5
Another proposal of this Bill is related to the existing penalties. In order to maintain the deterrent effect and reflect better the seriousness of the offences, we propose to increase the level of fines and imprisonment prescribed in the Ordinance.
Under the existing Ordinance, the regulation-making power is vested with the Governor in Council. In order to encourage greater involvement of the profession in its own affairs, we propose that the power to make regulations for registration and disciplinary procedures should be transferred to the Secretary for Health and Welfare and the Nursing Council, subject to the approval of the Secretary for Health and Welfare. The power to make regulations on duties of the Legal Adviser and the Secretary to the Nursing Council should be transferred to the Secretary for Health and Welfare. The Governor in Council will continue to make regulations related to fees and charges.
End
Bill on Midwives Registration
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in moving the second reading of the Midwives Registration (Amendment) Bill 1997 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Mr President,
I move that the Midwives Registration (Amendment) Bill 1997 be read the second time.
The Midwives Registration Ordinance ("the Ordinance") was enacted in 1960 to provide a legislative framework for the registration of midwives and the practice of midwifery in Hong Kong. Certain legislative provisions of the Ordinance are outdated as a result of changes in circumstances over time. The proposals of the Bill cover matters including the English name, composition and disciplinary power of the Midwives Board of Hong Kong.
One of the proposals of the Bill is to expand the composition of membership of the Midwives Council of Hong Kong. The present Board comprises 14 members. Currently, only the midwives training schools established in private or previously subvented hospitals are represented. In order to broaden its representation, we propose to increase the number of members of the Council to 19 to include the representation for all hospitals (including public hospitals) with training schools for midwives and to increase the number of lay members from one to two.