reduction in cross-harbour bus fares through the offer of toll concessions by the two tunnel companies to the bus companies, thereby bringing down cross-harbour bus fares;
(c) actively study the buying out of EHC and WHC or the extension of their franchises, so as to lower the tolls of these two tunnels to reasonable levels; and
(d) improve the connecting road networks for EHC and WHC, including expeditiously constructing the Central-Wan Chai Bypass,
so as to attract more vehicle owners and members of the public to use EHC and WHC, and improve the current traffic congestion at the Cross Harbour Tunnel in Hung Hom, with a view to achieving the objectives of reasonable distribution of traffic among the three tunnels and alleviating the burden of travelling expenses on vehicle owners and the general public."
Hon Ronny Tong and Hon Andrew Cheng move separate amendments to Hon Chan Hak-kan's motion.
Members will also debate a motion on comprehensively improving the public dental out-patient services and the dental care scheme. The motion, to be proposed by Hon Wong Kwok-hing, says: "That, as the Government on the one hand promotes oral care among the entire population, but on the other hand the public dental out-patient services and dental care services in Hong Kong are seriously inadequate, resulting in the grassroots who cannot afford the charges of private dental clinics not being able to receive timely dental treatment even when they have dental diseases, and at the same time, the present dental care scheme remains to be available to primary schools only, this Council urges the Government to provide additional resources to improve oral care for the entire population, the public dental out-patient services and the dental care scheme, including:
(a) providing public dental out-patient services to members of the public at the medical and health organisations run by the Government in various districts;
(b) public dental out-patient services must include comprehensive dental treatment, such as dental examination, scaling, extraction, filling, endodontic treatment and crowning, etc;
(c) setting up a dental care scheme for secondary school students;
(d) setting up a dental care scheme for the poor elderly aged over 60; and
(e) drawing up an implementation timetable and a detailed plan to comprehensively improve the public dental out-patient services and the dental care scheme."
Hon Andrew Cheng and Dr Hon Priscilla Leung will move separate amendments to Hon Wong Kwok-hing's motion.
In addition, the Chief Secretary for Administration will present The Government Minute in response to the 20th Annual Report of The Ombudsman 2008 and address the Council.
During the meeting, Members will also ask the Administration 19 questions on various policy areas, five of which require oral replies.
The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the Legislative Council InfoFax Service (Tel: 2869 9568) or the Legislative Council web site (http://www.legco.gov.hk).
Members of the public are welcome to observe the proceedings of the meeting from the public galleries of the Legislative Council Chamber. They may reserve seats by calling 2869 9399 during office hours. Seats will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. Members of the public can also listen to the meeting via the audio webcast system on the Legislative Council homepage.
Ends/Monday, November 17, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:38
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