XN000022-1985-07-10 — Page 12

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1985

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'NO NET INCREASE IN EXPENDITURE'

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THERE WAS NO NET INCREASE IN EXPENDITURE RESULTING FROM THE SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER OF THE 1984-85 FINANCIAL YEAR, COVERED BY THE SUMMARY, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON PIERS JACOBS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

TABLING THE SUMMARY OF THE PROVISIONS FOR MEMBERS' INFORMATION, MR JACOBS SAID THAT OF THE $1.5 BILLION APPROVED SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION, $1.1 BILLION AROSE FROM THE 1984 CIVIL SERVICE AND SUBVENTED SECTOR PAY ADJUSTMENTS.

+I AM PLEASED TO RECORD THAT THERE IS NO NET INCREASE IN EXPENDITURE RESULTING FROM THE SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION COVERED BY THE SUMMARY,

+THE SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION UNDER EACH HEAD WAS OFFSET EITHER BY SAVINGS UNDER THE SAME HEAD OR OTHER HEADS OF EXPENDITURE OR BY THE DELETION OF FUNDS UNDER THE ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS VOTES, HE SAID.

BILL PROTECTS REOCCUPATION RIGHTS

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THE BUILDINGS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985 SOUGHT TO REINFORCE THE PROTECTION OF RIGHTS OF REOCCUPATION BY TENANTS TEMPORARILY DISPLACED BY A CLOSURE ORDER, THE SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS, THE HON NICKY CHAN, SAID TODAY.

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE BILL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR CHAN SAID: IT SEEKS TO AMEND SECTION 40 OF THE BUILDINGS ORDINANCE TO PROVIDE FOR A SANCTION AGAINST FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH SECTION 27(10) OF THE ORDINANCE.+

HE EXPLAINED THAT THIS SECTION RELATED TO THE NOTICE OF EXPIRY OF A CLOSURE ORDER AND REQUIRED THE OWNER TO SERVE COPIES OF THE NOTICE ON ALL FORMER OCCUPIERS AND TO CERTIFY TO THE BUILDING AUTHORITY THAT SUCH COPIES HAD BEEN SERVED.

THIS WAS TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF REOCCUPATION OF TEMPORARILY DISPLACED TENANTS.

MR CHAN SAID THAT BEFORE 1979, A TABLE OF OFFENCES FOR FAILURE TO GIVE THE REQUIRED NOTICE HAD BEEN INCLUDED IN SECTION 40, IN A MAJOR AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE IN THAT YEAR, THE GENERAL OFFENCE WAS OMITTED, LEAVING SECTION 27(13) WITHOUT ANY SANCTION.

HE TOLD THE COUNCIL: +FOR SECTION 27-0) TO BE EFFECTIVE, THERE MUST BE A SANCTION.

+CLAUSE 2 OF THE BILL AMENDS SECTION 40 OF THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE TO MAKE IT AN OFFENCE FOR AN OWNER WHO FAILS TO COMPLY WITH SUCH REQUIREMENTS UNDER SECTION 27(10) TO BE LIABLE ON CONVICTION TO A FINE OF $10 000 AND TO IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS.+

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