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Operators. If the operators fail to rectify the situation, the Department will take prosecution action against the operator under bylaw 32(1) of the Food Business (Urban Council) Bylaws, Cap. 132 for operating an unlicensed food business. In the past 12 months, the Department has not taken any prosecution against any canteen in breach of the said Bylaw.
For the third part of the question, the relevant government departments or public bodies seek advice on hygiene requirements from the Urban Services Department at the planning stage of their staff canteens.
Once such canteens are established and put in use, they are subject to regular inspections by health inspectors of the Department. The purpose of such inspections is to ensure that an acceptable hygiene standard is maintained. When the Department's inspectors find unhygienic conditions, this will be recorded in an inspection form, a copy of which the inspector will hand to the canteen operators and the management of the organizations. If the operator does not rectify the situation and commits food hygiene offences, the Department may take legal action. At present, the Department normally inspects canteens on a monthly basis, stepping up the frequency of inspections where circumstances warrant.
On the fourth part of the question, I am informed by the Department that it considers that there is no need for a change to the existing policy on monitoring of canteens. The Department is of the view that the various provisions of Cap. 132 covering food hygiene and sanitation of the premises, coupled with the Department's administrative control measures, provide adequate safeguards to protect the health of staff patronizing government and hospital canteens.
MRS. ADA WONG YING-KAY (in Cantonese):—I want to follow up on three aspects. I would like to know whether those cases exempted from licensing cover canteens in government buildings which are run by outside contractors. There are at present a lot of canteens in government buildings and hospitals which are contracted out to fast food syndicates. Are they also exempted?
The second aspect. When the Council's staff carry out inspection, what method is adopted to determine whether the canteens are open to the public or not? In paragraph 3 of the written reply, it is stated that no prosecution action was taken by the Department in the past year, but still I want to ask: was any warning issued?
The third aspect. Can the policy on exemption be reviewed by the Public Health Select Committee of the Council?
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, about the question of whether canteens in government buildings or public bodies (that is, government departments) are contracted out to private organizations, the answer is that as long as their management is undertaken by government
Page 343 of 654
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Page 343 of 654
Page 343 of 654
HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
339
Operators. If the operators fail to rectify the situation, the Department will take prosecution action against the operator under bylaw 32(1) of the Food Business (Urban Council) Bylaws, Cap. 132 for operating an unlicensed food bbusiness. In the past 12 months, the Department has not taken any pprosecution against any canteen in breach of the said Bylaw.
For the third part of the question, the relevant government departments or mublic bodies seek advice on hygiene requirements from the Urban Services Department at the planning stage of their staff canteens.
Once such canteens are established and put in use, they are subject to regular inspections by health inspectors of the Department. The purpose of such inspections is to ensure that an acceptable hygiene standard is maintained. When the Department's inspectors find unhygienic conditions, this will be recorded in an inspection form, a copy of which the inspector will hand to the canteen operators and the management of the organizations. If the operator adoes not rectify the situation and commits food hygiene offences, the Department may take legal action. At present, the Department normally iinspects canteens on a monthly basis, stepping up the frequency of inspections where circumstances warrant.
On the fourth part of the question, I am informed by the Department that it considers that there is no need for a change to the existing policy on monitoring of canteens. The Department is of the view that the various provisions of Cap. 132 covering food hygiene and sanitation of the premises, coupled with the Department's administrative control measures, provide adequate safeguards to protect the health of staff patronizing government and hospital canteens.
IMS. ADA WONG YING-KAY (in Cantonese):—f want to follow up on three aspects. I would like to know whether those cases exempted from licensing cover «canteens in government buildings which are run by outside contractors. There are aut present a lot of canteens in government buildings and hospitals which are œcontracted out to fast food syndicates. Are they also exempted?
The second aspect. When the Council's staff carry out inspection, what method iis adopted to determine whether the canteens are open to the public or not? In paragraph 3 of the written reply, it is stated that no prosecution action was taken by the Department in the past year, but still I want to ask: was any warning ússued?
The third aspect. Can the policy on exemption be reviewed by the Public Health Select Committee of the Council?
IMR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT ·(in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, about the question of whether canteens in government buildings or public bodies (that is, government departments) are contracted out to private organizations, the answer is that as long as their management is undertaken by government
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