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Mr President, I should like to say a few words on timing. Nominations for the Legislative Council elections will start on 1 August. Amendments to the residential qualifying period for candidature should be enacted well before then so that aspiring candidates can have a clear idea of where they stand. In addition, the various amendments arising from the Governor stepping down from the Presidency of this Council should also be in place before the end of the current Legislative Council session. I would therefore urge this Council to give early and favourable consideration to this Bill, which has indeed been discussed with Members, especially with Members of the Sub-committee on Procedural Matters and the Constitutional Affairs Panel.
Thank you, Mr President.
End/Wednesday, June 7, 1995
Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill 1995
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in moving the second reading of the Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill 1995 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Mr President,
I move that the Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill 1995 be read the second time.
Certain legislative provisions for the administration of the medical profession are outdated as a result of changes in circumstances over time. This Bill proposes six major areas of change.
The first proposed change concerns the composition of the Medical Council, which at present comprises 14 members appointed by the Governor. Since 1978 the number of registered medical practitioners has grown from 3,029 to 7,779, the number of complaints has increased from 27 to 170 and the number of formal disciplinary hearings has increased from 4 to 29. The Council needs to be expanded to broaden its representation and to meet this increasing workload. The Bill proposes a new Council of 24 members, with expanded representation from, inter alia, the University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Medical Association and the lay sectors. These 24 members shall include 12 elected members - six to be elected from all registered medical practitioners on the General Register and the rest to be elected by the council members of the Hong Kong Medical Association. The introduction of elected members in the Medical Council is in line with Government's policy of encouraging greater involvement of the profession in its own affairs.
P