LegCo to debate motion on urging the next Chief Executive to reactivate constitutional reform
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The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (March 29) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, Members will debate a motion on urging the next Chief Executive to reactivate constitutional reform.
The motion, moved by Dr Kwok Ka-ki, states: "That this Council urges the next Chief Executive to request the Central People's Government to seek the invalidation by the National People's Congress (NPC) of the decision made by the Standing Committee of NPC on August 31, 2014 on Hong Kong's constitutional development, and reactivate the statutory process for constitutional reform to allow Hong Kong people to, by way of nomination with no screening, including civil nomination, elect the Chief Executive on a 'one person, one vote' basis; and to abolish the functional constituencies in the Legislative Council to allow Hong Kong people to elect all Legislative Council Members by direct elections, so as to implement genuine dual universal suffrage under the principles of universality and equality, thereby manifesting 'one country, two systems', 'Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong' and 'a high degree of autonomy', and hence eliminating deep-rooted social conflicts."
Mr Leung Che-cheung and Dr Helena Wong will move separate amendments to Dr Kwok Ka-ki's motion.
Mr Wilson Or will move a motion on urgently improving public healthcare services in Kowloon East. The motion states: "That at present, public healthcare services in Kowloon East fail to effectively respond to the persistently growing demand for healthcare services resulting from population increase and ageing in the district, and the waiting time for stable new case booking for specialist outpatient services of specialties such as eye, orthopaedics and traumatology, medicine and surgery is longer than the territory-wide average waiting time; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to urgently improve public healthcare services in Kowloon East to protect and promote public health; the relevant measures include:
(1) allocating additional resources to shorten the waiting time for specialist outpatient services and general outpatient services of public hospitals in Kowloon East;
(2) expeditiously introducing 24-hour accident and emergency services and 24-hour general outpatient services in the Wong Tai Sin district;
(3) expeditiously implementing the Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital redevelopment project;
(4) expediting the completion of the United Christian Hospital expansion project;
(5) expeditiously constructing the Kai Tak Hospital and ensuring its full commissioning in 2024;
(6) ensuring that the Hong Kong Children's Hospital, which is expected to be completed in 2017, will be fully commissioned as soon as possible;
(7) expanding the Elderly Dental Assistance Programme of the Community Care Fund to cover all elderly persons who are Old Age Living Allowance recipients aged 65 or above;
(8) allocating additional resources to enhance the public-private partnership programme in healthcare; and
(9) expanding the types of subsidised drugs in the Drug Formulary of the Hospital Authority."
Mr Ho Kai-ming, Dr Pierre Chan, Dr Kwok Ka-ki, Mr Wu Chi-wai, Mr Shiu Ka-chun and Mr Leung Yiu-chung will move separate amendments to Mr Wilson Or's motion.
In addition, Ms Starry Lee will move a motion under Rule 49E(2) of the Rules of Procedure. The motion states: "That this Council takes note of Report No.14/16-17 of the House Committee laid on the table of the Council on March 29, 2017 in relation to the Minimum Wage Ordinance (Amendment of Schedule 3) Notice 2017 and the Employment Ordinance (Amendment of Ninth Schedule) Notice 2017."
On bill, the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2017 will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the Bill will be adjourned.
On government motions, the Chief Secretary for Administration will move a proposed resolution under Article 73(7) of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and section 7A of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance (Cap. 484) to seek the Council, pursuant to section 9 of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance (Cap. 484), to endorse the appointment of Mr Robert French and the Right Honourable Lord Reed as judges of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal from another common law jurisdiction.
The Chief Secretary for Administration will move a proposed resolution under the Criminal Procedure Ordinance to seek the Council to approve the Criminal Procedure (Witnesses' Allowances) (Amendment) Rules 2017, made by the Criminal Procedure Rules Committee on February 10, 2017. The Rules are in Appendix 1.
The Chief Secretary for Administration will also move a proposed resolution under the Coroners Ordinance to seek the Council to approve the Coroners (Witnesses' Allowances) (Amendment) Rules 2017, made by the Chief Justice on February 10, 2017. The Rules are in Appendix 2.
During the meeting, Members will also ask the Government 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. Members of the public can also watch or listen to the meeting via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website.
Ends/Monday, March 27, 2017
Issued at HKT 19:50
Issued at HKT 19:50
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