XN000022-1996-05-08 — Page 42

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Normally, Fire Services Department can complete assessing the suitability of the premises within 14 working days after receipt of the referral from the licensing authority. The time taken to issue fire or building safety requirements depends on whether there is any revision of the layout plan of the premises by the applicant. Using figures in the years 1994 and 1995, the average time required by Fire Services Department and Buildings Department is 3.5 months and 5 months respectively. The average time taken by an applicant to comply with all stipulated requirements is 3 months.

On the third question, of the five unlicensed cinemas, two submitted their applications more than one year ago. The reason why a licence has still not been granted is because, in one case, the premises have been found to be structurally unsafe. In respect of the other, the applicant has revised its layout plan after the issue of licensing requirements, making it necessary for the Urban Services Department to seek the Fire Services Department's and Buildings Department's further clearance of the revised layout plan. If necessary, a new set of licensing requirements will be issued once the revised plan is cleared.

On the final question, the number of applications for cinema licences processed by the Fire Services Department and Buildings Department in each of the past five years i.e. from 1991 to 1995 is 4, 8, 11, 3 and 7 respectively. The Buildings Department and Fire Services Department do not keep separate statistics on the manpower deployed to this area of work.

End

Expenditure on housing projects

Following is a question by the Hon Emily Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for Housing, Mr Dominic Wong, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

It is reported that the construction cost of Stages I and II of the public housing development project in Area 30 of Tin Shui Wai has already been overspent by $160 million before the pouring of concrete. According to a spokesman of the Hong Kong Housing Authority, the increase in the construction cost is partly attributable to inadequacies in the initial planning of the project, which have resulted in changes being made to the designs of the foundation and the piling works following detailed site investigation. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of: