End
(b)
15 -
The Building (Planning) Regulations and the Building (Construction) Regulations govern the provision of means of escape and fire resisting construction, etc. Moreover, in obtaining approval from the Building Authority, s16(1) of the Buildings Ordinance lays down a requirement for a certificate from the Director of Fire Services certifying that all fire service installations and equipment will be properly provided.
For building works which require approval from the Building Authority, approval is only given if they are in compliance with the relevant fire safety regulations. Similarly, where the additional building works do not require building approval, compliance with the fire safety regulations is imposed by virtue of $41(3) of the Buildings Ordinance. Moreover, $9 of the Fire Services Ordinance also empowers the Fire Services Department to take fire hazard abatement action if such additional building works affect the efficient working order of fire service installations or cause obstruction to the means of escape.
Generating capacity of electric companies
Following is a question by the Hon Christine Loh and a written reply by the Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Stephen 1p, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
The Hongkong Electric Company Limited (HEC) and the China Light & Power Company Limited (CLP) have monopolies to supply electricity to Hong Kong Island and Kowloon/New Territories respectively. The two companies have separately built, and will continue to build, additional electricity generating capacities which are not needed to meet the territory's electricity demand, and this has resulted in unnecessarily high tariff charges. In view of this, will the Government inform this Council:
(a)
(b)
of the current price per Kwh at which CLP and HEC sell electricity to each other;
of the plans in place to encourage the two utility companies to compete for customers in order to reduce excess capacity, with a view to achieving lower tariff charges; and