Page 202 of 212
332
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
To ensure that only blood from disease-free pigs is sold, identification marks are put on the ears of those batches of pigs from which the blood is collected, and blood from these carcases which are found free from disease and passed as suitable for human consumption, is removed to the abattoir shop for retail sale to the public. The shops are open, except for a lunch break, from 7.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. every day, and sales are carried out on a first-come, first-served basis.
MR. LO TAK-SHING (in English): Mr. Chairman, I am really rather interested in my question as to how we sell it, in the sense of whether in the course of Council policy the blood is sold by a certain contract tendered for by members of the public. As you know, Mr. Chairman, I was given a schedule of all the contracts and franchises which the Urban Council has currently in use for other purposes, and I find in it no contract dealing with the sale of edible pigs' blood. I wonder whether there is any reason for this. There are two contracts in respect of blood sold by abattoirs. One is non-edible fresh blood which is for the production of dry blood, and the other one is the sale of dry blood. In neither case is it related specifically to pigs' blood, and I gather in fact there is no contract in existence today in respect of such sales. I wonder whether we could have some reasons for this.
MR. P. F. CHAN (in English): Mr. Chairman, we did call tenders for the sale of pigs' blood in our abattoirs. But unfortunately there were no bidders, therefore we have decided to retail to the public through our shops in the abattoirs. For Mr. Lo's information, the demand for pigs' blood is roughly about 75 catties per day. At the moment, we are charging $1 per catty, therefore they only amount to about $75 per day. Therefore I think the procedure is quite in order. Regarding the action on the batch of tender forms in Mr. Lo's hands, I shall surely make enquiry from the Department, and I will write to Mr. Lo.
(4) MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):
As to car parks, covered and open, how are the fees collected between day time and at night?
If a car is parked before the start of night time and it is collected before the night time is ended, how are the fees counted?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
333
If a car is parked before the start of day time and it is collected before the day time is ended, how are the fees counted?
MR. PETER P. K. NG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENTERTAINMENTS AND ADVERTISING SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):
Mr. Chairman, I welcome this opportunity to make a public explanation of the fees charged in car parks, which many people find confusing. However, I must straightaway qualify my remarks by further explaining that the current methods of charging for car park spaces are likely to be extensively increased as a result of recommendations made recently by the Financial Secretary and currently under consideration by the Legislative Council.
I must also emphasize that the Financial Secretary never did consult or advise the Council in any way regarding his proposed revised charges. Up to the present moment, the Urban Council still has not received any information regarding the possible increased charges although it is now the authority for managing on behalf of the Government all official car parks in Hong Kong. I would also like to emphasize that whatever increased amount of revenue which may be received will go entirely to Central Government with no benefit whatsoever to the Urban Council.
These parking fees are prescribed by the Third Schedule in the Road Traffic (Parking and Waiting) Regulations and, in effect, they work out as follows:
For Multi-storey Car-parks, the normal rate applies between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, at $1 per hour or part thereof, with a minimum charge of $2; the cheap rate applies between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. every night, and from 2 p.m. onwards on Saturday afternoons, Sundays, and Public Holidays, at 50¢ per hour or part thereof, with a minimum charge of $1. For Open Air Car-parks, the normal rate applies between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, at $5.00 per day, or $2.50 per half-day, that is either from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. or from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Also in Open Air Car-parks there are free periods from 7 p.m. nightly until 8 a.m. the
Page 202 of 212
Page 202 of 212
332
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
To ensure that only blood from disease-free pigs is sold, identifica- tion marks are put on the ears of those batches of pigs from which the blood is collected, and blood from these carcases which are found free from disease and passed as suitable for human consumption, is re- moved to the abattoir shop for retail sale to the public. The shops are open, except for a lunch break, from 7.30 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. every day, and sales are carried out on a first-come, first-served basis.
MR. LO TAK-SHING (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I am really rather interested in my question as to how we sell it, in the sense of whether in the course of Council policy the blood is sold by a certain contract tendered for by members of the public. As you know, Mr. Chairman, I was given a schedule of all the contracts and franchises which the Urban Council has currently in use for other purposes, and I find in it no contract dealing with the sale of edible pigs' blood. I wonder whether there is any reason for this. There are two contracts in respect of blood sold by abattoirs. One is non-edible fresh blood which is for the production of dry blood, and the other one is the sale of dry blood. In neither case is it related specifically to pigs' blood, and I gather in fact there is no contract in existence today in respect of such sales. I wonder whether we could have some reasons for this.
MR. P. F. CHAN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, we did call tenders for the sale of pigs' blood in our abattoirs. But unfortunately there were no bidders, therefore we have decided to retail to the public through our shops in the abattoirs. For Mr. Lo's information, the demand for pigs' blood is roughly about 75 catties per day. At the moment, we are charging $1 per catty, therefore they only amount to about $75 per day. Therefore I think the procedure is quite in order. Regarding the action on the batch of tender forms in Mr. Lo's hands, I shall surely make enquiry from the Department, and I will write to Mr. Lo.
(4) MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):
-
As to car parks, covered and open, how are the fees collected
between day time and at night?
If a car is parked before the start of night time and it is collected before the night time is ended, how are the fees counted?
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
333
If a car is parked before the start of day time and it is collected before the day time is ended, how are the fees counted?
MR. PETER P. K. NG, CHAIRMAN OF THE ENTERTAINMENTS AND ADVERTISING SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-
Mr. Chairman, I welcome this opportunity to make a public explanation of the fees charged in car parks, which many people find confusing. However, I must straightaway qualify my remarks by further explaining that the current methods of charging for car park spaces are likely to be extensively increased as a result of recommendations made recently by the Financial Secretary and currently under consideration by the Legislative Council.
I must also emphasize that the Financial Secretary never did consult or advise the Council in any way regarding his proposed revised charges. Up to the present moment, the Urban Council still has not received any information regarding the possible increased charges although it is now the authority for managing on behalf of the Govern- ment all official car parks in Hong Kong. I would also like to emphasize that whatever increased amount of revenue which may be received will go entirely to Central Government with no benefit whatsoever to the Urban Council.
These parking fees are prescribed by the Third Schedule in the Road Traffic (Parking and Waiting) Regulations and, in effect, they work out as follows:-
For Multi-storey Car-parks, the normal rate applies between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, at $1 per hour or part thereof, with a minimum charge of $2; the cheap rate applies between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. every night, and from 2 p.m. onwards on Saturday afternoons, Sundays, and Public Holidays, at 50¢ per hour or part thereof, with a minimum charge of $1. For Open Air Car-parks, the normal rate applies between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, at $5.00 per day, or $2.50 per half-day, that is either from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. or from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Also in Open Air Car-parks there are free periods from 7 p.m. nightly until 8 a.m. the
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