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have decided, on the advice of their Department, not to go the closure route but to institute weekly prosecutions as a trial alternative instead. I should therefore add, here, that the larger number of unlicensed food premises operating in the urban area on the one hand and our staff resources on the other, preclude us from following such a trial policy ourselves.
The Municipal Services Branch is now liaising with the Law Draftsman with a view to getting the proposed amendment on the statute book as soon as possible.
At present, there are about 700 unlicensed restaurants in the Urban Council Area. Of these, 61% has not yet applied for the requisite licences. They are all subjected to monthly prosecutions by the Department.
MR. WALTER M. SULKE (in English):—Mr. Chairman, is the situation not completely unsatisfactory, not to say ridiculous? What will the Food Hygiene Select Committee do now to expedite this matter in view of the fact that it was decided almost two years ago to do something about it.
MR. L. H. KWAN (in English):—As I understand, Mr. Chairman, the Food Hygiene Select Committee would remind the Branch to hurry up and liaise with the Municipal Services Branch from time to time in order to give a speedy answer to Mr. Walter SULKE as soon as possible.
3. MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):— I understand that the entry fee for the learn-to-swim courses organized by the Council has recently been increased. May I ask whether potential learners who are not income earners such as teenagers and the elderly can apply for a discount or for exemption from such fee?
MR. FAN KAM-PING, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):—The question refers to the recent fee increase for Council learn-to-swim courses and asks whether potential learners who are not income earners such as teenagers and the elderly, can apply for a discount or for exemption from such fees.
Fees for all Council recreation and sport courses were revised with effect from 1 September 1987. At that time, a simplified scale of charges was introduced to replace the somewhat complicated scales previously used. Under the new system, all courses are graded into one of three categories with fees set to reflect the popularity as well as the cost of the courses. Fees are now set at $30, $40 or $50 per course per participant to reflect essentially low, medium and high demand respectively. Participation in Council's learn-to-swim courses costs $50 for 15 one-hour sessions.
Council's recreation and sport programmes are heavily subsidized in order to keep the cost to the public as low as possible, with the overall subsidy on these programmes in 1986/87 reaching 73%.
Page 107 of 185
205
In 1987/88, Council will organize 1,390 learn-to-swim courses for 31,900 participants. Arrangements are made to organize classes for specific groups, mainly based on age; these are toddlers, children, youths, adults, the elderly and the disabled. Courses for the elderly and the disabled are free of charge. No other concessionary rates are available in view of the high level of subsidy.
In 1988/89, a similar number of learn-to-swim courses will be organized. 70 of these courses will be organized specifically for the elderly and 16 courses for the disabled. This compares with 63 courses for the elderly and 12 for the disabled this year.
MRS. CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG (in Cantonese): I would like to ask a supplementary question. The elderly and the disabled are admitted free of charge to these courses but youngsters are not offered any concessionary rate. Is it fair?
MR. FAN KAM-PING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, as I have just said, first of all the fee is set at very low level. It is very reasonable. It is $50 for the 15 one-hour sessions. Secondly, we are subsidizing these sports and recreation activities to a large extent which reaches 73%. Thirdly, I would like to say that the elderly people are not well looked after but the youngsters are always looked after by their parents.
MR. TONG KAM-BIU (in Cantonese):—I would like to ask whether the scale of charges has now been simplified since there have been complaints that they are very complicated. Is it acceptable to everyone now or can we further simplify that? Secondly, although 31,000 people enjoy our courses every year, it is actually a small proportion of our urban population especially in regard to children. Has the Committee considered organizing more classes quickly for the children?
MR. FAN KAM-PING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, on the first question relating to fees, if people have views to air on the learn-to-swim course fees, I am sure this will be reflected to us. There are various channels by which we could understand their views e.g. our staff working at the site and I have heard from the Chairman that every year there should be a review on fees, I am sure we will review when the time comes. As regards the 1,390 learn-to-swim classes with 31,900 participants, I would like to inform Members that because of lack of venue the 1,390 classes are in fact the maximum classes that we can organize. We would like to organize more classes if the need arises. As we are limited by availability of venue I am afraid we could not organize any more classes for the time being.
4. MRS. CHOW CHEUNG WAI-PING asked the following question (in Cantonese):—Is it true that it is not an uncommon phenomenon that land allocated to the Urban Council for development is often lying idle for a number of years before construction work can actually take place? To my knowledge, for instance, land earmarked for the Chai Wan Civic Centre has now allegedly become a mosquito
Page 107 of 185
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have decided, on the advice of their Department, not to go the closure route but to institute weekly prosecutions as a trial alternative instead. I should therefore add, here, that the larger number of unlicensed food premises operating in the urban area on the one hand and our staff resources on the other, preclude us from following such a trial policy ourselves.
