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HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
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As to the information about unlicensed restaurants 2 years ago, Mr. Chairman, it has already been provided in the reply. It is the most updated information.
As to whether it is possible to step up inspection and institute prosecution action against unlicensed restaurants, the answer is 'possible'. Under our policy, those which have not applied for licences are prosecuted once every month. In fact, the Department has been empowered to take prosecution action every day, not once every month. There might be some reasons. The Public Health Select Committee could ask the Department to step up action in this aspect by taking prosecution action every day. The Department has been empowered to conduct daily check and take prosecution action every day.
Mr. Kam NAI-WAI (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I want to ask Mr. CHAN whether it is possible to ask the Public Information Unit to announce once more the name of the restaurant which was convicted and ordered to cease operation on 18 June 1996. Is it possible to ask the Public Information Unit of the Urban Council to announce the name of the restaurant convicted that day, so that the public may know that the restaurant has been convicted?
The second point. Can we post a notice inside the restaurant showing that its licence has already been cancelled?
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, whether it is possible to disclose again the record of the conviction, I have to liaise with the Department after the meeting to seek legal advice. Whether it is against human rights to announce the names again after a certain period of time, I am not too sure. I have to seek legal advice so that we will not be subject to legal challenge afterwards.
About the second question of posting a notice, I also have to seek advice. Before taking any action, I have to seek legal advice on the feasibility of posting a notice outside the shop showing that its licence has been cancelled.
Mr. Wong Kwok-hing (in Cantonese):—This issue is closely connected with livelihood. The Department's reply to the Council dated 8 October states that there were then more than 1,000 unlicensed food shops in the urban area. I have noted the last sentence of Mr. CHAN's reply to the Member, which states, "The Director has been asked to provide a detailed response.' This is the written reply given in the paper.
However, it has been more than half a year since the issue was brought up early this year but it turns out that the Director still has not decided whether the law is going to be amended or not. I would therefore ask Mr. CHAN, who leads our Public Health Select Committee, whether there is a timetable for requesting the Urban Services Department to introduce legislative amendment, so that the Urban Council may conduct a review before it is being replaced. This is because
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