1969 — Page 121

Urban Council Proceedings 市政局議事錄 All AI Reviewed

Page 121 of 237

220

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I still ask the Commissioner to answer Question 9(b), "Is the Commissioner for Resettlement able to tell this Council whether he plans to provide housing for these squatters?" I did not ask him whether they are qualified for resettlement, I ask him whether he plans to provide housing for them.

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Sir, the position is that under the present policy, as I have already stated, these people are not eligible for resettlement unless they fall within resettlement categories. If they do not, I have no authority to provide housing for them.

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, these people have been on the hillsides for nearly twenty years, if not more. Is the Commissioner for Resettlement telling this Council that Government is not planning to provide housing for them on humanitarian grounds, if for no other reason?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Sir, Mr. SALES has used the word housing by which I take it he means more than resettlement housing. Other forms of subsidized accommodation are, of course, available and these squatters can apply for accommodation either with the Housing Authority or with Government Low Cost Housing.

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, will the Commissioner please let this Council know at this time what the approved priority categories are?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Mr. Chairman, these have been quoted in various official documents. I do not think that it would be necessary for me to quote them all in detail and, in any case, I would want notice of the exact details of them. The main ones outside the squatters on land required for development are various categories of compassionate cases.

MR. SALES: Sir, I was a member of the Working Party on Low Cost Housing which sponsored or promoted the setting up of these priority categories at that time. It is several years since the Working Party made its report, and I think it would be advisable for the Urban Council, Sir, if I might put this as a supplementary to you, to review the priority categories. Would you consider suggesting to Government that a committee be set up for this purpose because the priority categories evidently now are not realistic?

CHAIRMAN: I would like notice of that question, Mr. SALES.

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Sir, perhaps I could answer that and say that, in fact, the Resettlement Select Committees do review the priority categories at regular intervals. If Mr. SALES feels that in this particular instance some revision should be made of these categories, I have no doubt that the Select Committee will be quite willing to reconsider it.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

221

MR. SALES: Sir, without asking you to express an opinion, is it not a fact that if the approved priority categories do not take into account the abjectly miserable housing conditions of 125,000 people, then the categories are unrealistic?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Sir, I think that calls for an opinion.

MR. SALES: Like I said, to start off, Sir, I did not call for an opinion, I asked for a statement of fact.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, within the next 5 years approximately how many of these squatters on Hong Kong Island can, or will be, accommodated?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: That is difficult to say, Sir. The figures that I have quoted refer to the clearances that have reached an advance stage of planning. There are, of course, other development projects under contemplation, and it would be extremely difficult to make anything more than a guess at the total number that would be involved in these various operations. If you ask me to make a guess I would say somewhere in the region of 20,000, but as I say that would have to be taken with very considerable reserve.

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, if there are no other supplementaries, may I, with your permission, ask the very last one; it does not call for a reply on your part. Does it not tarnish the magnificent housing record of the Hong Kong Government to disclose that there are 125,000 people living on the Island for twenty years who are not eligible for resettlement simply because the land they occupy at the moment is not required for development for other purposes, community and residential. That, Mr. Chairman, is the iniquitous part of the Government policy for public housing. This Council has said time and again that the people of Hong Kong should be given housing accommodation if they stand in need of such housing accommodation, regardless of the fact whether it is in the interest of the Hong Kong Government to clear them from land needed for other purposes.

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Sir, I think I must make a statement on that. Mr. SALES, of course, has his own views, but I must reiterate that resettlement housing is one thing; housing of a general sort is another. There is housing available for these people if they wish to apply for it.

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, there is not housing available for these people because there is not enough low cost housing in suitable locations for those people who want it.