The Municipal Services Branch is now liaising with the Law Draftsman with a view to getting the proposed amendment on the statute book as soon as possible.
At present, there are about 700 unlicensed restaurants in the Urban Council Area. Of these, 61% has not yet applied for the requisite licences. They are all subjected to monthly prosecutions by the Department.
MR. WALTER M. SULKE (in English):—Mr. Chairman, is the situation not completely unsatisfactory, not to say ridiculous? What will the Food Hygiene Select Committee do now to expedite this matter in view of the fact that it was decided almost two years ago to do something about it.
MR. L. H. KWAN (in English):----As I understand, Mr. Chairman, the Food Hygiene Select Committee would remind the Branch to hurry up and liaise with the Municipal Services Branch from time to time in order to give a speedy answer to Mr. Walter SULKE as soon as possible.
3. MISS CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG asked the following question (in Cantonese):— I understand that the entry fee for the learn-to-swim courses organized by the Council has recently been increased. May I ask whether potential learners who are not income earners such as teenagers and the elderly can apply for a discount or for exemption from such fee?
MR. FAN KAM-PING, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE RECREATION SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-The question refers to the recent fee increase for Council learn-to-swim courses and asks whether potential learners who are not income earners such as teenagers and the elderly, can apply for a discount or for exemption from such fees.
Fees for all Council recreation and sport courses were revised with effect from 1 September 1987. At that time, a simplified scale of charges was introduced to replace the somewhat complicated scales previously used. Under the new system, all courses are graded into one of three categories with fees set to reflect the popularity as well as the cost of the courses. Fees are now set at $30, $40 or $50 per course per participant to reflect essentially low, medium and high demand respectively. Participation in Council's learn-to-swim courses costs $50 for 15 one-hour sessions.
Council's recreation and sport programmes are heavily subsidized in order to keep the cost to the public as low as possible, with the overall subsidy on these programmes in 1986/87 reaching 73%.
HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
Page 107 of 185
205
In 1987/88, Council will organize 1 390 learn-to-swim courses for 31 900 participants. Arrangements are made to organize classes for specific groups, mainly based on age; these are toddlers, children, youths, adults, the elderly and the disabled. Courses for the elderly and the disabled are free of charge. No other concessionary rates are available in view of the high level of subsidy.
In 1988/89, a similar number of learn-to-swim courses will be organized. 70 of these courses will be organized specifically for the elderly and 16 courses for the disabled. This compares with 63 courses for the elderly and 12 for the disabled this year.
MRS. CECILIA L. Y. YEUNG (in Cantonese): I would like to ask a supplementary question. The elderly and the disabled are admitted free of charge to these courses but youngsters are not offered any concessionary rate. Is it fair?
MR. FAN KAM-PING (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, as I have just said, first of all the fee is set at very low level. It is very reasonable. It is $50 for the one hour session. Secondly, we are subsidizing these sports and recreation activities to a large extent which reaches 73%. Thirdly, I would like to say that the elderly people are not well looked after but the youngsters are always looked after by their parents.
MR. TONG KAM-BIU (in Cantonese):—I would like to ask whether the scale of charges has now been simplified since there have been complaints that they are very complicated. Is it acceptable to everyone now or can we further simplify that? Secondly, although 31 000 people enjoy our courses every year, it is actually a small proportion of our urban population especially in regard to children. Has the Committee considered organizing more classes quickly for the children?
MR. FAN KAM-PING (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, on the first question relating to fees, if people have views to air on the learn-to-swim course fees, I am sure this will be reflected to us. There are various channels by which we could understand their views e.g. our staff working at the site and I have heard from the Chairman that every year there should be a review on fees, I am sure we will review when the time comes. As regards the one thousand learn-to-swim classes with 31 000 participants, I would like to inform Members that because of lack of venue the 1000 cleasses are in fact the maximum classes that we can organize. We would like to organize more classes if the need arises. As we are limited by availability of venue I am afraid we could not organize any more classes for the time being.
4. MRS. CHOW CHEUNG WAI-PING asked the following question (in Can- tonese):—Is it true that it is not an uncommon phenomenon that land allocated to the Urban Council for development is often lying idle for a number of years before construction work can actually take place? To my knowledge, for instance, land earmarked for the Chai Wan Civic Centre has now allegedly become a mosquito
Page 107 of 185
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