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Detailed proposals for the allocation of these places for external decantation were approved by the Joint Resettlement Policy and Resettlement Management Select Committees on 22nd September 1971. Applications were invited on 11th October from tenants living at a density of 17 sq. ft. per adult or worse, and these were processed as rapidly as possible. Each applicant had to be investigated, and the actual density verified to establish eligibility, including a check on absentee members of the household. A report was made to Members of the Joint Committee on 26th January 1972 in which Members were informed that of the 6,000 places at Tsz Wan Shan, only 958 were taken up, and of the 1,350 places at Sau Mau Ping Estate only 227 were taken up.
At that meeting, Members agreed that a second exercise should be conducted with the eligibility raised to a density of 20 sq. ft. per adult. The second exercise was started on 10th February 1972 and is expected to be completed in May. The results are expected to be much more satisfactory than for the previous exercise.
I do not agree that there has been any hold up (in the sense of avoidable delay) in the processing of tenants due for external decantation. The processing of applicants and the checking of the relevant particulars of each applicant is a lengthy process, and is carried out as quickly as possible. It is also necessary to fit the applicants into the different sizes of rooms available, and actual intake must of course be controlled and must fit in with the timetable for the intake of new tenants from clearances into the same blocks.
As for Pak Tin Estate, there are 13,960 places available in four blocks which were taken over in March 1971. These are earmarked for decantation from Shek Kip Mei Estate, the conversion of which was approved in September last year. There are still a number of problems to be sorted out in connection with the Shek Kip Mei conversion/redevelopment scheme, and a full outline of progress on this scheme was given to Members of the Resettlement Select Committee on 30th March.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, the Chairman of the Select Committee says there has been no delay. Can he explain why these blocks were all taken over more than a year ago, fourteen or thirteen months ago, and the processing only began in September? What was the reason for the delay?
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COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- May I answer, Mr. Chairman? It is a fact that it is up to the department to deal with development clearances, and allocation for development clearances, before getting on later in each year with external decantation. This is because we think that priority should go to matching up family sizes and room sizes for development clearances and meeting their requirements first, because these are compulsory clearances, whereas external decantation is by nature of being a voluntary exercise where accurate matching of family size and room size is less important.
MRS. ELLIOTT:- Mr. Chairman, could the registration not take place beforehand so that it is all ready when the rooms are handed over, instead of beginning processed so many months afterwards?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- Mr. Chairman, that certainly is an attractive proposition. The question is how long could such lists be thought to remain valid. It might be possible to cut by some time, but perhaps not by a full, say, six months.
MRS. ELLIOTT: May I ask another one? Mr. Chairman, we have been told how many people were given places in the new estates, but could we have some clarification as to whether they actually moved in or were they just waiting?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- I think I would like notice of that one, Mr. Chairman.
MR. LO TAK-SHING:- Mr. Chairman, I do not know whether the Chairman of the Select Committee has any figures on hand. I note that the answer talks about 6,000 places and 958 taken up at Tsz Wan Shan, and at Sau Mau Ping 1,350 places and only 200 odd were taken up. I wonder really how many people were living at a density of 17 sq. ft. or less, because does that mean that few people of this density took it up, or that there were just a few people at that density?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:- I am sorry, Mr. Chairman, here again I would be grateful for some notice of that question.
MR. HENRY H. L. HU:- Mr. Chairman, following that question, I have the same idea. I want the Chairman of the Select Committee to look into the matter.
CHAIRMAN:- Are you asking a supplementary?
MR. HU: Yes. On the one hand we are trying to give people more space in which to live, but on the other hand we have 6,000 places and only 900 odd were taken, and of 1,350 only 227 were taken. What is the real reason? Is the only reason the density of 17 sq. ft.? Or is there any other reason?
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Page 30 of 206
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Detailed proposals for the allocation of these places for external decantation were approved by the Joint Resettle- ment Policy and Resettlement Management Select Com- mittees on 22nd September 1971. Applications were invited on 11th October from tenants living at a density of 17 sq. ft. per adult or worse, and these were processed as rapidly as possible. Each applicant had to be investi- gated, and the actual density verified to establish eligibility, including a check on absentee members of the household. A report was made to Members of the Joint Committee on 26th January 1972 in which Members were informed that of the 6,000 places at Tsz Wan Shan, only 958 were taken up, and of the 1,350 places at Sau Mau Ping Estate only 227 were taken up.
At that meeting, Members agreed that a second exercise should be conducted with the eligibility raised to a density of 20 sq. ft. per adult. The second exercise was started on 10th February 1972 and is expected to be completed in May. The results are expected to be much more satis- factory than for the previous exercise.
I do not agree that there has been any hold up (in the sense of avoidable delay) in the processing of tenants due for external decantation. The processing of applicants and the checking of the relevant particulars of each applicant is a lengthy process, and is carried out as quickly as possible. It is also necessary to fit the applicants into the different sizes of rooms available, and actual intake must of course be controlled and must fit in with the time-table for the intake of new tenants from clearances into the same blocks.
As for Pak Tin Estate, there are 13,960 places available in four blocks which were taken over in March 1971. These are earmarked for decantation from Shek Kip Mei Estate, the conversion of which was approved in Sep- tember last year. There are still a number of problems to be sorted out in connection with the Sek Kip Mei conversion/redevelopment scheme, and a full outline of progress on this scheme was given to Members of the Resettlement Select Committee on 30th March.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, the Chairman of the Select Com- mittee says there has been no delay. Can he explain why these blocks were all taken over more than a year ago, fourteen or thirteen months ago, and the processing only began in September? What was the reason for the delay?
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COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-May I answer, Mr. Chair- man? It is a fact that it is up to the department to deal with develop- ment clearances, and allocation for development clearances, before getting on later in each year with external decantation. This is because we think that priority should go to matching up family sizes and room sizes for development clearances and meeting their requirements first, because these are compulsory clearances, whereas external decantation is by nature of being a voluntary exercise where accurate matching of family size and room size is less important.
MRS. ELLIOTT:-Mr. Chairman, could the registration not take place beforehand so that it is all ready when the rooms are handed over, instead of beginning processed so many months afterwards?
COMMISSIONER for RESETTLEMENT:---Mr. Chairman, that certainly is an attractive proposition. The question is how long could such lists be thought to remain valid. It might be possible to cut by some time, but perhaps not by a full, say, six months.
MRS. ELLIOTT: May I ask another one? Mr. Chairman, we have been told how many people were given places in the new estates, but could we have some clarification as to whether they actually moved in or were they just waiting?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I think I would like notice of that one, Mr. Chairman,
MR. LO TAK-SHING:-Mr. Chairman, I do not know whether the Chairman of the Select Committee has any figures on hand. I note that the answer talks about 6,000 places and 958 taken up at Tsz Wan Shan, and at Sau Mau Ping 1,350 places and only 200 odd were taken up. I wonder really how many people were living at a density of 17 sq. ft. or less, because does that mean that few people of this density took it up, or that there were just a few people at that density?
COMMISSIONER FOR RESETTLEMENT:-I am sorry, Mr. Chairman, here again I would be grateful for some notice of that question.
MR. HENRY H. L. Hu:-Mr. Chairman, following that question, I have the same idea. I want the Chairman of the Select Committee to look into the matter.
CHAIRMAN: ---Are you asking a supplementary?
MR. HU: Yes. On the one hand we are trying to give people more space in which to live, but on the other hand we have 6,000 places and only 900 odd were taken, and of 1,350 only 227 were taken. What is the real reason? Is the only reason the density of
17 sq. ft.? Or is there any other reason?
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