Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2025)




Subject matters

Public officers to reply





(To be advised by the Administration)
Questions for oral replies
1Dr Hon SO Cheung-wing
The work of Invest Hong Kong

2Hon Andrew LAM
Public markets

3Hon Kenneth FOK
Supporting the development of the Cantonese opera sector

4Prof Hon CHAN Wing-kwong
Using false information for applying for entry to Hong Kong

5Hon Dominic LEE
Helping enterprises leverage artificial intelligence technologies

6Hon YANG Wing-kit
Kai Tak Sports Park

Questions for written replies
7Hon Duncan CHIU
Assisting innovation and technology enterprises in developing Belt and Road markets

8Hon Sunny TAN
Enhancing publicity of mega events

9Hon YIU Pak-leung
Public bathing beaches under the management of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department

10Dr Hon Starry LEE
Work on overseas Chinese affairs

11Hon CHAN Hoi-yan
Community Health Centres

12Hon CHAN Yuet-ming
Measures to control wild pigs

13Hon SHIU Ka-fai
Parallel-imported electrical appliances

14Hon Elizabeth QUAT
Promoting the development of the low-altitude economy

15Dr Hon TIK Chi-yuen
Reform of laws on sexual offences

16Hon Judy CHAN
Assisted reproduction services

17Hon CHAN Hok-fung
Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port

18Hon Benson LUK
Professional development of veterinary nurses and assistants

19Hon Adrian HO
Making optimal use of performance venues for hosting mega events

20Hon Paul TSE
Retail infrastructure bonds

21Hon Edward LEUNG
Regulation of productions involving artificial intelligence technologies

22Prof Hon CHOW Man-kong
Initiatives to encourage childbearing

Question 1
(For oral reply)

(Translation)

The work of Invest Hong Kong

Dr Hon SO Cheung-wing to ask:

There are views pointing out that Invest Hong Kong ("InvestHK") plays an important role and has significant responsibilities in the work on attracting enterprises and investments, and it is learnt that InvestHK has been undertaking a number of new projects in recent years, including establishing FamilyOfficeHK, supporting the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises, assessing the financial assets and investment of applicants for the New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, mobilizing enterprises to capture opportunities amid the Belt and Road initiatives, participating in the Pan-‍Greater Bay Area Inward Investment Liaison Group to promote the investment of global priority markets in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and promoting Hong Kong as a leading destination for entrepreneurship and innovation of start-ups through StartmeupHK. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

of the total number of current and new projects undertaken by InvestHK, and the specific responsibilities and contents of such projects; whether it has assessed if the existing manpower of InvestHK is sufficient to cope with the new work, and whether there is a need for additional manpower;

(2)

of the division of work between InvestHK and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in respect of the work on attracting enterprises and investments; and

(3)

whether it will consider enhancing the powers and responsibilities of InvestHK and establishing a higher-level structure to better coordinate and enhance Hong Kong's work on attracting enterprises and investments in a comprehensive manner?

Question 2
(For oral reply)

(Translation)

Public markets

Hon Andrew LAM to ask:

The Audit Commission conducted in 2003 and 2008 audits on public markets managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department ("FEHD") and found that there was an upward trend in the vacancy rate of public markets, and the audit report in 2003 even pointed out that more than 50% ‍of the vacant market stalls had been left vacant for at least two years. FEHD has been progressively implementing the Market Modernisation Programme ("MMP") since 2018, which includes comprehensive refurbishment or redevelopment projects, as well as piloting a scheme on stall enhancement projects on trial. However, there are views that changes in the consumption pattern of members of the public and the current occupancy rates of market stalls have aroused doubts among the public about the overall efficacy of public markets. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

whether it has reviewed the effectiveness of MMP; if so, of the details; and

(2)

whether it has reviewed afresh the functions of and actual demand for public markets and thoroughly reviewed the way forward for their development; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Question 3
(For oral reply)

(Translation)

Supporting the development of the Cantonese opera sector

Hon Kenneth FOK to ask:

It has been reported that Sunbeam Theatre in North Point, an important performance venue for Cantonese opera, will close down in March next year, and by that time, the sector will face problems such as finding new performance and rehearsal venues, as well as how to rehouse and provide training for Cantonese opera practitioners, which will bring about a significant impact on the stable development of the Cantonese opera sector. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

given that after the closure of Sunbeam Theatre, there will be no performance venue for Cantonese opera of comparable scale under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department in the district, whether the Government has plans to collaborate with the business sector to jointly construct a permanent performance venue for the development of Cantonese opera; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2)

whether the Government will consider providing support to Cantonese opera practitioners, including further according priority to Cantonese opera troupes in arranging venues for their performance, so as to sustain the living of Cantonese opera practitioners; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3)

as it is learnt that in the light of the impending closure of Sunbeam Theatre, business operators in the neighbourhood do not renew their tenancies out of worries over the loss of patronage from opera-goers, whether the Government has plans to expeditiously identify a new venue in the district for performance by Cantonese opera troupes which originally perform at Sunbeam Theatre, so as to preserve the long-‍established "Cantonese opera economy" in the district?

Question 4
(For oral reply)

(Translation)

Using false information for applying for entry to Hong Kong

Prof Hon CHAN Wing-kwong to ask:

It has been reported that some unscrupulous and unlawful intermediaries on the Mainland have been soliciting businesses by spreading rumours on social media platforms about various talent admission schemes of the Hong Kong SAR Government, going as far as falsifying academic qualifications and proofs of employment for clients to facilitate their applications for study or employment in Hong Kong or visa renewal, so as to reap a profit. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

of the number of cases involving the use of false information by applicants applying for entry to Hong Kong for employment or renewal of employment visas under various talent admission schemes in the past three years, as well as the types of applications involved and the follow-up actions taken in respect of such cases; the relevant figures on applications for study in Hong Kong which involved the use of false information and the follow-up actions taken;

(2)

of the measures in place to prevent the use of false information by applicants for entry to Hong Kong under various talent admission schemes; and

(3)

whether it will step up cooperation with the relevant Mainland authorities to combat the illegal acts of unlawful intermediaries; if so, of the details?

Question 5
(For oral reply)

(Translation)

Helping enterprises leverage artificial intelligence technologies

Hon Dominic LEE to ask:

There are views that while various places across the globe have been actively developing industries related to artificial intelligence ("AI") in recent years, Hong Kong enterprises still face problems such as geographical restrictions and insufficient funds in applying AI technologies. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

as it has been reported that in July this year, the developer of ChatGPT, an AI tool, restricted the provision of application programming interface services to regions including Hong Kong, whether the Government has discussed with the developer the lifting of the restriction; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2)

given that the Government launched the Artificial Intelligence Subsidy Scheme ("AISS") in October this year to subsidize eligible enterprises to make the best use of the computing power of the AI ‍Supercomputing Centre to achieve more breakthroughs in AI scientific research and applications, of the total number of AISS applications received so far; whether the Government will provide technical support to the funded enterprises and extend AISS to cover small and medium enterprises and associations, so as to enhance their AI application capabilities and market competitiveness; and

(3)

as there are views that Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area have advantages in AI development, whether the Government has formulated specific measures to assist Hong Kong enterprises in strengthening their cooperation with the institutions in these cities in the field of AI technologies, and to provide development opportunities for local AI start-ups; if so, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that?

Question 6
(For oral reply)

(Translation)

Kai Tak Sports Park

Hon YANG Wing-kit to ask:

It is learnt that a series of test events are being held in the Kai Tak Sports Park ("KTSP") to test out the facilities in the venues of KTSP and the traffic arrangements outside KTSP. The test events held at the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground of KTSP in recent months have been operating smoothly, while the test events for the Main Stadium are expected to be held in January next year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

whether it knows if the MTR Corporation Limited has formulated contingency plans for scenarios in respect of the Main Stadium, such as during peak hours, rainy days, and when concerts overrunning until the time close to the departure of the last MTR trains; if it knows, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2)

whether it will discuss with operators of public transport services such as buses, tour coaches and ferries corresponding arrangements for diverting passenger flows after the holding of large-scale events in the Main Stadium (especially during peak hours); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3)

whether it will discuss with merchants' associations in the Kowloon City District the provision of concessions to customers or even the organization of other large-scale activities during the holding of events in KTSP, so as to attract the spectators to stay in the district for consumption and alleviate the pressure on local traffic arising from the dispersion of crowds from events in KTSP; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Question 7
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Assisting innovation and technology enterprises in developing Belt and Road markets

Hon Duncan CHIU to ask:

There are views pointing out that the Belt and Road ("B&R") Initiative is an important national development strategy, and Hong Kong, as a key link and the prime platform for the B&R Initiative, can play the role of a "super value-‍adder" under "one country, two systems", as well as leverage its edge in innovation and technology ("I&T") development to assist B&R countries and regions in enhancing their development and advancement, and facilitate the in-depth integration of various economies in such countries and regions, so as to achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

of the number of I&T enterprises in Hong Kong which have successfully developed B&R markets so far with assistance provided by the Government, and the proportion of start-ups among such enterprises; the B&R countries and regions to which such enterprises have exported I&T products and solutions developed in Hong Kong, as well as the major technology areas, products and solutions involved; the relevant successful examples;

(2)

whether the Government has, by drawing reference from the successful experience mentioned in (1), further explored ways to broaden and deepen measures to assist more I&T enterprises in Hong Kong in the development of B&R markets, thereby creating opportunities for the use of Hong Kong's products of scientific researches by more overseas countries; if so, of the results, and how it will take forward the relevant work in the future;

