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In the event of a natural disaster, the District Offices of the Home Affairs Department co-ordinate the emergency relief work of various Government departments at district level and publicise emergency relief arrangements including the availability of grants from the Emergency Relief Fund. Victims are fully briefed by District Office staff on site and at temporary shelters on the various forms of emergency assistance available and advised on where and how to apply. Applications received by the District Offices are promptly referred to the relevant Government departments for processing.

(b) The Government also provides temporary shelter for residents affected by flooding. For immediate relief, registered victims of flooding in need of assistance will be provided with accommodation in temporary shelters or transit centres. People. normally return to their own accommodation after flooding subsides. Where squatter structures have been rendered permanently uninhabitable, the Housing Department will arrange for the occupants to be rehoused in permanent rental housing or in temporary housing accommodation according to their eligibility.

End/Wednesday, November 8, 1995

Human rights and freedom of Hong Kong people

Following is a question by the Hon Tsang Kin-shing and a written reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Michael Suen, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

The Preliminary Working Committee's Legal Sub-group recently proposed that the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress should repeal six amendment ordinances which have been enacted so as to bring the principal ordinances in line with the Bill of Rights or the Basic Law. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) whether the Government, in formulating the relevant amending legislation, has taken into account section 8 of the Basic Law and the principle of the Sino-British Joint Declaration which states that the existing laws will remain basically unchanged;