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The Administration, however, has reservations on the suggestion that road opening contractors pay a cash deposit in advance in order to facilitate the authority concerned in recovering the repair costs arising from watermain bursts. We will have to consider the views of the construction industry and, internally, of relevant departments to determine its viability and the staff resource implications. The deposits will have to be substantial if enough to cover the possible remedial work and the cost is likely to be passed to the consumers, as will the (relatively small) financing of such deposits.

Measures to reduce waiting time for 999 calls to get through

Following is a question by the Hon Zachary Wong Wai-yin and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Peter Lai, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

(b)

(c)

of the number of Police Communications Officers responsible for answering "999" emergency calls ("999" calls) at the Police Command and Control Centre, together with the number of "999" lines in each of the police regions;

of the average time taken for a "999" call to get through in each police region at present;

of the number of complaints received by the Police in each of the past three years regarding "999" calls not getting through;

(d)

whether there are measures in place to reduce the waiting time for a "999" call to get through; and

(e)

whether the existing "999" service is capable of handling calls made in Putonghua; if not, what measures will be taken by the Government to improve the situation?