(3)

whether the Government has grasped and gained an understanding of I&T enterprises in Hong Kong which intend to develop B&R markets, including the number and technology areas of the enterprises involved, as well as the countries and regions where such enterprises intend to explore markets; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and whether it will conduct a comprehensive survey and follow up subsequently;

(4)

whether it will take the initiative to look into the demand for technological products in B&R countries and regions, and coordinate such demand for direct matching with I&T enterprises in Hong Kong; if so, of the specific details and implementation timetable; and

(5)

whether it has explored ways to systematically and strategically assist I&T enterprises, especially start-ups, in Hong Kong in exporting their newly developed I&T products and solutions to B&R countries and regions; if so, of the details, including the findings of the study and the earliest time for launching the relevant strategies and measures; whether it will consider setting up a dedicated B&R fund to provide I&T enterprises in Hong Kong with their most needed financial assistance in developing B&R markets?

Question 8
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Enhancing publicity of mega events

Hon Sunny TAN to ask:

There are views that as the staging of mega events in Hong Kong faces challenges in terms of inadequate local publicity and insufficient public awareness, the Government needs to optimize the use of existing infrastructure facilities for promotional purposes, so as to create a city-wide vibe. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

whether it has studied ways to make good use of local publicity experience of the Information Services Department in its "work with organizers of high-profile local sporting, cultural and entertainment events to raise Hong Kong's profile globally", so as to step up promotion of mega events in Hong Kong through online and offline channels of the Government; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2)

whether it has plans to, by drawing reference from the current practice of letting out advertising spaces available in government premises for commercial advertising purposes, open up more government premises with advertising spaces, such as the curtain walls of venues under the management of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, for launching publicity of mega events in Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3)

whether it will, by drawing on the experience of departments such as the Registration and Electoral Office and the Hong Kong Police Force in renting advertising spaces along major trunk roads and of public transport systems (for example, the MTR and Hong Kong International Airport) for promotional purposes, look into specific measures to encourage operators to let out idle advertising spaces at a concession rate for launching publicity of mega events in Hong Kong, such as the offer of tax deductions; and

(4)

as it has been reported that M+ and Art Basel have co-commissioned works for the M+ Facade to celebrate mega events of the Hong Kong Arts Month, whether the authorities will consider discussing the extension of such practice to other mega events in Hong Kong with the West Kowloon Cultural District ("WKCD") Authority, so as to jointly promote good vibes for mega events and encourage both artists as well as members of the public to explore the relationship between visual arts and city space, while creating an additional income source for WKCD; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Question 9
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Public bathing beaches under the management of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department

Hon YIU Pak-leung to ask:

There are views that beaches can serve as tourist attractions, and by offering diversified water sports activities and catering facilities at beaches, as well as using them as venues for performances and sports events, Hong Kong can cultivate a more vibrant beach culture and realize the concept of "tourism is everywhere". However, the 42 public bathing beaches currently managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department ("LCSD") can only meet the most basic recreational needs with their limited facilities, and it is difficult for organizations to apply to use them as venues for activities and mega events. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

of the following information about the public bathing beaches under the management of LCSD: (i) the number of users so far this year, (ii) the area, (iii) the area used for commercial purposes, and (iv) the specific commercial uses (set out in the table below);

Public bathing beach

(i)

……

(iv)

(2)

whether LCSD has organized activities at the public bathing beaches under its management other than opening them to the public for bathing since last year; if so, of the details (including the content of the activities and the number of participants) (set out in a table); if not, the reasons for that;

(3)

as it is learnt that eligible organizations may apply to LCSD for organizing non-designated use activities at public bathing beaches, of the number of the relevant applications made since last year and, among such applications, the details of the activities involved in the approved applications (including the content of the activities and the number of participants) (set out in a table); the criteria adopted by LCSD for vetting and approving such applications, for example, whether the attractiveness of these activities to tourists is one of the considerations in vetting and approving the applications;

(4)

whether LCSD will review the existing management mechanism of public bathing beaches to facilitate different organizations to apply for the use of beaches to organize activities, thereby encouraging more activities and mega events to be held at public bathing beaches; and

(5)

whether LCSD will review the existing ancillary facilities at beaches to create a unique beach culture from a tourism perspective, such as providing additional catering facilities or more diversified water experience activities, thereby creating more consumption scenarios to attract members of the public and tourists to visit the beaches?

