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To combat this problem, the Customs and Excise Department conducts frequent raids on hawker black spots, gathers intelligence from trade mark owners and liaises closely with other Government departments, such as the Police and the Urban Services Department, in operations against hawking of counterfeit goods. In 1994, there were 356 counterfeiting cases involving hawkers, resulting in seizure of 40,906 items valued at $2.37 million.

In addition to street-level operations, the department also conducts raids against places where counterfeit goods are stored. In 1994, 62 storage places were detected, resulting in 68 arrests and the seizure of 616,178 items valued at $24.15 million.

Apart from enforcement action, publicity has also been stepped up to emphasise that counterfeiting is an offence and that the availability of counterfeit goods in Hong Kong damages Hong Kong's international reputation.

End/Wednesday, January 18, 1995

Scheme to reduce frequency of night shift for nurses

Following is a question by the Hon Michael Ho and a written reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday);

Question:

Regarding the Continuous Night Shift Scheme implemented by the Hospital Authority in mid-1994 to minimise the wastage of nurses, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

(b)

(c)

of the number of hospitals in the territory which have applied to join this scheme and the respective numbers of nurses who have been given approval to join this scheme in each of the participating hospitals;

what are the criteria adopted by the Hospital Authority to appraise the applications filed by the hospitals,

whether there are any hospitals whose applications to join the scheme have been turned down, if so, what the reasons are;