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The Radiation (Control of Irradiating Apparatus) (Amendment) Regulation 1997 now before Members seeks to revise the licence and fee structure to reflect more accurately the time and effort spent in processing different types of licences and to take account of the cost increase after the last fee revision. Specifically, there will be four categories of licences under the proposed structure. A Category 1 licence is a licence entitling the holder to possess an irradiating apparatus pending consideration of an application for a licence to possess the apparatus in a functional state or a licence entitling the holder to possess an irradiating apparatus in a non-functional state. A Category 2 licence enables the holder to possess, or to possess and use, an irradiating apparatus as prescribed on the licence. Each possession licence will cover only one irradiating apparatus. A Category 3 licence enables the holder to use any irradiating apparatuses as prescribed on the licence in any premises. A Category 4 licence enables the holder to sell or deal in irradiating apparatuses, or carry out activities that are not covered by the former categories of licences. The proposed fees for these four categories of licences are based on the costs of processing the different types of applications in 1995-96. The majority of the existing licensees will enjoy a lower licence fee under the proposed system. Holders of licences with fewer irradiating apparatuses will no longer be subsidizing those with more irradiating apparatuses.
The Amendment Regulation is proposed by the Radiation Board, which is the licensing authority in respect of irradiating apparatus set up under section 3 of the Radiation Ordinance and its membership is drawn from the medical, dental and academic professions. The Radiographers Board, set up under section 5 of the Supplementary Medical Professions Ordinance for the radiographers' profession has been consulted and supports the Amendment Regulation.
With these remarks, I move the motion.
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Trading Funds Ordinance
Following is a speech by the Secretary for Works, Mr H S Kwong, in moving a motion to appropriate assets to the Sewage Services Trading Fund under the Trading Funds Ordinance in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Mr President,
I move the motion standing in my name in the Order Paper.
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