XN000022-1977-11-23 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1977

GOVERNMENT FOLLOWS CODE OF PRACTICE ON BUILDING ACCESS FOR DISABLED *****

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE FOLLOWING THE CODE OF PRACTICE ON ACCESS FOR THE DISABLED TO BUILDINGS AND INCORPORATING FACILITIES FOR THE DISABLED WHERE PRACTICABLE.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE HON. DAVID MCDONALD, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY REV. THE HON. PATRICK MCGOVERN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

UNFORTUNATELY, MR. MCDONALD ADDED, PRESENT INFORMATION SUGGESTED THAT THE RESPONSE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAD BEEN LIMITED.

HE SAID THAT WHEN THE CODE WAS PUBLISHED IT WAS NOT THOUGHT THAT THE DESIGN OF BUILDINGS SHOULD NECESSARILY BE CONTROLLED BY LAW SO AS TO COMPEL ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE DISABLED.

THE CODE, THEREFORE, WAS DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH THE GENERALITY OF CASES IT BEING LEFT TO THE DESIGNER TO INCORPORATE SUCH FEATURES AS WERE APPROPRIATE AND PRACTICABLE FOR INDIVIDUAL BUILDINGS.

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HOWEVER MR. MCDONALD SAID THAT THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS HAD RECENTLY BEEN ASKED FOR ANY SUGGESTIONS IT MIGHT WISH TO PUT FORWARD FOR IMPROVING THE CODE AND WHETHER THEY CONSIDERED THAT AN ELEMENT OF COMPULSION WOULD BE APPROPRIATE,

+THEREFORE, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO PLANS TO MAKE THE CODE OF PRACTICE STATUTORY IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THE QUESTION OF WHETHER SOME ELEMENTS IN IT CAN BE GIVEN STATUTORY EFFECT IS BEING CONSIDERED,✦ HE SAID.

TIE ANSWER TO ANOTHER QUESTION BY REV. MCGOVERN, PR. ACDONALD SAID THAT IT WAS INTENDED TO LAUNCH AN INTENSIVE CAMPAIGN TO PUBLICISE THE REVISED CODE OF PRACTICE WHEN IT WAS PREPARED.

HE SAID THAT THE EXISTING CODE OF PRACTICE WAS CIRCULATED TO ALL AUTHORISED PERSONS AND REGISTERED STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS IN JUNE LAST YEAR UNDER COVER OF A PRACTICE NOTE WHICH SOUGHT THE IR SUPPORT IN ADOPTING THE CODE IN THE DESIGN OF BUILDINGS,

AT THE SAME TIME, THE CODE WAS CIRCULATED TO ALL INTERESTED GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND COPIES WERE SUPPLIED TO THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL GERVICE FOR DISTRIBUTION.

+ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF THIS FIRST EDITION OF THE CCD WAS PRODUCED FOR FREE ISSUE TO THOSE MOST CLOSELY INVOLVED AS IT WAS THOUGHT THAT EXPERIENCE WOULD SHOW THAT VARIATIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CODE WOULD BE NECESSARY, NR. MCDONALD SAID.

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+BUT, BECAUSE OF THE LONG LEAD TIME ICH PRECEDES ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION THERE IS AS YET INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO JUSTIFY AMENDMENT, REPRINTING AND GENERAL PUBLICATION OF THE CODE.+

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