XN000022-1981-04-09 — Page 15

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THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 1981

IF LAND WERE SOUGHT ON SPECIAL CONDITIONS, MR JONES SAID, THE CASE WOULD HAVE TO BE CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED, NOT JUST FOR THE INDUSTRY, BUT IN TERMS OF BENEFIT TO THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE. REFERRING TO THE HON ROGER LOBO'S CONCERN ABOUT THE DETERIORATION OF THE STANDARD OF CLEANLINESS OF STREETS AND PUBLIC PLACES, MR JONES SAID +VERY SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES+ WOULD BE DEVOTED TO A CLEAN UP CAMPAIGN, AS ELL AS TO ESTABLISHING THE CAPACITY TO MOUNT AND SUSTAIN AN INCREASED CLEANSING EFFORT, PARTICULARLY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.+

DISCUSSING ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION, HE SAID THAT IN ADDITION TO BRINGING FORWARD AND PUTTING INTO EFFECT VARIOUS NEW PIECES OF LEGISLATION, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WAS SOLIDLY ESTABLISHED AND WAS MONITORING POLLUTION LEVELS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF HONG KONG.

LARGE NEW DEVELOPMENTS, SUCH AS THE NEW POWER STATIONS, THE CEMENT PLANT AND VARIOUS CHEMICAL INSTALLATIONS WERE BEING CONSTRUCTED IN WAYS WHICH TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS AGREED WITH THE AGENCY AND APPROVED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (EPCOM).

MR JONES SAID IT WAS HOPED SOON TO DECLARE TOLO HARBOUR AS THE FIRST WATER POLLUTION CONTROL ZONE AND TO INITIATE COMPREHENSIVE MONITORING AND STEPS TO ENSURE THAT ITS WATER CUALITY DOES NOT FURTHER DETERIORATE.

IN ALL OF THIS WORK THE A IM WAS AND WOULD BE TO FINE TUNE AND IMPOSE CONTROLS ONLY WHEN AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY ARE CLEARLY SHOWN TO BE NECESSARY TO PREVENT SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION IN ENVIRON ENTAL CONDITIONS IN A PARTICULAR AREA OR TO BRING ABOUT POSITIVE BENEFIT IN RELATION TO THE COST INVOLVED.

MR JONES ALSO SAID THAT A STUDY WAS BEING UNDERTAKEN ON THE +SHORT, MEDIUM AND LONG-TERM MEASURES NECESSARY TO TACKLE THE KAI TAK NULLAH PROBLEM AND THE LIKELY COSTS AND TIMING.+

A SUGGESTION BY THE HON ANDREW SO THAT IT BE COVERED WAS BEING EXAMINED ALTHOUGH MORE RADICAL MEASURES WOULD BE LIKELY NEEDED FOR LASTING IMPROVEMENTS, HE SAID. MR JONES THEN SUPPORTED THE MOTION BEFORE THE COUNCIL.

DEPRECIATION ALLOWANCE LEVEL SUFFICIENT *****

THE INITIAL DEPRECIATION ALLOWANCE OF 35 PER CENT WILL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT ENCOURAGEMENT TO INVESTMENT, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

HE WAS REPLYING TO A SUGGESTION BY THE HON HENRY HU THAT THE INITIAL ALLOWANCE BE RAISED NOT FROM 25 PER CENT TO 35 PER CENT, BUT TO 50 PER CENT.

SIR PHILIP STRESSED THAT IT IS THE NEUTRALITY OF HONG KONG'S TAX SYSTEM WHICH IS IMPORTANT, RATHER THAN THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF FISCAL INCENTIVES.

/+BRIS 13