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The Rabies (Amendment) Regulation 1996 was gazetted on 27 September 1996 and tabled in this Council on 2 October 1996. The Legal Service Division of the Legislative Council Secretariat has since requested clarification of the relationship between the policy intention and the wording of several sections of the Regulation. The questions raised have required extended consideration by the Economic Services Branch and the Attorney General's Chambers and will require the moving of a resolution to amend the Regulation.

Accordingly, I move that the vetting period for the Rabies (Amendment) Regulation 1996, which was due to expire today, be extended to the sitting November 1996.

End

Whaling Industry (Regulation) Bill

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Economic Services, Mr Stephen Ip, in moving the second reading of the Whaling Industry (Regulation) Bill in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Mr President,

I move that the Whaling Industry (Regulation) Bill be read a second time.

The purpose of the Bill is to localise the relevant provisions of the United Kingdom's Whaling Industry (Regulation) Act 1934 and the Sea Fish Industry (Regulation) Act 1938, which were applied to Hong Kong by Orders in Council in 1936 and 1941. The Bill will give Hong Kong its own version of these enactments, so that their provisions can remain in place in our legislation after 30 June 1997.

The Bill will prohibit whaling in the waters of Hong Kong, prohibit unlicensed use of any ship or aircraft registered in Hong Kong for whaling outside the waters of Hong Kong and prohibit unlicensed use of any factory situated in Hong Kong for the treating of whales.

It will also protect certain types of whales from whaling activities and prohibit unlicensed taking of other types of whales.

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