3
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1983
UNOFFICIAL MEMBER UNCONVINCED'
****
UNOFFICIAL MEMBER DR HON RAYSON HUANG TODAY (WEDNESDAY) SAID THAT THE PROPOSED AIR PASSENGER DEPARTURE TAX. +MIGHT WELL PROVE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE+ AS A MEASURE TO RAISE REVENUE.
HE STATED THIS DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE AIR PASSENGER DEPARTURE TAX BILL 1983 AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING.
+ IN MY SPEECH IN THIS COUNCIL IN MARCH, 1 SPOKE OF MY AVERSION TO DRASTIC MEASURES IN GENERAL, AND THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION IS ONE THAT FALLS INTO THIS CATEGORY.
L
DR HUANG SAID HE REMAINED UNCONVINCED AS TO THE WISDOM OF THIS BILL AND WOULD ABSTAIN FROM VOTING.
BAN PLANNED ON USE OF HORMONES FOR POULTRY
***
THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO BAN THE USE OF SYNTHETIC HORMONES IN LOCALLY BRED POULTRY AND TO PROHIBIT THE SALE OF MEAT CONTAINING HORMONE RESIDUES.
THIS WAS DISCLOSED AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY BY THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, THE HON PIERS JACOBS.
THE PRACTICAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF THE POSSIBLE COURSES OF ACTION WERE BEING URGENTLY CONSIDERED, MR JACOBS SAID IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI ON THE USE OF GROWTH-PROMOTING CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS IN THE LOCAL POULTRY INDUSTRY.
ONE COURSE OF ACTION UNDER CONSIDERATION WAS TO APPLY TO THE PHARMACY AND POISONS BOARD TO HAVE HEXOESTROL, A SYNTHETIC HORMONE, DE-REGISTERED UNDER THE PHARMACY AND POISONS REGULATIONS, MR JACOBS SAID.
THIS, HE ADDED, WOULD MAKE THE SALE AND IMPORTATION OF HEXOESTROL IN HONG KONG ILLEGAL AND WOULD PUT AN END TO ITS USE IN THE LOCAL POULTRY INDUSTRY.
ANOTHER MEASURE BEING CONSIDERED WAS TO AMEND THE HARMFUL SUBSTANCES IN FOOD REGULATIONS SO THAT THE SALE, IMPORTATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF ANY POULTRY CONTAINING DETECTABLE AMOUNTS OF HORMONE RESIDUES WOULD BE AN OFFENCE, HE DISCLOSED.
WITH THESE TWO MEASURES, ALL POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR CONCERN WOULD BE REMOVED, MR JACOBS ADDED.
HEXOESTROL HAS BEEN USED LOCALLY FOR 30 YEARS, AND HAS ONLY RECENTLY BEEN BANNED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.
MR JACOBS SAID THAT NEVERTHELESS, THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION WAS BASED ON PRESENT-DAY KNOWLEDGE.
/THE MEDICAL
----