XN000022-1996-05-01 — Page 37

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The proposals in the Bill will apply equally to fuel gas installations owned by registered gas companies, the Government and numerous institutional, commercial and industrial private sector establishments such as schools, power companies, private housing developments, restaurants and factories.

The Bill also amends the Gas Safety (Gas Supply) Regulations to enable the Gas Authority to prohibit disposable liquefied petroleum gas containers which he considers to be prejudicial to public safety.

Experience has shown that accidents with disposable LPG containers which have no valve to automatically close off the gas when the container is disconnected from an appliance often result in the user sustaining burns. These containers are of the type used with camping stoves. As the market will be adequately supplied with camping gas containers equipped with a closing off valve, the Gas Authority proposes, in due course, to prohibit the supply of those without a valve, in the interests of public safety.

The Bill also enables the transfer of responsibility for the examination of gasholders from the Labour Department to the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, so that all responsibilities relating to safety of gasholders will be consolidated under one authority.

Mr President, I commend the Bill to the Council.

End

Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill

Following is a speech by the acting Secretary for the Treasury, Mr Alan Lai, in moving the second reading of the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 1996 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Mr President,

time.

I move that the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill 1996 be read the second

This is the first of ten Bills which I will introduce this afternoon to give effect to the revenue proposals in this year's Budget.