Page 121 of 237

Edit History

2026-05-14 07:36:40 · NVIDIA / meta/llama-4-maverick-17b-128e-instruct

Live

View comparison

AI Proofread

Page 121 of 237 220 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I still ask the Commissioner to answer Question 9(b), "Is the Commissioner for Resettlement able to tell this Council whether he plans to provide housing for these squatters?" I did not ask him whether they are qualified for resettlement, I ask him whether he plans to provide housing for them. COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Sir, the position is that under the present policy, as I have already stated, these people are not eligible for resettlement unless they fall within resettlement categories. If they do not, I have no authority to provide housing for them. MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, these people have been on the hillsides for nearly twenty years, if not more. Is the Commissioner for Resettlement telling this Council that Government is not planning to provide housing for them on humanitarian grounds, if for no other reason? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Sir, Mr. SALES has used the word housing by which I take it he means more than resettlement housing. Other forms of subsidized accommodation are, of course, available and these squatters can apply for accommodation either with the Housing Authority or with Government Low Cost Housing. MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, will the Commissioner please let this Council know at this time what the approved priority categories are? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Mr. Chairman, these have been quoted in various official documents. I do not think that it would be necessary for me to quote them all in detail and, in any case, I would want notice of the exact details of them. The main ones outside the squatters on land required for development are various categories of compassionate cases. MR. SALES: Sir, I was a member of the Working Party on Low Cost Housing which sponsored or promoted the setting up of these priority categories at that time. It is several years since the Working Party made its report, and I think it would be advisable for the Urban Council, Sir, if I might put this as a supplementary to you, to review the priority categories. Would you consider suggesting to Government that a committee be set up for this purpose because the priority categories evidently now are not realistic? CHAIRMAN: I would like notice of that question, Mr. SALES. COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Sir, perhaps I could answer that and say that, in fact, the Resettlement Select Committees do review the priority categories at regular intervals. If Mr. SALES feels that in this particular instance some revision should be made of these categories, I have no doubt that the Select Committee will be quite willing to reconsider it. HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 221 MR. SALES: Sir, without asking you to express an opinion, is it not a fact that if the approved priority categories do not take into account the abjectly miserable housing conditions of 125,000 people, then the categories are unrealistic? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Sir, I think that calls for an opinion. MR. SALES: Like I said, to start off, Sir, I did not call for an opinion, I asked for a statement of fact. MR. CHEONG-LEEN: Mr. Chairman, within the next 5 years approximately how many of these squatters on Hong Kong Island can, or will be, accommodated? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: That is difficult to say, Sir. The figures that I have quoted refer to the clearances that have reached an advance stage of planning. There are, of course, other development projects under contemplation, and it would be extremely difficult to make anything more than a guess at the total number that would be involved in these various operations. If you ask me to make a guess I would say somewhere in the region of 20,000, but as I say that would have to be taken with very considerable reserve. MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, if there are no other supplementaries, may I, with your permission, ask the very last one; it does not call for a reply on your part. Does it not tarnish the magnificent housing record of the Hong Kong Government to disclose that there are 125,000 people living on the Island for twenty years who are not eligible for resettlement simply because the land they occupy at the moment is not required for development for other purposes, community and residential. That, Mr. Chairman, is the iniquitous part of the Government policy for public housing. This Council has said time and again that the people of Hong Kong should be given housing accommodation if they stand in need of such housing accommodation, regardless of the fact whether it is in the interest of the Hong Kong Government to clear them from land needed for other purposes. COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: Sir, I think I must make a statement on that. Mr. SALES, of course, has his own views, but I must reiterate that resettlement housing is one thing; housing of a general sort is another. There is housing available for these people if they wish to apply for it. MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, there is not housing available for these people because there is not enough low cost housing in suitable locations for those people who want it. Page 121 of 237

Baseline (Original)

Page 121 of 237 220 HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I still ask the Commissioner to answer Question 9(b), "Is the Commissioner for Resettlement able to tell this Council whether he plans to provide housing for these squatters?" I did not ask him whether they are qualified for resettle- ment, I ask him whether he plans to provide housing for them. COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Sir, the position is that under the present policy, as I have already stated, these people are not eligible for resettlement unless they fall within resettlement categories. If they do not, I have no authority to provide housing for them. MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, these people have been on the hill- sides for nearly twenty years, if not more. Is the Commissioner for Resettlement telling this Council that Government is not planning to provide housing for them on humanitarian grounds, if for no other reason? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Sir, Mr. SALES has used the word housing by which I take it he means more than resettlement housing. Other forms of subsidized accommodation are, of course, available and these squatters can apply for accommodation either with the Housing Authority or with Government Low Cost Housing. MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, will the Commissioner please let this Council know at this time what the approved priority categories are? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Mr. Chairman, these have been quoted in various official documents. I do not think that it would be necessary for me to quote them all in detail and, in any case, I would want notice of the exact details of them. The main ones outside the squatters on land required for development are various categories of compassionate cases. MR. SALES-Sir, I was a member of the Working Party on Low Cost Housing which sponsored or promoted the setting up of these priority categories at that time. It is several years since the Working Party made its report, and I think it would be advisable for the Urban Council, Sir, if I might put this as a supplementary to you, to review the priority categories. Would you consider suggesting to Government that a committee be set up for this purpose because the priority categories evidently now are not realistic? CHAIRMAN: ---I would like notice of that question, Mr. SALES. COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Sir, perhaps I could answer that and say that, in fact, the Resettlement Select Committees do review the priority categories at regular intervals. If Mr. SALES feels that in this particular instance some revision should be made of these categories, I have no doubt that the Select Committee will be quite willing to reconsider it. HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL 221 MR. SALES-Sir, without asking you to express an opinion, is it not a fact that if the approved priority categories do not take into account the abjectly miserable housing conditions of 125,000 people, then the categories are unrealistic? COMMISSIONER for ResettlEMENT:-Sir, I think that calls for an opinion. MR. SALES: -Like I said, to start off, Sir, I did not call for an opinion, I asked for a statement of fact. MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, within the next 5 years approximately how many of these squatters on Hong Kong Island can, or will be, accommodated? COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-That is difficult to say, Sir. The figures that I have quoted refer to the clearances that have reached an advance stage of planning. There are, of course, other development projects under contemplation, and it would be extremely difficult to make anything more than a guess at the total number that would be involved in these various operations. If you ask me to make a guess I would say somewhere in the region of 20,000, but as I say that would have to be taken with very considerable reserve. MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, if there are no other supplementaries, may I, with your permission, ask the very last one; it does not call for a reply on your part. Does it not tarnish the magnificent housing record of the Hong Kong Government to disclose that there are 125,000 people living on the Island for twenty years who are not eligible for resettlement simply because the land they occupy at the moment is not required for development for other purposes, community and residen- tial. That, Mr. Chairman, is the iniquitous part of the Government policy for public housing. This Council has said time and again that the people of Hong Kong should be given housing accommodation if they stand in need of such housing accommodation, regardless of the fact whether it is in the interest of the Hong Kong Government to clear them from land needed for other purposes. COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: ----Sir, I think I must make a statement on that. Mr. SALES, of course, has his own views, but I must reiterate that resettlement housing is one thing; housing of a general sort is another. There is housing available for these people if they wish to apply for it. MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, there is not housing available for these people because there is not enough low cost housing in suitable locations for those people who want it.

