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maintaining each and every slope. The number of SIMAR slopes, which Lands Department currently claims should be maintained by the Council, is 762.
Out of the 762 SIMAR slopes, there are 83 which are situated partly within the boundaries of Council land and partly on unallocated Government land. There are a further 57 slopes which lie entirely on unallocated Government land, but are deemed to affect Council facilities. In line with independent legal opinion recently obtained by the Council, the Council is only obliged to maintain those slopes or parts of slopes situated within the boundaries of allocated land. However, since there is a question of public safety, the Department has asked Arch SD 10 inspect and report on all slopes, but, at the same time is taking steps with Lands Department to ensure that slopes which are not the Council's responsibility, will continue to be maintained by an appropriate Government department.
In answer to the first part of the question, there should not be any effect upon Council's services because, as far as the current triennium is concerned. $32 million will be included in the out-turn forecast estimates for 1998/99 and the 1999/2000 budget exercise to cover the maintenance and consultancies in respect of newly identified SIMAR slopes which fall within the Council's area of responsibility.
In the second part of the question, Mr. WONG asks what steps could be taken if implementation of new Government policies leads to an increase in Council's expenditure.
As explained in my response to the first part of the question, there will be no problem during the current triennium.
As regards the situation beyond the current triennium, according to the Chief Executive's Policy Address, the Provisional Municipal Councils will not be retained when the term of office of current Members expires towards the end of 1999. Should this be the case, the maintenance of slopes will be taken up by Government. (In the event that the proposed dissolution of the Councils does not occur, for one reason or another, then the funding requirement would be taken into account during new triennium grant negotiation with the Government.)
Lastly I thank Mr. Ronnie Wong for his concern for the above issue.
Mr. Stanley Ng Wing-FAI (in Cantonese):—I consider that whether the two municipal councils are to be dissolved or not, the Council's concern for community affairs should continue to be based on the best interests of the public. I can see how the responsibility is at present divided by the Government. For example, for a slope beneath which there are a school and culjoining recreational facilities of the Council and above which there is a winding road, it might be placed under the charge of three different departments, namely, the Highways Department which is responsible for the road, the Education Department or the
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