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Urban Services Department and approval by the Council. Departmental financial accounts are also checked by the Director of Health's own internal audit teams and by the Audit Department.
Regarding the fourth part of the question, the Hygiene Division of the Department of Health, in addition to other administrative, professional and general grade staff, has 62 Health Inspectors Grades I/II on establishment. They are responsible for food surveillance and the control of food imports and exports at the Airport, frontier checkpoints and throughout Hong Kong. The Urban Services Department has an establishment of 168 Health Inspectors Grades I/II in 11 urban districts. Their duties include safeguarding environmental hygiene and food hygiene in licensed premises and food retail outlets. Health Inspectors of USD and the Department of Health are supervised by senior officers of each department who have regular contact with one another through regular inter-departmental meetings. Health Inspectors, in whichever department they work, are seeking to achieve a common goal, i.e. to ensure food safety for the protection of public health. Their work complements one another and there is the closest co-operation in many areas, such as the investigation of food poisoning cases, food complaints, the control of meat from illegal sources and pesticide tainted vegetables.
Mr. Chairman, concerning the relationship between the Urban Council and the Department of Health and the changes then, as you were the Chairman of the Public Health Committee, perhaps you may wish to give supplementary replies should Members have further in-depth enquiries.
MR. CHAN KWOK-LEUNG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, the relationship between the Urban Council and the Department of Health is very complicated indeed. Some of the duties in connection with food hygiene which were originally taken up by the Urban Council were transferred to the Department of Health. I would like to ask, is the Department of Health accountable to us for these duties? Does it agree to our monitoring its performance of such duties and does it report to us regularly on its enforcement of the relevant legislations? Besides, over $50 million are allocated to the Department of Health by the Urban Council each year. Are the internal audit report of the Department of Health and the consolidated audit report of the Audit Department in respect of the funds submitted to the Urban Council for examination? Will officials of the Department of Health attend our meetings to explain the expenditures of these funds?
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, the Department of Health is responsible for food hygiene through its Hygiene Division. The Hygiene Services Committee comprises representatives from the Health and Welfare Branch, the 2 Municipal Councils, the Agriculture and Fisheries Department and the Department of Health. The work of the Department of Health includes safeguarding food hygiene in the territory and
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165
Urban Services Department and approval by the Council. Departmental financial accounts are also checked by the Director of Health's own internal audit teams and by the Audit Department.
Regarding the fourth part of the question, the Hygiene Division of the Department of Health, in addition to other administrative, professional and general grade staff, has 62 Health Inspectors Grades I/11 on establishment. They are responsible for food surveillance and the control of food imports and exports at the Airport, frontier checkpoints and throughout Hong Kong. The Urban Services Department has an establishment of 168 Health Inspectors Grades I/II in 11 urban districts. Their duties include safeguarding environmental hygiene and food hygiene in licensed premises and food retail outlets. Health Inspectors of USD and the Department of Health are supervised by senior officers of each department who have regular contact with one another through regular inter-departmental meetings. Health Inspectors, in whichever department they work, are seeking to achieve a common goal, i.e. to ensure food safety for the protection of public health. Their work complements one another and there is the closest co-operation in many areas, such as the investigation of food poisoning cases, food complaints, the control of meat from illegal sources and pesticide tainted vegetables.
Mr. Chairman, concerning the relationship between the Urban Council and the Department of Health and the changes then, as you were the Chairman of the Public Health Committee, perhaps you may wish to give supplementary replies should Members have further in-depth enquiries.
MR. CHAN KWOK-LEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, the relationship between the Urban Council and the Department of Health is very complicated indeed. Some of the duties in connection with food hygiene which were originally taken up by the Urban Council were transferred to the Department of Health. I would like to ask, is the Department of Health accountable to us for these duties? Does it agree to our monitoring its performance of such duties and does it report to us regularly on its enforcement of the relevant legislations? Besides, over $50 million are allocated to the Department of Health by the Urban Council each year. Are the internal audit report of the Department of Health and the consolidated audit report of the Audit Department in respect of the funds submitted to the Urban Council for examination? Will officials of the Department of Health attend our meetings to explain the expenditures of these funds?
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, the Department of Health is responsible for food hygiene through its Hygiene Division. The Hygiene Services Committee comprises representatives from the Health and Welfare Branch, the 2 Municipal Councils, the Agriculture and Fisheries Department and the Department of Health. The work of the Department of Health includes safeguarding food hygiene in the territory and
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