2026-05-14 07:36:40 · Baseline

View content

Page 121 of 237

220

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, may I still ask the Commissioner to answer Question 9(b), "Is the Commissioner for Resettlement able to tell this Council whether he plans to provide housing for these squatters?" I did not ask him whether they are qualified for resettle- ment, I ask him whether he plans to provide housing for them.

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Sir, the position is that under the present policy, as I have already stated, these people are not eligible for resettlement unless they fall within resettlement categories. If they do not, I have no authority to provide housing for them.

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, these people have been on the hill- sides for nearly twenty years, if not more. Is the Commissioner for Resettlement telling this Council that Government is not planning to provide housing for them on humanitarian grounds, if for no other reason?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Sir, Mr. SALES has used the word housing by which I take it he means more than resettlement housing. Other forms of subsidized accommodation are, of course, available and these squatters can apply for accommodation either with the Housing Authority or with Government Low Cost Housing.

MR. SALES: -Mr. Chairman, will the Commissioner please let this Council know at this time what the approved priority categories are?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Mr. Chairman, these have been quoted in various official documents. I do not think that it would be necessary for me to quote them all in detail and, in any case, I would want notice of the exact details of them. The main ones outside the squatters on land required for development are various categories of compassionate cases.

MR. SALES-Sir, I was a member of the Working Party on Low Cost Housing which sponsored or promoted the setting up of these priority categories at that time. It is several years since the Working Party made its report, and I think it would be advisable for the Urban Council, Sir, if I might put this as a supplementary to you, to review the priority categories. Would you consider suggesting to Government that a committee be set up for this purpose because the priority categories evidently now are not realistic?

CHAIRMAN: ---I would like notice of that question, Mr. SALES.

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-Sir, perhaps I could answer that and say that, in fact, the Resettlement Select Committees do review the priority categories at regular intervals. If Mr. SALES feels that in this particular instance some revision should be made of these categories, I have no doubt that the Select Committee will be quite willing to reconsider it.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

221

MR. SALES-Sir, without asking you to express an opinion, is it not a fact that if the approved priority categories do not take into account the abjectly miserable housing conditions of 125,000 people, then the categories are unrealistic?

COMMISSIONER for ResettlEMENT:-Sir, I think that calls for an

opinion.

MR. SALES: -Like I said, to start off, Sir, I did not call for an opinion, I asked for a statement of fact.

MR. CHEONG-LEEN:-Mr. Chairman, within the next 5 years approximately how many of these squatters on Hong Kong Island can, or will be, accommodated?

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-That is difficult to say, Sir. The figures that I have quoted refer to the clearances that have reached an advance stage of planning. There are, of course, other development projects under contemplation, and it would be extremely difficult to make anything more than a guess at the total number that would be involved in these various operations. If you ask me to make a guess I would say somewhere in the region of 20,000, but as I say that would have to be taken with very considerable reserve.

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, if there are no other supplementaries, may I, with your permission, ask the very last one; it does not call for a reply on your part. Does it not tarnish the magnificent housing record of the Hong Kong Government to disclose that there are 125,000 people living on the Island for twenty years who are not eligible for resettlement simply because the land they occupy at the moment is not required for development for other purposes, community and residen- tial. That, Mr. Chairman, is the iniquitous part of the Government policy for public housing. This Council has said time and again that the people of Hong Kong should be given housing accommodation if they stand in need of such housing accommodation, regardless of the fact whether it is in the interest of the Hong Kong Government to clear them from land needed for other purposes.

COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT: ----Sir, I think I must make a statement on that. Mr. SALES, of course, has his own views, but I must reiterate that resettlement housing is one thing; housing of a general sort is another. There is housing available for these people if they wish to apply for it.

MR. SALES: Mr. Chairman, there is not housing available for these people because there is not enough low cost housing in suitable locations for those people who want it.

1969 — Page 121

Edit History

Comments

Private Research Note