Question 10
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Work on overseas Chinese affairs

Dr Hon Starry LEE to ask:

There are views that the Mainland has a mature development of the work on overseas Chinese affairs, which has achieved remarkable results in guiding and supporting the vast number of overseas Chinese to actively participate in building up our country. Overseas Chinese also play an important role in promoting Hong Kong’s economic development, promoting the cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world, and enhancing international understanding of China and Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

of the number and types of overseas Chinese organizations currently registered in Hong Kong; whether there is a dedicated department responsible for liaising with such organizations regularly and promoting the initiatives; of the results achieved by the relevant initiatives in the past three years;

(2)

whether InvestHK and the various overseas Economic and Trade Offices ("ETOs") have mechanisms of liaising regularly with the local overseas Chinese organizations; how support is provided for those organizations to tell China's stories well and promote Hong Kong in their localities; whether key performance indicators are set in respect of the liaison work with those organizations and evaluation is conducted on the effectiveness of the relevant work;

(3)

whether it will consider reviewing the overseas Chinese policy of Hong Kong comprehensively, including studying the current population, distribution and development needs of overseas Chinese and establishing a database on overseas Chinese, so as to make long-‍term development planning; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(4)

whether it will consider studying the experience of the Mainland in the work on overseas Chinese affairs to strengthen support for overseas Chinese organizations; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5)

whether it will consider strengthening the coordination of resources of various departments, coordinating the various ETOs and strengthening the liaison with overseas Chinese, and formulating specific measures to support overseas Chinese organizations in promoting the economic development of Hong Kong and telling the stories of China and Hong Kong well; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Question 11
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Community Health Centres

Hon CHAN Hoi-yan to ask:

The Government has been planning for the establishment of Community Health Centres ("CHCs") in a number of districts since 2010, and the establishment of new CHCs is also covered in the First and Second Ten-year Hospital Development Plans. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

whether it knows the positioning of CHCs at present; the services generally provided by various CHCs, and which of them are standing services;

(2)

whether it knows the respective staff establishment of various CHCs at present (set out by profession);

(3)

whether it knows the respective numbers of attendances for general outpatient services (broken down by patients with episodic diseases and patients with chronic diseases) and the numbers of attendances for health risk assessment at various CHCs in each of the past five years;

(4)

of the districts in which the authorities are planning to set up new CHCs (set out by District Council district), and the details of the projects concerned, including the completion time;

(5)

as there are views pointing out that CHCs and District Health Centres are both regarded as important facilities for primary healthcare services in the community, of the coordination and division of labour between the two in the provision of services; and

(6)

given that it is proposed in the Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address to integrate the services of Woman Health Centres and Elderly Health Centres, which are also part of the primary healthcare services, whether the Government has considered reviewing at the same time the role and positioning of CHCs as well as the needs of the community, so as to put forward a more comprehensive planning proposal for the establishment of new CHCs in various districts?

Question 12
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Measures to control wild pigs

Hon CHAN Yuet-ming to ask:

It has been reported that an incident of a wild pig injuring a person happened in Ta Kwu Ling recently, leaving the injured person in grave condition. Subsequently, I have received requests for assistance one after another from many members of the community in the New Territories ("NT") districts who highlight the serious wild pig nuisance in various NT districts. Taking the North District as an example, farmers suffer considerable economic losses as installing fences cannot stop wild pigs from intruding into agricultural fields for foraging. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

whether it has compiled statistics on the number of wild pigs in Hong Kong and the respective numbers of wild pigs captured and humanely dispatched as at November this year; if so, of a breakdown of such information by District Council district; of the methods for compiling statistics on and projecting the number of wild pigs;

(2)

of the specific methods currently used to capture and humanely dispatch wild pigs as well as the manpower and resources required per year to handle wild pig issues;

(3)

as it is learnt that at present, installing fences and setting up traps cannot effectively stop wild pigs from intruding into agricultural fields and villages in NT, to prevent wild pigs from injuring people, whether the Government will consider providing more effective measures to control wild pigs in NT, including controlling their population; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(4)

regarding the formulation of measures and the future work to control wild pigs in Hong Kong, whether the Government has drawn reference from the relevant experiences of the Mainland and other countries or regions; if so, of the specific details; if not, the reasons for that?

Question 13
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Parallel-imported electrical appliances

Hon SHIU Ka-fai to ask:

In November this year, a member of the public was found unconscious after having shower at home, and was subsequently hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning, along with two family members living with him. It has been reported that the water heater used by the family concerned was purchased outside Hong Kong and was installed by the family itself. An investigation by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department ("EMSD") discovered that the water heater is of a flueless type, which should not be used in bathrooms, has not been approved by EMSD, and does not bear a "GU" mark (i.e. a mark for domestic gas appliances approved by the Gas Authority of EMSD). Some members of the community have pointed out that quite a number of people have purchased imported electrical appliances from cross-border e-commerce platforms or have personally brought electrical appliances into Hong Kong through customs (commonly known as "parallel-imported electrical appliances") without paying recycling levies (which apply to regulated electrical equipment) or obtaining energy efficiency labels and certificates of safety compliance issued by EMSD, thus posing potential safety hazards to the public. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

of the details of the incidents caused by non-compliant parallel-‍imported electrical appliances in each of the past three years and this year to date (including the type of products involved and the number of casualties);

(2)

whether it will consider requiring all imported electrical appliances purchased from cross-border e-commerce platforms and those which are personally brought into Hong Kong through customs be subject to prior declaration as well as conducting stop-and-search actions at various boundary control points, so as to ensure that such electrical appliances comply with Hong Kong's requirements relating to product safety compliance, energy efficiency labelling and recycling levy, etc., before being imported into Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3)

of the quantities of parallel-imported electrical appliances which have been seized by the Government in the local market for non-‍compliance with the statutory requirements of Hong Kong in each of the past three years and this year to date (set out in a table by type of products and reason for non-compliance); and

(4)

how it will eradicate the sale and supply of parallel-imported electrical appliances which do not comply with the statutory requirements of Hong Kong, and penalize those who engage in the relevant activities?

