Policy Direction

In the coming financial year (98/99), 9.5 % ($27.3 billion) of total public expenditure will be spent on security. Of these, about $23.4 billion have been earmarked for departments under my policy responsibility. This represents an increase of 4.8% in real terms when compared with 97/98. Details of the financial and staffing provisions proposed for each department, and the major areas of improvement we aim to achieve are set out in the brief distributed to members before the meeting.

In line with the policy commitments we outlined in 1997 Policy Address, much of the additional resources will go to funding the following five major initiatives:

-- improving fire safety in buildings;

-- strengthening law and order;

-- providing additional posts for immigration and customs clearance at the new airport at Chek Lap Kok and the River Trade Terminal in Tuen Mun;

-- relieving prison overcrowding; and

-- strengthening the rehabilitation and aftercare services for prisoners.

I should like to take this opportunity to highlight to you the main improvements we aim to achieve in the coming financial year.

I. Improving Fire Safety in Buildings

The Government attaches great importance to improving fire safety in our buildings and protecting the public against fire hazards. This will be one of our top priorities in the coming year. We have been implementing a package of measures to improve fire safety, through introducing new legislation, stepping up enforcement, and encouraging community involvement to promote a fire safety culture. In 1998/99, we will provide 114 posts to FSD and 23 posts to BD to strengthen their inspection and enforcement capabilities. The main thrusts of our efforts in the coming year are outlined below.

Legislation

We introduced the Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) (Amendment) Bill 1998 into PLC on 21 January 1998. It is now being scrutinised by a Bills Committee. We aim to have it enacted within the current legislative session.

We are planning to set up a $200 million Fire Safety Improvement Fund (FSIF) to provide loan assistance to those owners required under the Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) Ordinance (FS(CP)O) to upgrade the fire safety standards of their premises and buildings. Eligible applicants include the owners of some 500 prescribed commercial premises identified by FSD in the first phase of the implementation of the FS(CP)O, and some 400 pre-1973 commercial buildings to be covered by the Amendment Bill. We will seek the approval of the Finance Committee in March 1998.

We will set up a licensing scheme for karaoke establishments, stipulating the fire safety, building safety, health and public safety requirements. The two Provisional Municipal Councils have agreed to be the future licensing authorities. A three-month public consultation exercise conducted by USD and RSD has just commenced. We aim to introduce legislation in the 1998/99 legislative session.

Inspections and enforcement

We have stepped up inspections to commercial, residential and industrial buildings, and enforcement actions to ensure that proper fire safety precautions are taken. FSD and BD will continue to maintain close liaison when taking enforcement actions against breaches of fire safety legislation. At the district level, the Home Affairs Department will co-ordinate various departments' building inspection programmes to ensure better communication and achieve optimal sharing of resources.

FSD and BD have conducted over 13,000 inspections to commercial buildings in 1997, representing an increase of more than 145% over 1996.

Starting from 9 February, FSD has been inspecting all pre-1987 non-commercial private buildings in the territory to identify potential fire hazards which may threaten lives and properties. Owners and occupants will be persuaded to remove such hazards voluntarily, failing which prosecution action will be taken. The inspection programme is estimated to take about two months to complete and cover over 60,000 buildings.

In view of the relatively high fire load and people flow in old commercial/residential composite buildings, BD is now conducting a sample survey of 40 pre-1987 composite buildings, focusing on their building fire safety and any common irregularities and deficiencies. The department aims to complete the survey in two months. Thereafter, BD will proceed with a further survey of non-commercial buildings, with a view to finding out the necessary remedial measures.

Community involvement and publicity programmes

HAD will encourage community involvement in the fight against fire. A central steering committee with the participation of non-officials, and District Fire Safety Committees under the Building Management Co-ordination Committees are being set up. We will also launch a major publicity campaign on fire safety (costing $2 million) in the coming year.

II. Strengthening Law and Order

Hong Kong is one of the safest cities in the world and our overall crime rate in 1997 is the lowest in the past 24 years. Compared with 1996, our overall crime rate has dropped by 17% and violent crime rate also dropped by 12%. The good result are attributable to our efforts in strengthening Police front-line operational strength. We have deployed about 1,600 Police officers to front-line duties since 1995/96. In 1998/99, we will provide 235 Police posts as leave reserve so as to further increase the Police presence on the streets; this brings to a total of 807 leave reserve posts provided since 1996/97. Additionally, we will also create 70 Police posts to enhance the policing of new infrastructures such as the West Kowloon Reclamation, the Airport Express Line and the Lantau Line; and 97 Police posts to reinforce the Police's capability in crime intelligence and detection.

We will also continue to strengthen the operational capabilities of our Police Force by providing them with modern equipment. In 1998/99, we will invest $84 million to replace the Marine Police radio network, $67 million to procure new patrol launches and upgrading the facilities of existing launches; and $27 million to enhance the Police communications systems.

III. Providing Additional Posts for Immigration and Customs Clearance at the New Airport at Chek Lap Kok and the River Trade Terminal in Tuen Mun

New airport at Chek Lap Kok

The new airport at Chek Lap Kok will be a world class airport providing world class services and with world class facilities. To cope with the anticipated increase in demand for passenger and cargo clearance, we have provided the ImmD and C&ED with 438 additional posts in 1997/98 to facilitate recruitment, training and orientation. In addition, we will provide another 229 customs posts in 1998/99 prior to airport opening. We have agreed to provide 39 immigration and customs staff for the clearance of corporate jets at the Business Aviation Centre and departing crews at the CPA Building on a full cost recovery basis. We will also provide 6 immigration staff for setting up dedicated immigration facilities in the VIP suite.

River Trade Terminal (RTT) in Tuen Mun

The RTT will provide a centralised location for river trade cargo, both break-bulk and containerised, to be sorted, stored and consolidated before being transferred to larger vessels for onward transmission to container terminals and other harbour facilities for onward shipment. Phase I of the project will be completed in October 1998. We will provide 120 customs posts to provide customs clearance for the cargoes and 53 immigration posts to provide immigration clearance for the crews.

IV. Relieving Prison Overcrowding

Despite a sustained reduction of the overall overcrowding rate in penal institutions since late-1996, which has now dropped to under 20%, we still expect the problem of prison overcrowding to remain with us in the near future.

We are therefore taking further steps to ease prison overcrowding. Our redevelopment projects are under way as planned. For example, the new Pak Sha Wan Prison, as part of Phase II of the Stanley Prison area redevelopment project, is expected to be completed by the end of 1998 to provide 424 prison places. We will provide 183 posts for operating this new facility.

We are also planning new projects to increase the supply of penal places in the early part of the 21st Century, including the construction of a new prison complex at Yam O, Lantau Island and the expansion of Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre.

V. Strengthening Rehabilitation and Aftercare Services

Rehabilitation of offenders is a key emphasis of our penal policy. To better coordinate and develop rehabilitation services and aftercare services, we have created an Assistant Commissioner post to head a new Rehabilitation Division in CSD in January 1998. We will provide 35 additional posts in 1998/99 to strengthen the aftercare programmes and the statutory prison sentence review schemes.