XN000022-1976-02-11 — Page 15

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1976

THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN ALSO SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL.

TO HE ASKED THE GOVERNMENT TO ANALYSE THE PROBLEM CAREFULLY, WORK OUT A PRACTICAL, PROGRESSIVE APPROACH WITHOUT DISRUPTING THE ECONOMY, AND NOT TO TAKE ANY PREMATURE OR PRECIPITATE ACTION.

+ONE STEP THAT GOVERNMENT CAN CONSIDER NOW IS THE MAKING AVAILABLE OF FLATTED FACTORY SPACE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND IN THE URBAN AREAS FOR THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF SMALL-SCALE INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS NOW OPERATING IN EXISTING NON-INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS. SUCH ACCOMMODATION COULD BE BUILT EITHER BY PRIVATE ENTERPRISE OR, IF NECESSARY, BY GOVERNMENT,+ HE SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT HAD QUANTIFIED THE PROBLEM AND WHAT COULD AND WOULD HAPPEN AFTER THE FIRST STAGE OF THE PROGRAMME WAS COMPLETED.

IN REPLY, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. JAMES ROBSON, SAID FUTURE ACTION AGAINST INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS IN EXISTING NON-INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS WOULD DEPEND ON WHETHER REASONABLE MEANS COULD BE FOUND BY WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL UNDERTAKINGS COULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE.

HE GAVE AN ASSURANCE THAT +NO PREMATURE OR PRECIPITATE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN BY ANY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT UNTIL THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CAREFULLY ANALYSED AND A PRACTICABLE APPROACH HAS BEEN WORKED OUT.+

REFERRING TO THE NEED TO PUBLICISE THE RULES AND

DEFINITIONS TO WHICH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WOULD BE WORKING DURING STAGE ONE OF THE PROGRAMME OF ACTION, MR. ROBSON SAID A PAMPHLET HAD BEEN PRODUCED.

COPIES ARE NOW AVAILABLE FROM CITY DISTRICT OFFICES IN THE URBAN AREA AND DISTRICT OFFICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

COPIES OF THE CHINESE VERSION ARE IN THE COURSE OF PRODUCTION AND SHOULD BE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST IN DISTRICT OFFICES WITHIN A VERY SHORT TIME.

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