WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1994
29
GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS BIOTECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
*
FOLLOWING IS A QUESTION BY THE HON STEVEN POON KWOK-LIM AND WRITTEN REPLY BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, LAM WOON-KWONG, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY);
A
MR
QUESTION: IN VIEW OF THE PUBLICLY REPORTED FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES FACING THE HONG KONG INSTITUTION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY (HKIB) OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY, WILL THE GOVERNMENT INFORM THIS COUNCIL WHETHER :
(A) THE GOVERNMENT HAS EVALUATED THAT THE FUNDS CONTRIBUTED BY THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB TO THE HKIB HAVE BEEN WELL SPENT;
(B)
THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE PUBLIC FUNDS ΤΟ ASSIST HKIB IN RESOLVING ITS CURRENT DIFFICULTIES;
REPLY:
(C)
THE GOVERNMENT HAS A SUPERVISING OR MONITORING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY; AND
ROLE,
(D)
MR PRESIDENT,
THIS INCIDENT WILL AFFECT ANY GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME REGARDING BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE TERRITORY?
(A)
IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR GOVERNMENT TO EVALUATE WHETHER FUNDS CONTRIBUTED BY THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB TO THE HONG KONG INSTITUTION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY (HKIB), WHICH IS A NON-GOVERNMENT INSTITUTION, WERE WELL SPENT. IT IS ALSO IN THE NATURE OF RESEARCH INSTITUTES THAT THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS SHOULD BE MEASURED WITH A LONGER TERM PERSPECTIVE.
(B)
THE NORMAL THE НКІВ IS A
THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO PLAN TO SUBSIDISE RECURRENT EXPENSES OF THE HKIB. PRIVATELY-FUNDED INSTITUTION AND THE ACCOUNTS OF THE INSTITUTE ARE SEPARATE FROM THOSE OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.
/(c)
THERE IS