WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1987
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MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE EXPANSION PROJECTS AT THE QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL AND THE RUTTONJEE SANATORIUM, AND THE NEW EASTERN DISTRICT HOSPITAL, HONG KONG ISLAND WOULD HAVE 5 400 BEDS BY 1991, WHILE THE PROJECTED REQUIREMENT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 4 460 BEDS.
HOWEVER, IN THE EASTERN NEW TERRITORIES, THE REQUIREMENT IN 1991 WAS ESTIMATED AT 3 300 BEDS AND THE PROVISION BY THAT YEAR WOULD ONLY AMOUNT TO 1 840 BEDS, HE ADDED.
+THE PRESENT NETHERSOLE HOSPITAL IS IN A SOMEWHAT DILAPIDATED CONDITION AND THE NATURE OF THE SITE MAKES REDEVELOPMENT THERE IMPRACTICABLE,+ HE SAID.
MR CHAMBERS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE WESTERN DISTRICT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER OFF IN TERMS OF HOSPITAL BEDS BECAUSE OF THE QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL EXTENSION WHICH WOULD PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 700 BEDS BY 1988.
DESPITE THE LOSS OF 385 BEDS AT THE NETHERSOLE HOSPITAL IN THE YEAR 1992/1993. THIS STILL MEANT A NET GAIN OF ABOUT 315 BEDS IN THE WESTERN DISTRICT, HE SAID, ADDING THAT THE PROVISION OF 614 NEW BEDS AT THE RUTTONJEE SANATHORIUM BY 1990 AND 1 580 IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT HOSPITAL BY 1991 WOULD FURTHER EASE THE PRESSURE ON THE QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL.
UTILISATION RATE OF EEC QUOTAS EXPLAINED
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THE UTILISATION RATE OF QUOTAS MADE AVAILABLE UNDER THE TEXTILES AGREEMENT WITH THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (EEC) IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE SOMEWHAT IN 1987-88, THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, THE HON HAMISH MACLEOD, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON NGAI SHIU-KIT ON THE REASONS WHY THE UTILISATION RATE OF EEC QUOTAS IN 1986-87 WAS MARKEDLY LOWER THAN THOSE OF OTHER TRADING PARTNERS, SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, SWEDEN AND NORWAY, MR MACLEOD SAID THE MAIN DETERMINANT OF UTILISATION OF TEXTILE QUOTAS WAS CLEARLY DEMAND FOR THE PRODUCTS UNDER RESTRAINT AND HENCE UTILISATION VARIED FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
MR MACLEOD SAID IT WAS TRUE THAT UTILISATION OF QUOTA FOR THE EEC TENDED TO BE LOWER THAN FOR OTHER MARKETS, AND AN IMPORTANT REASON FOR THIS WAS THAT IT WAS A RELATIVELY INFLEXIBLE AGREEMENT, WITH QUOTAS DIVIDED UP AMONG THE 12 MEMBER STATES AS WELL AS AMONG SOME 35 DIFFERENT PRODUCTS.
/+THUS WHILST