XN000022-1990-07-25 — Page 51

49

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 1990

SECONDLY,

CLAUSE 5 WILL MAKE IT AN OFFENCE FOR ANYONE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS UNDER THE SCHEME TO DISCLOSE THE IDENTITY OF, OR ANY INFORMATION RELATING TO, PERSONS WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR BRITISH CITIZENSHIP EXCEPT IN THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY.

"THE OFFENCE WILL CARRY A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF A FINE OF $50,000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS," HE SAID.

MR ASPREY POINTED OUT THAT THIS PROVISION WAS NECESSARY BECAUSE A LARGE AMOUNT OF DETAILED PERSONAL INFORMATION WOULD HAVE ΤΟ BE PROVIDED TO THE GOVERNMENT IN SUPPORT OF APPLICATIONS UNDER THE SCHEME.

SIMILAR PROVISIONS ALREADY EXISTED TO PROTECT THE PRIVACY OF INFORMATION GIVEN TO THE GOVERNMENT UNDER THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS ORDINANCE AND THE INLAND REVENUE ORDINANCE, HE SAID.

"THE BRITISH NATIONALITY (HONG KONG) ACT 1990 COMPLETED ITS PASSAGE THROUGH PARLIAMENT, AND IS,

HAS NOW

I UNDERSTAND,

LIKELY TO RECEIVE THE ROYAL ASSENT AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.

"OUR PRESENT PLAN IS TO START

DECEMBER 1, 1990," MR ASPREY SAID.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

RECEIVING

APPLICATIONS ON

BILL DEALS WITH PROSTITUTION-RELATED NUISANCES

THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE CRIMES (AMENDMENT) BILL 1989 IS TO CREATE CRIMINAL SANCTIONS TO DEAL WITH NUISANCES ASSOCIATED WITH PROSTITUTION, THE CONVENER OF THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP THAT STUDIED BILL, THE HON CHUNG PUI-LAM, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, CHUNG POINTED OUT THAT ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS OF HIS GROUP WHETHER FORFEITURE OF VESSELS WAS IN LINE WITH THE GRAVITY OF OFFENCE.

THE

MR

WAS

THE

ADMINISTRATION, THE

HE SAID THAT AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE GROUP WAS SATISFIED THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO PHYSICALLY CLOSE A VESSEL, AND TEMPORARY IMPOUNDING WOULD CREATE SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN FINDING MOORINGS AND IN MAINTAINING THE VESSELS.

ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN WAS THE GRACE PERIOD OF FOUR MONTHS FOR THE LANDLORD TO EVICT THE CONVICTED TENANT FOLLOWING A FIRST VICE- RELATED CONVICTION.

HR CHUNG