HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
housing programme and, so far as is possible within its financial and manpower resources and having regard to the continuing need to expand its education, medical, welfare and other facilities, to see that the supply of public housing is increased. In preparing its forward planning Government has taken into consideration the progress already made by private developers in the housing field and their expected contributions to the overall programme over the next 10 years.
Mr. H. CHEONG-LEEN has also asked about helping white collar workers to buy their own flats. The answer to this is that Government considers that the funds available to it for long-term finance are better spent in assisting such organizations as the Housing Authority or Housing Society to construct estates in which the flats can be let at reasonable rentals to the lower income groups, including some of the less well-off white collar workers. If, however, some practicable method could be devised of giving effective assistance for the purchase of flats on a short-term basis, it might be possible to utilize some of Government's temporarily surplus funds in this way. In the meantime it is understood that some banks in Hong Kong have facilities for giving limited assistance in this matter.
At the Urban Council meeting on 2nd October, 1962, Mr. A. de O. SALES asked a supplementary question as to whether Government was aware of the need for its housing programme to be projected beyond the 10 year period. On this point, reference has already been made to Government's housing programme as being a continuing one. Government envisages that the programme may well have to continue beyond 10 years if the population continues to expand as it has done of recent years.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Mr. Chairman, Government's reply, may say, is most encouraging. Since Government is aware that the facilities being provided at present by some banks are quite limited, would you be so good, Sir, as to convey to Government the hope that it will be able very soon to devise some practicable means whereby assistance can be given to people, particularly those in the white collar families, to purchase their flats, even to the extent of utilizing Government surplus funds? I am sure that Government has the ingenuity to devise such a practicable method.
CHAIRMAN:- I will convey your views to Government, Sir.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:- Thank you very much.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. H. CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question:—
A United Kingdom publication has recently stated that while Hong Kong has no formal development plan, total capital expenditure on public works and social services during 1962-1967 will be £160 million (or HK$2,560 million). (a) Will the Chairman inquire from Government how much of this figure is allocated for Urban Council projects?
(b) May I also ask how many and which of the projects in the Council's markets programme will be completed during the 1962-1967 period? How many other market projects will not be completed?
THE CHAIRMAN replied as follows:
With reference to the first part of your question, I have been informed by the Financial Secretary as follows:
"The overall figure quoted is merely a forecast of what might be spent over the next five years, based on assumptions as to policies which may be implemented in the period and as to resources which may be available to meet the expenditure. The Urban Council projects included in this forecast are estimated to cost $95 million, but this does not imply a decision in any limiting sense to 'allocate' this specific sum to these purposes during the period. In speaking of this forecast when presenting this year's Estimates, the Financial Secretary said that it was 'based on, but not completely restricted to, presently agreed programmes of expansion.' He also said that while he thought that it was useful to make five year forecasts, they were largely speculative and it was important to realize their limitations."
I have also been informed, Sir, that the figure of $95 million includes such Public Works projects as appear under the division "Urban Services (urban areas)" in the Public Works Programme, and that it also includes special expenditure under the Urban Services Department and Urban Council Head in the Estimates. Expenditure relating (1) to the New Territories Division of the department, and (2) to housing and car parks, is not included in the figure of $95 million.
The answer to the second part of your question is that there is one Urban market (Tang Lung Chau) under construction. It is nearing completion.
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