TNAG-1449-FCO40-1953-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 244

Question No. 8

Reply by

The Hon. Michael Thomas, CMG, QC, Attorney General

to a question from the Hon. Jackie CHAN Chai-keung

in the Legislative Council on 12 March 1986.

Question

Reply

:

Sir,

It has been a long time since vice-associated

establishments such as one-girl brothels have

become widespread in residential areas on both

sides of the harbour. They not only affect the

normal life of residents but greatly embarrass

the ladies in the vicinity. In fact, they have been the cause of great nuisance to their

neighbours. In this connection, will Government

inform this Council what measures it will take

to quickly improve the situation?

The Government has for some time been studying the best means of providing solutions to the real problems posed by the activities of prostitutes in residential buildings.

I recognise that ordinary decent residents can be seriously annoyed and gravely embarrassed by vice activities on their staircases and near their homes. To meet these concerns, the Fight Crime Committee in June 1984 endorsed a proposal by a Working Group on Vice-associated Establishments and Environmental Nuisance to introduce a scheme enabling the magistrates' courts to close down premises which cause nuisance of this kind for, say, 6 months. The power would only be exercised if a complaint is made to the court by a number of residents or by residents' associations, mutual aid committees or owners' corporations. The scheme would include provision

a