TNAG-1859-FCO40-2634-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 20

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

香港立法局

18 October 1989

一九八九年十月十八日

16

for power generation? And how would the Secretary relate that cost as against their kindness to the environment?

SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES: Sir, I do not have precise estimates of costs but in the case of, for example, liquefied natural gas, my understanding is that it would be considerably more expensive than coal and that is one factor that obviously Government needs to take into consideration when considering alternative uses of energy.

MR. MARTIN LEE: Sir, will the Administration inform this Council what concrete steps have been taken by the Government in the last five years to encourage consumers to conserve energy?

SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES: Sir, there are two aspects to this question. In the first instance, the Government itself must obviously set a good example in energy conservation. In this respect, we have introduced energy- saving measures in major government buildings and installations. I would quote one or two examples of this: we are testing the use of solar heating at the Shek Pik Maximum Security Prison; energy-saving fluorescent lighting fittings are used in all government buildings; and air-conditioning condensor waste heat is used for heating and humidity control purposes in a number of buildings.

On the part of general consumers and the supply companies, there is an education programme through primary schools, secondary schools, all the way to the tertiary level. In addition to this education programme, obviously headmasters and headmistresses and teaching staff should set a good personal example and I believe they do this.

On the part of the power companies themselves, they are fully appreciative of the need to play a role in energy conservation and they have in fact not only introduced an industrial advisory service which seeks to advise consumers and users, both small and large, in how they can cut down on their electricity bill and to introduce more efficient uses of electricity, but they have also carried out education by way of seminars, presentations and lectures.

潘志輝議員問:既然經濟司在答覆第二段提及使用礦物燃料對環境造成惡劣的影響,政府可否告 知本局,這種惡劣影響目前在本港達至何種程度?同時,該答覆亦提及政府正在檢討現行的政策 究竟該政策要到何時才能有所決定,因為在過去,政府制訂或修訂環境政策及問題都需時甚久 ?