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MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, we do receive lots of applications and many of the voluntary agencies succeeded in booking the City Hall facilities. But, of course, considerable numbers have to be turned down because the nature of the functions and many other factors may have to be considered. But as I said, if everything be equal, the voluntary agencies would have priority over the commercial hirers.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-I have also received a complaint that the reduced rates or the subsidies themselves in effect will represent markable increases of the old reduced rates or the subsidies. In other words, that the non-profit-making voluntary organizations will still have to pay much more. Is that true or not?
MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, this is why we improved the subsidy scheme. With the new improved subsidy scheme, the amount of subsidy will be increased on average from 50% to 65%. In other words, if you calculate the net increase paid by the voluntary agencies based on the new rate over the old rate, the increase is only slightly between 10% to 20%.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-I have also received a complaint that the commercial concerns seem to be given priority and the proposal that 50% of the available time should be given to non-profit-making voluntary organizations. From the last part of the Chairman of the Cultural Affairs Select Committee's answer, can I take it that it is not true that any priority is given to commercial exhibitions?
MR. HU (in English):-You are talking about exhibitions or use of the concert hall facilities?
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-I am eventually going to ask whether 50% of the time available overall could be given to non-profit-making voluntary organizations. But to begin with, I am asking whether priority is given to commercial organizations either overall or for any particular part of the City Hall facilities?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Mr. Hu, I thought the answer states clearly what MR. BERNACCHI has asked. In the Concert Hall or in the Theatre, the primary purpose of which is for cultural activities, they are given top priority. That is the practice. In the Exhibition Hall, please see the statement made in the last sentence of the answer.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-Yes, I know, but from the statement Social Educational, Scientific, Technological as well as Industrial and Trade Development Exhibitions presumably all those are also non-profit-making bodies.
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MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, when we talk about the nature of the functions, we do not consider whether they are commercial or voluntary agencies. They are considered on an equal basis but again, as I said, everything being equal, that is, if their points are equal, then the voluntary agencies will have priority.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-Would you say that about 50% of the overall facilities are given up to non-profit-making voluntary organizations and, if not, can it be so?
MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, in the City Hall, the percentage of usage by non-profit-making voluntary agencies is about 30% of the total functions hired for various purposes excluding Urban Council functions. In the Theatre, it is about 20% of the total hiring. In the case of the Exhibition Hall, days used by non-profit-making organizations are roughly about 28%, whilst days used by commercial hirers are about 42%.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-Arising out of that answer could these percentages of 20 odd be increased? For other reasons, why it cannot be, in effect, 50%?
MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, as I mentioned, whether it is non-profit-making voluntary organization or not, it would not affect the consideration in the allocation of booking because that is Council's policy. If MR. BERNACCHI wants us to look into the question again, I would be pleased to have this question studied in the Select Committee.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Perhaps Mr. Edmund CHOW, as Chairman of the City Hall Bookings Sub-Committee, might wish to clarify the position further. As your Sub-Committee is in charge of bookings of the City Hall facilities, would you like to explain the position?
MR. EDMUND W. H. CHOW (in English):-Mr. Chairman, most of the points concerning the policy and the measures concerning the Bookings Sub-Committee have been clearly stated by the Chairman of the Cultural Affairs Select Committee and I do confirm what he has just said.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT (in English):-Mr. Chairman, most of the questions I was going to ask have already been answered by MR. HU. I would just like to ask if he would mind putting this again before his Cultural Affairs Select Committee to see if they can change to something higher than the ones he mentioned just now.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Perhaps the position might be clarified in precise terms. Are applications for the use of the City Hall facilities, with adequate points given by the department, ever turned down if they come from non-
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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, we do receive lots of applications and many of the voluntary agencies succeeded in booking the City Hall facilities. But, of course, considerable numbers have to be turned down because the nature of the functions and many other factors may have to be considered. But as I said, if everything be equal, the voluntary agencies would have priority over the commercial hirers.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-I have also received a complaint that the reduced rates or the subsidies themselves in effect will represent markable increases of the old reduced rates or the subsidies. In other words, that the non-profit-making voluntary organizations will still have to pay much more. Is that true or not?
MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, this is why we improved the subsidy scheme. With the new improved subsidy scheme, the amount of subsidy will be increased on average from 50% to 65%. In other words, if you calculate the net increase paid by the voluntary agencies based on the new rate over the old rate, the increase is only slightly between 10% to 20%.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-I have also received a complaint that the commercial concerns seem to be given priority and the proposal that 50% of the available time should be given to non-profit-making voluntary organiza- tions. From the last part of the Chairman of the Cultural Affairs Select Com- mittee's answer, can I take it that it is not true that any priority is given to commercial exhibitions?
MR. HU (in English):-You are talking about exhibitions or use of the concert hall facilities?
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):—I am eventually going to ask whether 50% of the time available overall could be given to non-profit-making voluntary organizations. But to begin with, I am asking whether priority is given to commercial organizations either overall or for any particular part of the City Hall facilities?
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Mr. Hu, I thought the answer states clearly what MR. BERNACCHI has asked. In the Concert Hall or in the Theatre, the primary purpose of which is for cultural activities, they are given top priority. That is the practice. In the Exhibition Hall, please see the statement made in the last sentence of the answer.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-Yes, I know, but from the statement Social Educational, Scientific, Technological as well as Industrial and Trade De- velopment Exhibitions presumably all those are also non-profit-making bodies.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
221
MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, when we talk about the nature of the functions, we do not consider whether they are commercial or voluntary agencies. They are considered on equal basis but again, as I said, everything being equal, that is, if their points are equal, then the voluntary agencies will have priority.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):--Would you say that about 50% of the overall facilities are given up to non-profit-making voluntary organizations and, if not, can it be so?
MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, in the City Hall, the percentage of usage by non-profit-making voluntary agencies is about 30% of the total functions hired for various purposes excluding Urban Council functions. In the Theatre, it is about 20% of the total hiring. In the case of the Exhibition Hall, days used by non-profit-making organizations are roughly about 28%, whilst days used by commercial hirers are about 42%.
MR. BERNACCHI (in English):-Arising out of that answer could these percentages of 20 odd be increased? For other reasons, why it cannot be, in effect, 50%?
MR. HU (in English):-Mr. Chairman, as I mentioned, whether it is non- profit-making voluntary organization or not, it would not affect the con- sideration in the allocation of booking because that is Council's policy. If Mr. BERNACCHI wants us to look into the question again, I would be pleased to have this question studied in the Select Committee.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Perhaps Mr. Edmund CHOW, as Chairman of the City Hall Bookings Sub-Committee, might wish to clarify the position further. As your Sub-Committee is in charge of bookings of the City Hall facilities, would you like to explain the position?
MR. EDMUND W. H. CHOW (in English):—Mr. Chairman, most of the points concerning the policy and the measures concerning the Bookings Sub-Com- mittee have been clearly stated by the Chairman of the Cultural Affairs Select Committee and I do confirm what he has just said.
MRS. E. ELLIOTT (in English):-Mr. Chairman, most of the questions I was going to ask have already been answered by Mr. HU. I would just like to ask if he would mind putting this again before his Cultural Affairs Select Committee to see if they can change to something higher than the ones he mentioned just now.
CHAIRMAN (in English):-Perhaps the position might be clarified in precise terms. Are applications for the use of the City Hall facilities, with adequate points given by the department, ever turned down if they come from non-
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