XN000022-1996-05-22 — Page 32

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The Action Committee Against Narcotics, as well as the medical and pharmacist professions have been consulted and are in support of the proposal.

The Administration is determined to tackle the problem of illicit sale of dangerous drugs. As part of our overall efforts to tackle the problem, we have proposed to tighten the record-keeping requirements on the acquisition and the supply of dangerous drugs, through amendments to the Dangerous Drugs Regulations, which are tabled in this Council this afternoon. The Amendment Regulations, if effected, will remove certain exemptions or alternative arrangements which are liable to abuse. The proposed increase in the maximum level of fines will serve to maintain the deterrent effect of penalties for offences in contravention of the record-keeping requirements.

Mr President, I beg to move.

End

Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Bill

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph Wong, at the second reading of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Bill 1996 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Mr President.

I move the second reading of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Bill 1996.

The Bill has two main purposes. The first is to empower the Commissioner for Labour to issue suspension notices and improvement notices. The second is to make it an offence for the non-compliance of the suspension notices or improvement notices by the parties concerned.

Under the existing Ordinance, the Commissioner for Labour does not have the power to order the party concerned to stop the operations of a construction site, or any works or machinery therein. Even if the Commissioner may have reasons to believe that there is an imminent risk to the workers concerned, he has to apply for an order from a magistrate to do so.