Question 14
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Promoting the development of the low-altitude economy

Hon Elizabeth QUAT to ask:

The Working Group on Developing Low-altitude Economy led by the Deputy Financial Secretary convened the first meeting earlier on to discuss the overall strategies and work plan for developing the low-altitude economy ("LAE"), and announced that Regulatory Sandbox pilot projects ("pilot projects") would be taken forward progressively starting from early next year. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

whether the Government will make reference to the practice of Guangdong Province and study the proactive formulation of a demand list of application scenarios for LAE in Hong Kong in respect of Regulatory Sandbox, so as to showcase the opportunities for collaboration between the Government and enterprises in the application scenarios for various areas of demand, such as low- ‍altitude infrastructure, industry operations as well as production and manufacturing, thereby facilitating the precise supply-demand matchup in the industry chain and promoting the realization and application as well as generational upgrading of cutting-edge technologies and innovative products;

(2)

as there are views pointing out that applicants for pilot projects have to bear the costs involved in preparing the applications and conducting trials on their own at the current stage and this may deter the participation of small and medium enterprises, whether the Government will study setting aside funding to offer project-based subsidies to such applicants, thereby prmoting the trial run of LAE locally;

(3)

as it has been reported that while LAE comprises a complete industry chain and there is demand for insurance under each of the components, LAE insurance is still at the stage of research in Hong Kong, of the Government's plans to encourage insurance companies to develop insurance products targeting areas of commercial application for LAE (such as freight logistics, passenger transportation and urban management, etc.);

(4)

whether the Government will study the use the Geographic Information System complemented with three-dimensional geospatial data to establish a flight path planning information platform similar to "One Map" on the Mainland, and further, with the support of real-time meteorological data and based on the demand for take-off and landing points as well as major flight paths, design a "highway" for low-altitude airspace; and

(5)

as it is learnt that many government departments in Shunde District of Foshan City have already applied a shared drone inspection system to collect data required by various departments supplemented by artificial intelligence ("AI") models to effectively identify various urban management problems (including unauthorized building works and fly-tipping of refuse, etc.), thereby enhancing the efficiency of urban management, whether the Government will, by drawing reference from the relevant experience, study making use of low-‍altitude technology coupled with AI technologies to further enhance the efficiency of urban management and governance efficacy?

Question 15
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Reform of laws on sexual offences

Dr Hon TIK Chi-yuen to ask:

It has been reported that the Police have pointed out that the number of child sexual abuse cases involving online activities increased by more than 15% ‍year-on-year last year. On the other hand, there are views that, although the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Bill, which was passed by this Council in July this year, requires specified professionals to report cases suspected to involve online sexual grooming and sexual exploitation, the existing laws fail to provide comprehensive protection for the victimized children and young people after reporting. Moreover, it is learnt that the Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong published reports (i.e. Review of Substantive Sexual Offences, and Sentencing and Related Matters in the Review of Sexual Offences) in 2019 and 2022 respectively, putting forward recommendations for reforming sexual offences (including discarding of the term "rape" and creating a range of non-consensual sexual offences, as well as creating a range of new sexual offences involving children and persons with mental impairment ("PMIs")). However, the Government has yet to legislate on the relevant recommendations. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

of the progress of the Government's work in implementing the more than 70 recommendations made in the aforesaid two reports, and whether it has drawn up a specific legislative timetable; if so, of the details (including which issues relating to the reform of the laws on sexual offences will be accorded priority); if not, the reasons for that;

(2)

how the authorities handle cases reported under the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance which are suspected to involve online sexual grooming and sexual exploitation; whether they have reviewed if such cases can be handled with the existing laws, so as to prevent suspected abusers from getting away without being punished;

(3)

of the following information about the cases in which the Police made arrests involving rape offences in each of the past five years: (i) the number of victims (with a breakdown by age, gender (including (a) ‍male, (b) female and (c) transgender) and mental conditions (i.e. ‍(A) persons of sound mind and (B) PMIs)), (ii) the number of persons arrested, (iii) the number of persons arrested who were eventually charged with rape, and (iv) the number of persons arrested who were eventually charged with indecent assault instead (set out in Tables 1 and 2 respectively);

Table 1

Year

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

Age

gender

Number of persons

2019

below 18

(a)





(b)





(c)





18 or above

(a)





(b)





(c)





……

below 18

(a)





(b)





(c)





18 or above

(a)





(b)





(c)





2023

below 18

(a)





(b)





(c)





18 or above

(a)





(b)





(c)





Table 2

Year

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

Mental conditions

Number of persons

2019

(A)





(B)





……

(A)





(B)





2023

(A)





(B)





(4)

among the cases mentioned in (3), (i) the circumstances and reasons leading to the charge against the arrested persons being changed to indecent assault, and (ii) the number of cases referred to the Social Welfare Department for provision of support for the victims; and

(5)

of the number of sexual offence cases involving persons under the age of 16 and online activities in each of the past five years (with a breakdown by the type of cases (including (i) sexual blackmail/fraud and (ii) involving actual sexual assault) and, among them, the number of cases in which prosecutions were instituted and the number of convicted cases (set out in Table 3)?

Table 3

Year

Type of cases

Number of cases

Number of cases in which prosecutions were instituted

Number of convicted cases

2019

(i)




(ii)




……




……

(i)




(ii)




……




2023

(i)




(ii)




……




Question 16
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Assisted reproduction services

Hon Judy CHAN to ask:

It has been reported that there has been an increasing number of people choosing to use assisted reproduction services in recent years, for example, last year over 20000 frozen eggs were stored in the institutions holding licences related to assisted reproduction services issued by the Council on Human Reproductive Technology ("licensed centres") (commonly known as "egg freezing"), representing an increase of nearly 70% compared to two ‍years ago. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

of the following information of each licensed centre at present: (i) the name of the institution, (ii) the type of institution (i.e. public and private), (iii) the type of licence, and (iv) the assisted reproduction services provided (set out in a table);

(2)

whether it knows the number of persons who used frozen-thawed eggs in each of the past three years, together with a breakdown by type of licensed centres (i.e. public and private) in which the eggs were stored;

(3)

whether it knows the number of patients who had retrieved frozen eggs stored in Hong Kong in the past three years; if it has not kept the relevant data, whether it has plans to compile statistics expeditiously;

(4)

whether it has compiled statistics on the respective numbers of specialists in reproductive science serving in the public healthcare system and private healthcare institutions in each of the past five years;

(5)

given the rising number of people using assisted reproduction services in recent years, whether the authorities have plans to increase the training opportunities for specialists in reproductive science in the public healthcare system; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(6)

given that during the debate on the Member's motion on "Policies on supporting assisted reproduction" in this Council on 20 June this year, the Secretary for Health indicated that, last year, only 50 ‍patients used their frozen-thawed eggs and only seven eventually established an ongoing pregnancy, reflecting that egg freezing may not increase the fertility rate, but there are views that the growth in fertility brought about by the increase in egg freezing may not be reflected in the short term and, coupled with the fact that some people would retrieve frozen eggs for use outside Hong Kong, the figures on the use of frozen-thawed eggs locally may not reflect the full situation, whether it has studied how the increase in egg freezing in recent years will affect the fertility rate in the future; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(7)

as there are views pointing out that, in recent years, the egg freezing service has become industrialized in various places of the world and outsiders can be attracted to use it, whether the authorities have plans to develop and promote in Hong Kong various types of assisted reproduction services including egg freezing?

Question 17
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port

Hon CHAN Hok-fung to ask:

Recently some members of the public have relayed to me that there is room for improvement in the clearance arrangements and facilities at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge ("HZMB") Hong Kong Port. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

whether the Government will study reserving a small number of daily quotas under the Quota-free Scheme for Hong Kong Private Cars Travelling to Guangdong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge for use by those who have an urgent need to go north on the same day after paying the relevant administrative fees; if so, of the timetable; if not, the reasons for that;

(2)

as some members of the public have relayed that they had been made to wait for an extra of at least 15 minutes or more when queuing up for clearance at the HZMB Hong Kong Port, and they subsequently learnt that it was the time of shift changeover of staff, whether the authorities have provided guidelines for frontline staff currently, so that waiting vehicles are transferred to other queues during shift changeovers; if not, of the reasons for that;

(3)

of the number of disputes involving vehicles queuing up for clearance at the HZMB Hong Kong Port that have occurred in the past year, and, among such cases, the number of those relating to the work handover during shift changeovers of port staff; whether the Government will deploy more staff for on-site coordination during peak hours or the time of shift changeovers;

(4)

as it is learnt that the HZMB Zhuhai Port adopts a queuing arrangement of aggregating all vehicles waiting for clearance into a single queue before distributing them evenly among three kiosks, so as to even out the waiting time of each vehicle, whether the Government will adopt similar measures; if so, of the implementation timetable;

(5)

as some members of the public have relayed that there are insufficient toilet cubicles at the HZMB Hong Kong Port and there is room for improvement in the hygiene conditions, whether the Government will provide more of the relevant facilities shortly; and

(6)

as it is proposed under the Administrative Measures for Motor Vehicles of Guangdong Province Entering and Exiting the Automated Car Parks at Hong Kong Port via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Zhuhai Port (Draft for comments) issued by the Department of Transport of Guangdong Province last month that entering and exiting the automated car parks at Hong Kong Port via the HZMB Zhuhai Port should be made the first stage of the "Guangdong private cars coming to Hong Kong" scheme, and there are views that the knowledge of motorists from other Mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area about the road traffic rules in Hong Kong may be varied, whether the Government will require those who apply for the scheme to watch videos serving to popularize the road traffic rules in Hong Kong beforehand, so as to ensure driving safety?

