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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
before the Council will, when adopted, increase the fees for the various licences and permits issued under these By-laws by 30.1%. These include licences issued in respect of food factories, siu mei and lo mei shops, fresh provision shops, cold stores, factory canteens, frozen confection factories and milk factories, and permits for the sale of restricted food items, but exclude restaurant licences.
Under Council's policy, all licence fees should be designed to cover administrative costs. In the case of the above-mentioned licences and permits, so far the revenue generated has been sufficient to meet the administrative costs involved. However, because of rising administrative costs, this will not be the case for the current year. If the fees for these licences and permits remain unchanged, there will be a deficit of $1 million for the Food Hygiene Select Committee. There has been no increase in fees for these licences and permits since 1983.
In the case of restaurant licences, it has been established that the revenue generated has been sufficient to cover administrative costs. Hence, no increase is proposed.
All the increases have been carefully considered by the Food Hygiene Select Committee and the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, and I am satisfied that due weight has been given to all implications of the proposals.
Mr. Chairman, I beg to move.
MR. CHAN KWOK-MING, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, seconded the motion (in English): Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
4. DR. RONALD D. B. LEUNG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, moved the following motion (in English):—Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee, I rise to move the motion standing in my name:—
'RESOLVED that the Commercial Bathhouse (Urban Council) (Amendment) By-laws 1987, the Offensive Trades (Urban Council) (Amendment) By-laws 1987, the Funeral Parlour (Urban Council) (Amendment) By-laws 1987, the Undertakers of Burials (Urban Council) (Amendment) By-laws 1987, the Places of Amusement (Urban Council) (Amendment) (No. 3) By-laws 1987 and the Places of Public Entertainment (Licences) (Specification of Fees) (Urban Council Area) Notice 1987 be made under sections 35, 49, 123, 92B of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132 and section 7A(1) of the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance, Cap. 172'.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
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The four amending by-laws namely, the Commercial Bathhouses (Urban Council) (Amendment) By-laws 1987, the Offensive Trade (Urban Council) (Amendment) By-laws 1987, the Funeral Parlour (Urban Council) (Amendment) By-laws 1987, the Undertakers of Burials (Urban Council) (Amendment) By-laws 1987, made under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, now before the Council will, when adopted, increase the licence fees for the following type of licences by 17.2%.
(a) commercial bathhouses; (b) offensive trades;
(c) funeral parlours; and (d) undertakers of burials.
Under Council's policy, all licence fees should be designed to cover administrative costs. If these fees are not increased, the ENH Select Committee will incur a deficit of $920,000 in the licensing and control of these businesses. There has been no increase in these licences since 1 April 1983.
The Places of Public Entertainment (Licences) (Specification of Fees) (Urban Council Area) Notice 1987 made under the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance seeks to increase the fees for Public Entertainment Licences by 68.4% for the same reason I have just mentioned. If the fees remain unchanged, the ENH Select Committee will incur a deficit of $468,000 in the licensing and control of this type of licence. The last increase in licence fee for Places of Public Entertainment licence was made on 1 April 1983. The Places of Amusement (Urban Council) (Amendment) (No. 3) By-laws 1987 made under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance seeks to reduce the licence fee for the Public Bowing Alleys from $750 per lane per annum to $400 per lane, in accordance with the above-mentioned policy.
All the revisions now proposed have been carefully considered by the Environmental Hygiene Select Committee and the Standing Committee of the Whole Council, and I am satisfied that due weight has been given to all implications of the proposals.
Mr. Chairman, I beg to move.
MR. TONG KAM-BIU, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, Seconded the motion (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I second the motion.
The question was put.
The motion was carried unanimously.
5. MR. PETER C. K. CHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE LIQUOR LICENSING BOARD, moved the following motion (in English):---Mr. Chairman, as Chairman of the Liquor Licensing Board, I rise to move the motion standing in my name:—
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