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S for H in LegCo debate on motion of thanks
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Housing, Mr Dominic Wong, in the Legislative Council debate on the motion of thanks today (Thursday):
Mr President,
The Housing Branch was set up less than a year ago to co-ordinate and direct our housing policy, and to ensure that the Government's ambitious targets for increasing the production of flats in the public and private sectors could be met. As I said in my introduction to this year's Policy Commitments, we have been able not only to demonstrate significant progress towards meeting our production targets, but also to focus on the quality of our housing stock, and particularly on the quality of our public rental housing.
This year we have made another 36 policy commitments, relating to public rental housing, subsidised home ownership and private housing. We need the co- operation and support of this Council, the Housing Authority, the Housing Society and the private sector in achieving all our targets. I welcome the comments and suggestions made by Honourable Members last week, and would like to respond to some of the main issues raised.
Public rental housing
First, I shall deal with public rental housing. Despite the increasing aspirations of the community to home ownership, there is no doubt that public rental housing remains one of the main pillars of our social policy. The total supply of public rental housing flats up to 2001 will be in the order of 240,000. This figure comprises the 141,000 new flats to which we are committed, and about 100,000 flats to be vacated by tenants and then refurbished for re-allocation. This increase in supply should be sufficient to reduce the average waiting time for public rental housing for eligible applicants from seven years at present to just under five years by 2001, without compromising our ability to meet other commitments in respect of redevelopment, squatter and Temporary Housing Area clearances. compassionate rehousing and overcrowding relief.