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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

MR. JOSEPH Y. S. CHAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE LIBRARIES SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question concerns the provision of library facilities in the new Wong Nei Chung Market.

The Council's current policy is to provide a district library for every 200,000 people, with at least one in each of the ten urban districts. With the opening of the full-scale district library at the Urban Council Lockhart Road Complex, the approved scale of provision for the Wan Chai District (with a population of 195,944) has been met.

The Lockhart Road Public Library provides a full range of library facilities and is open seven days a week. Facilities include a lending library for adults and children, a quick reference collection, a newspapers and periodicals section, an audio-visual library, and extension activities room and a students' study room.

In recognition of the special needs of the less mobile sectors of the community, particularly young children and the elderly, a mobile library service is also provided at the junction of Link Road and Wong Nei Chung Road at Happy Valley.

Pending completion of the existing library expansion programme, the main concern of the Libraries Select Committee is to ensure that all ten urban districts are provided with comparable facilities in accordance with current policy, and the intention is to undertake a review of the current policy nearer the completion of the existing expansion programme.

Meanwhile, the planning of the new Wong Nei Chung Market is at a sufficiently early stage to provide the necessary flexibility to ensure that there will be adequate space and loading for a small library in the Market building, should the review indicate that the provision of additional library facilities is warranted.

5. THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN asked the following question (in Cantonese): Recently, there has been some public concern shown over the safety aspects of various kinds of permitted food additives; may I know what steps the department has taken or planned to take in controlling the use of and in educating members of the public as these chemicals could be harmful for human consumption if not properly used?

MR. L. H. KWAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE FOOD HYGIENE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in English):-This question asks what steps the Department has taken or planned to take in controlling the use of food additives and in educating members of the public about additives used in food.

The answer to this question is that food additives are not permitted for use in food manufacturing or food preparation unless and until they have been thoroughly evaluated for their safety in use in food by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. The Research and Development Section of the Food Section of Municipal Services Branch is in close contact with health authorities in advanced countries to keep Hong Kong abreast of international developments in the control and use of food additives. Specific food additives are prohibited if they have been proved to be hazardous to health.

HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL

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The use of permitted food additives in Hong Kong is controlled by the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Cap. 132 and its subsidiary legislation, such as the Colouring Matter in Food Regulations, the Preservatives in Food Regulations, the Food Adulteration (Artificial Sweeteners) Regulations, the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations and the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations.

Under the Food Safety Surveillance Programme of the Food Section, food samples are taken regularly and systematically for detection of, among other things, additives which are not permitted or those which are improperly used or in excess of the legal concentrations. Samples are taken both at the retail outlets and at the local food factories to ensure that the food items concerned are safe for human consumption.

Apart from enforcement action, food business operators and food manufacturers are from time to time reminded by letters to use food additives properly and discriminately.

With the implementation of the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulations 1985 in August 1987, manufacturers will be required to label their prepackaged food products with the list of ingredients, and all additives used in the preparation or manufacture of the food products will have to be declared. This will impart knowledge of additives used in the food to the general public.

THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, how many samples in regard to additives have been taken every month and also is there a need to step up activities by ways of public education and that is apart from what is being done within the industries i.e. the food business operators? In other words, is there a need to step up educating the public direct as well?

MR. L. H. KWAN (in English):-Mr. Chairman, I do not have the figure of the month. However, I have the figure of the year from 1986 April to this year March. A total of four thousand seven hundred and fifty-five food samples have been taken for analysis in the urban area. Of these samples, one hundred and fifty-seven were found to be unsatisfactory. And as to the second part of the question raised by Mr. CHEONG-LEEN concerning about the push up of public education. I think with the effect of the implementation of the Foods and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) (Amendment) Regulations 1985 to be effective in August 1987, I think the public would be fully aware of the ingredients of the prepared food products when they are buying from supermarkets etc.

6. MR. LAM CHAK-PIU asked the following question (in Cantonese):—I understand that the illegal cooked food hawkers usually operate their business at