Question 18
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Professional development of veterinary nurses and assistants

Hon Benson LUK to ask:

According to the statistics of the Census and Statistics Department in 2018, the total number of cats and dogs kept by households in Hong Kong exceeded 400000. It is learnt that according to the estimates of the veterinary sector, there are currently about 200 veterinary clinics in Hong Kong but only 2000-odd veterinary nurses and assistants, with probably as many as 1000-odd vacancies. On the other hand, Hong Kong does not currently operate any registration system for veterinary nurses and assistants, and there are views that this not only fails to ensure the quality of the profession, but also discourages aspiring persons from joining the profession as they cannot envision their career development path. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

of the current number of veterinary nurses and assistants in Hong Kong; whether it has assessed if the local courses currently provided for veterinary nurses can meet the needs of the profession; if it has, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2)

whether the Government has plans to increase the number of recognized courses for veterinary nurses and assistants offered by tertiary institutions or vocational and professional education and training institutions, and ultimately establish the qualification framework levels for such courses based on the Generic Level Descriptors; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3)

whether the Government has plans to establish an officially recognized registration system for veterinary nurses in the long run to enhance their professionalism and reliability, thereby improving the quality of the healthcare services of veterinary clinics and boosting the confidence of pet owners in such services; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Question 19
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Making optimal use of performance venues for hosting mega events

Hon Adrian HO to ask:

To alleviate the difficulties and challenges faced by the performing arts sector in hosting activities such as large-scale performances and concerts, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department reduced the hire charges of four of the performance venues under its management (i.e. the Hong Kong Coliseum ("HKC"), Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Hong Kong Cultural Centre and Hong Kong City Hall) from 20% of the gross ticket proceeds to 10% in December 2022, but such arrangement will expire in April next year. Separately, some members of the sector have relayed that as regards HKC, a key venue for large-scale sports events, concerts for both international and local music sectors as well as arts and cultural programmes, the application threshold for hiring the venue has remained too high. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

of the respective numbers of large-scale performances and concerts as well as total numbers of shows held at various venues (including the aforesaid four performance venues) in each of the years since 2022;

(2)

of the respective numbers and ratios of occupied and idle days for each of the aforesaid four performance venues in each of the years since 2022; whether the authorities have reviewed the reasons for the venues being left idle and looked into the options to increase the utilization rates; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3)

of the total number of applications received by the Government for hiring HKC in each of the years since 2022 and, among them, the respective numbers of applications approved and rejected; the reasons for rejecting the applications;

(4)

given that the arrangement of reducing the hire charges of the aforesaid four performance venues will soon come to an end, whether the authorities have plans to extend the relevant arrangement or even reduce the hire charges to 5% of the gross ticket proceeds as well as relax other application criteria for hiring the venues to enable more organizers to stage performances, so as to further enhance the utilization rates of venues such as HKC; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(5)

to further promote the hosting of international mega events in Hong Kong and attract world-renowned performers to come to Hong Kong to stage concerts, coupled with the fact that the Kai Tak Sports Park will soon come into operation, of the authorities' plans to co-operate and co-ordinate with the management units of various major venues and outdoor venues to properly perform the role of attracting the hosting of mega events and performing arts activities in Hong Kong, so as to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness and make an all-out effort in developing Hong Kong into an events capital?

Question 20
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Retail infrastructure bonds

Hon Paul TSE to ask:

It has been reported that the Government launched a retail infrastructure bond earlier on with a target issuance size of $20 billion, but the subscription response was more lukewarm than expected, eventually resulting in an undersubscription where the subscription amount was only $17.85 billion and the number of subscribers was the smallest among all previous government bond issuances, which also marked the first time that a government bond had experienced sluggish sales. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

whether it has studied the reasons for the undersubscription of this bond issuance;

(2)

whether it has assessed the impact of the aforesaid undersubscription of the first batch of retail infrastructure bond on the Government's proposed policy of issuing bonds on a continuous basis to alleviate the serious fiscal deficit that has occurred year after year and to meet future expenditure on large-scale infrastructure projects, and how the Government will respond to it;

(3)

as the Financial Secretary pointed out earlier on that the retail infrastructure bond had been three to four times oversubscribed by institutional investors, whether Mandatory Provident Fund trustees were included; if so, of the following information about such trustees: the number and names of such trustees, and their subscribed and allotted amounts of the bond;

