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Reply:

It remains the intention to resume work on the Broadcasting Bill when more pressing business has been completed. We hope that it will be possible to do so in the short term, rather than the long term. But as it is not yet possible to say when work will resume, we cannot say when the work will be concluded,

End

Sandwich Class Housing Scheme

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

Question:

It is mentioned in the Policy Commitments of this year's Policy Address that the Government will consider permitting public housing tenants who meet the relevant eligibility criteria to purchase Sandwich Class Housing Scheme (SCHS) flats. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

(b)

of the effectiveness of the SCHS since its introduction; and

whether it has taken into account the fact that the above proposal might diminish the prospects of the sandwich class acquiring their own homes, given that the SCHS is the only scheme through which the sandwich class can purchase their own homes, whereas public housing tenants are already given priority in the purchase of Home Ownership Scheme flats and are also eligible for applying for interest-free loans to purchase their homes?