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Personal Data (Privacy) Bill completes passage through LegCo

The Personal Data (Privacy) Bill completed its passage through the Legislative Council today (Thursday).

"We very much welcome the passage of this Bill through the Legislative Council," a Government spokesman said.

"This will give Hong Kong comprehensive statutory protection for privacy with respect to personal data and safeguard the free-flow of personal data to Hong Kong from the imposition of restrictions by places that already have such laws.

"We will now move quickly to set up the office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data so that the legislation can be brought into force in early 1996," the spokesman said.

End/Thursday, July 27, 1995

Personal Data (Privacy) Bill

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Michael M Y Suen, in the resumption of second reading debate on the Personal Data (Privacy) Bill in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday);

Mr President,

I would like to open by paying tribute to the commitment and hard work of the Bills Committee that studied the Personal Data (Privacy) Bill under the dedicated leadership of the Committee's convenor, the Hon Emily Lau. The Committee's painstaking clause by clause examination of the Bill has resulted in some thirty substantive amendments, which I will move during the Committee Stage.

As I stated when I introduced the Bill into this Council on 19 April 1995, its purpose is to protect the privacy interests of individuals in relation to personal data. It should also safeguard the free flow of personal data to Hong Kong from the imposition of restrictions by the increasing number of countries that already have data protection laws.