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# HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Fellow Councillors, let me leave you with just one final thought. The Urban Council has come a long way to this stage of democratic development. In the process of evolution over the years, the Council has gone through many constitutional changes in response to the growing aspirations of our society. Whatever its composition and however daunting its prevailing circumstances, the Council has always been fortunate to have as its Members dedicated men and women who are prepared to work together long, hard and harmoniously with mutual respect and understanding to resolve practical problems in a pragmatic manner to serve the best interests of the community. Indeed, the Urban Council has set a fine example of what makes Hong Kong tick. We owe our distinguished predecessors a duty to uphold this fine tradition and reputation in the name of the Council.
## QUESTION
(1) MR. LEUNG Kam-Tao asked the following question (in Cantonese):—Some of the UC venues have catering facilities such as refreshment kiosks, cafes and fast food shops, etc. These catering services are operated by contractors who obtain the franchise through tender. In order to provide more employment opportunities to disabled persons, would the Council consider:
(a) contracting out such services to organisations for the disabled which will employ disabled persons to run the business? or
(b) incorporating a condition in the tender document requiring the successful tenderer to employ a certain percentage of disabled persons?
Mr. Ronnie Wong Man-chiu, Chairman of the Recreation Select Committee, replied as follows (in Cantonese):--Mr. Chairman, the question consists of two parts. The first part asked whether the Council would consider contracting out the catering facilities such as the refreshment kiosks and fast food shops to organisations for the disabled which will employ disabled persons to run the business. The second part asked whether the Council would consider incorporating conditions in the tender document requiring the successful tenderer to employ a certain percentage of disabled persons. Before the two questions are answered, some background information regarding the current situation is given in paragraphs 2 and 3 below.
There are currently 54 light refreshment/fast food kiosks and 25 restaurants in UC leisure venues. Of these 79 catering outlets, 40 are in the price relaxed contract category and 39 are subject to price control of the Department. A breakdown of the catering establishments is attached at Annex 1. The majority of the catering contracts are for a term of 3 years. The remaining would vary from one year to two years or such other periods to tie in with the refurbishment or redevelopment programmes of the facilities. The types and prices of foods and drinks to be sold are set out in the tendering document schedules. Changes to such schedules have to be approved by the Department.
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