Page 31 of 241
1
44
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, when Director of Social Welfare made his answer, could he tell us if he kept in mind the inability of Did he make any some parents to pay for the child care centres? investigation as to how many people would like their children in but could not afford to do so?
CHAIRMAN:-I don't think this really arises in the context of this question. You need to give notice of that question if you want to ask it, Mrs. ELLIOTT.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, I am taking it from the last sentence "to me, therefore, the question does not arise". I wonder why?
CHAIRMAN:-It is entirely a different matter, I am afraid, Mrs.
ELLIOTT.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, then may I ask the Director of Social Welfare to enquire into this matter and give us an answer at another time?
MR. CHEONG-LEEN: -Mr. Chairman, in other words, is it the policy of the Social Welfare Department simply to recognize the fact that space is available for child care centres, but even though it is apparent that there is a great need for such child care centres, the Social Welfare Department is prepared to do very little to positively provide for more care centres?
CHAIRMAN:-I must rule that question out of order as well, Mr.
CHEONG-LEEN.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Perhaps the Director of Social Welfare would like to answer that, Mr. Chairman?
DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE:-The Standing Orders of this Council state that a question shall be confined to the jurisdiction of the Urban Council. It would appear, therefore, that this is not the proper place to raise such a question or for me to answer it.
MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, quite apparently the Director of Social Welfare had decided previously to take advantage of, or to take refuge behind, Standing Orders since he had opened up Standing Orders even before my question was asked.
(6) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:
Will the Chairman please tell this Council
(a) how many sites in each amenity zone have been earmarked for recreational development but not yet released by the Government?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
(b) what is holding up such release?
45
(c) how many have been turned over to the Urban
Council but on which work has not started?
The Chairman, URBAN COUNCIL, replied as follows:
The answer to the first part of this question is that 221 sites have been earmarked but not yet released for recreational development in amenity zones. For the benefit of Mem- bers who may be unaware of the various zones, a list is tabled. (Appendix II) Included in this list is a breakdown of the number of sites earmarked in each zone.
There are a number of reasons why sites have not yet been released. Some have considerable clearance problems or are already being used for some other public purpose for which provision has first to be made elsewhere. In other cases, the development of the surrounding area has not yet reached a stage where there is sufficient population to justify development at present; or the site is affected by other proposals (such as the mass transit scheme); or re- clamation from the sea has not yet been completed. Other sites are the subject of items already in the lower categories of the Public Works Programme, and there is no point in their being released until the item reaches Category "A" and development can go ahead.
The third part of the question deals with sites which have been allocated for development, but on which work has not yet started. There are 18 such sites, and in all but two cases work is expected to start within the next few months. The two exceptions are Shek Lung Street Play- ground and Ngau Tau Kok Road/Chun Wah Street Playground, both of which have considerable clearance problems.
MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, thank you for a very full reply. Now I would like your Department to give the reasons mentioned in the second paragraph to my Select Committee so that they may be discussed and considered in each and every case.
CHAIRMAN:-It can be done, Mr. SALES.
(7) MR. A. de O. SALES asked the following question:-
(a) How many recreational projects are under construction? (b) How many are being processed in each category?