TNAG-1362-FCO40-1808-Hong-Kong-Hansard-reports-and-minutes-of-the-meetings-of-the-1985 — Page 37

Supplementary to Question No. 3 in the

Legislative Council on 29 May 1985

Mr. S.L. Chen :

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Sir, presumably, the public transaction in question would have

been dealt with through solicitors, in which case would it be proper for Government

to refer the names of the solicitors involved to the Law Society to ascertain

whether they have acted responsibly ?

Secretary for Lands and Works : Sir, I would imagine if anyone feels aggrieved

and has a complaint about possible incompetence or negligence of lawyers in property

transaction cases, he would lodge such a complaint with the Law Society of Hong

Kong for investigation.

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Mr. Allen Lee : May I ask a question about enquiries. How many enquiries, say,

in 1984, have been received by the Buildings Ordinance Office with regard to

purchase of flats whether it is in contravention of the provision of the Buildings

Ordinance ?

Secretary for Lands and Works : I don't have statistics ready in hand but I would

imagine very few enquiries had been made.

Mr. Stephen Cheong : - Sir, can the Secretary confirm or otherwise that 'unauthorised

structure' means structure that would probably provide difficult situation or damage

to life and limb ?

Secretary for Lands and Works :

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Not necessarily, Sir, any building work which

has not had approval from the Building Authority for commencement and construction

would under the law be unauthorised. They may become legal if in every respect

they comply with the Ordinance and subsequently an Authorised Person has submitted

plans for those works and subsequently received approval of the Building Authority.

They could then in that case be legalised.

Mr. Stephen Cheong :

Sir, would the addition of seating capacity, for example,

in this Chamber, be classified as unauthorised, if there is no Authorised Person

to submit plans for the Buildings Ordinance Office to vet?

Secretary for Lands and Works - The law says that all building works require

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submission of plans to the Building Authority for approval. Of course there are

categories of minor works, such as putting up partitions and decorators' works,

which could be exempted.