(4)

as some economists have pointed out that in recent months, the interest rates of United States Treasury bonds have risen again (at variance with government officials' expectation of interest rate reductions), among which that of three-year Treasury bonds has exceeded 4%, half a percentage point higher than the interest rate of the retail infrastructure bond, causing members of the public who have subscribed to the retail infrastructure bond to lose out immediately upon purchase, while some virtual life insurance companies in Hong Kong have even adjusted the rate of return for three-year Hong Kong dollar savings insurance upwards to 3.88% ‍per annum, which is higher than the interest rate for the retail infrastructure bond, whether the Government has reviewed its expectation of interest rate reductions in the United States, and whether it will issue bonds at higher interest rates and reduce the number of bond issuances and the fund to be raised in the future, so as to avoid the recurrence of undersubscription; and

(5)

as there have been comments from the media pointing out that full or oversubscription of government bonds reflects public recognition of the Government's principles in managing public finances, while undersubscription triggers an alarm for the Government's fiscal discipline, whether the Government will learn a lesson from this to avoid persistently running a fiscal deficit to such an extent that causes members of the public to query its repayment ability or even dare not subscribe to the Government's new bonds issued in the future?

Question 21
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Regulation of productions involving artificial intelligence technologies

Hon Edward LEUNG to ask:

It has been reported that quite a number of Legislative Council Members of Hong Kong and Legislative Assembly Members of Macao have recently received pornographic pictures suspected of being falsified using artificial intelligence ("AI") technologies. Their faces appear in such pictures, which fraudsters use for blackmailing. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

of the respective numbers, loss amounts involved and detection rates of reported blackmail cases received since the beginning of this year involving the use of AI technologies to falsify voices, photographs or videos; whether there have been changes in such figures as compared with those of the same period last year;

(2)

as it has been learnt that in light of the recent development and the characteristics of deepfake technology, fraudsters tend to impersonate senior business executives or well-known political figures in order to enhance credibility, what are the authorities' countermeasures in place, e.g. whether the authorities will, by drawing on overseas experience to establish personality rights for well-known social figures, restrict any unauthorized use of AI technologies to falsify voices, photographs or videos without the consent of the persons concerned; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3)

as it has been learnt that some videos produced with deepfake technology will be spread through social media, and advertisements are placed on search engines to boost their popular appeal and search rankings, whether the authorities have explored requiring social media administrators to impose restrictions in this regard, including the requirement to indicate in the videos that they have been produced with AI technologies; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(4)

given that the Legislative Council General Election will be held next year, whether the authorities have assessed the possibility of foreign forces using AI technologies to interfere in the electoral process and results, particularly by releasing false information to smear candidates; if assessment has been made and the outcome is in the affirmative, what preparations the authorities have made in this regard, e.g. whether they will set up a dedicated team for official investigation and clarification to respond to the incidents as soon as possible, thus preventing the spread of misinformation from affecting the election process; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Question 22
(For written reply)

(Translation)

Initiatives to encourage childbearing

Prof Hon CHOW Man-kong to ask:

Since last year, the Government has been encouraging childbearing through the introduction of policies and initiatives such as the "Newborn Baby Bonus" ("the Bonus"), priority arrangements for subsidized sale flats and public rental housing, as well as supporting assisted reproductive services. There are views that the Government still needs to strengthen the relevant policy directions in order to reverse the persistently low fertility rate in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1)

of the number and percentage of applications submitted under the "Families with Newborns Flat Selection Priority Scheme" in the "Sale of Home Ownership Scheme Flats 2024";

(2)

whether it will further introduce a combination of financial measures to encourage childbearing, i.e. apart from the Bonus, consider extending the arrangement for additional child allowance to the first three years of assessment following the birth of each child, introducing tax deduction on expenses for employing foreign domestic helpers, as well as subsidizing the expenses for antenatal check-ups incurred by couples, so as to respond to the actual needs of different sectors of society (especially the middle class); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3)

given that in October this year, the General Office of the State Council issued a circular entitled "Several Measures for Accelerating Improvement of Reproduction Policy Support Systems and Promoting the Establishment of a Reproduction-friendly Society", and the relevant specific measures include (i) setting up a childbearing subsidy, implementing care services for infants and children under the age of three, implementing a special policy on additional deduction of individual income tax on children's education, and enhancing support for families with many children to purchase homes, (ii) providing welfare-based child care services, and organizing and carrying out child care activities during the summer and winter holidays as well as after-school hours to proactively assist workers in shouldering the pressure of child-rearing, and (iii) ‍creating a batch of high-quality movies and TV dramas, stage dramas as well as web-based cultural and art works, increasing the production of, among others, thematic programmes and public service advertisements, and encouraging and guiding the participation of communities, units and individuals to jointly create a reproduction-friendly social environment, whether the authorities will consider implementing the aforesaid measures and encourage private organizations to follow the relevant arrangements, so as to create a more favourable environment for child-rearing; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2025)
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