TNAG-1362-FCO40-1808-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 161

Supplementary to Question No. 13 in the

Legislative Council on 1 May 1985

Mr. YEUNG Po-kwan :- Sir, how many prosecutions have been made against shop

owners under section 4(1) of the Objectionable Publications Ordinance

(Chapter 150), and how many have been successful?

Secretary for Administrative Services and Information :- Sir, in the past

four

six months the police have conducted raids on these shops of which three were

videotape shops and one was a gift shop. The shop

were prosecuted and

fined between two to three thousand dollars. Two of the videotape shops have

since closed down and the gift shop has stop displaying such articles.

Mr. YEUNG Po-kwan :- Sir, is present legislation effective in controlling the

sale of sexual paraphernalia to youngsters under the age of 18?

Secretary for Administrative Services and Information :- Sir, there is adequate

provision under section 4, sub-section 1 of the Ordinance I just referred to for

controlling the display of sexual paraphernalia but there is no provision which

would bar children from entering these shops or buying sexual artefacts. The

only deterrent, I suppose, is the price. (laughter)

Mr. Stephen CHEONG :- Sir, in the light of the Secretary's reply in the second

paragraph, does he consider that the Ordinance itself will need to be looked at

more carefully in order that the success rate of prosecution could be more

meaningful?

Secretary for Administrative Services and Information :-

look at the problem again but most of these shops in fact

Sir, I shall certainly

sell these articles

only as a sideline and in a minor sort of way and all these articles invariably

are really quite discreetly displayed (laughter). The problem really is not a

serious one, Sir.