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I know that the Housing Authority's latest assessment of housing demand shows a 38 hectare shortfall in land specifically for the production of subsidised flats for sale. I confirm that it is also the Government's policy to promote home ownership

schemes. While more land for this purpose may well be required, as seem to have been implied in Mr Lau Wah-sum's amended motion, we do not wish to pre-empt the findings of the comprehensive review of housing demand which is being undertaken. Therefore, we consider it inappropriate at this stage to commit the Government to any new figure of land allocation, whether it be for public rental housing or flats for sale, before we can have the benefit of all these findings. The motion under debate today presents a technical difficulty. For these reasons, Mr President, the Administration does not support the motion or the proposed amendments urging the Government to allocate extra land to the Housing Authority for the construction of public rental housing before we have the findings of the comprehensive review.

Thank you.

End/Wednesday, February 22, 1995

Human Organ Transplant Bill

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, at the resumed debate on second reading of the Human Organ Transplant Bill in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Mr Chairman,

I move that the clauses specified be amended as set out in the paper circulated to Members under my name.

I would like to thank the Hon. Ronald Arculli, Convenor of the Ad Hoc Group studying the Bill, and Members of the Group for their most thorough examination of the provisions therein. As a result, several amendments are now proposed which will increase the scope of the Bill and make its provisions easier to understand.

The amended Clause 4(1)(a) makes it clear that it is an offence for any person in Hong Kong to make or receive payment for supplying or offering to supply an organ, or to act as an intermediary in such arrangement. This, regardless of whether the organ is removed from a living or dead person and whether the removal and transplant take place in Hong Kong or elsewhere. Clause 4(2)(a) is similarly amended to make it an offence to advertise to buy an organ removed from a dead or living person in Hong Kong or elsewhere for transplant in Hong Kong or elsewhere.