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departments and their customers are government employees, the Council would not interfere with the policy on their management, but these canteens still have to meet the requirement for exemption.
Secondly, to find out whether the canteens are open to outsiders is a bit difficult. If students in uniform are found eating in the canteens of government hospitals, then of course one can tell from their appearance that they are not government employees. It is only in this way that one can tell whether the canteens are open to outsiders. Normally they are not open to the public. Rather it is members of the public who patronize them for the sake of convenience. For example, hospital canteens are for staff's use but very often, visitors who feel hungry also patronize the canteens nearby. Certainly, canteen operators would not ask their customers to show their identification document to prove that they are working there. Neither would they sell food only to those with staff's identity cards. If outsiders were found to be patronizing these canteens, we would warn them. In the past 12 months, 62 verbal warnings were issued to canteens where the above situation was found.
We can carry out a review but at present, the Department considers that as far as the maintenance of hygienic standard is concerned, the existing policy is able to safeguard the health of the staff and therefore, there is for the time being no need to review the policy. If the situation gets so worse as to affect public hygienic safety, a review can of course be carried out.
MR. CHAN KWOK-LEUNG (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, in fact this type of canteen was mentioned in the paper submitted by the Public Health Select Committee a few months ago. Private clubs (food clubs) were also covered. Clubs are licensed by the Home Affairs Department while no licences are required for canteens. In fact this is a legal loophole, because the law only covers food premises and the legislation concerned is the Food Business (Urban Council) Bylaws. Those places which are not running a business (that is, only canteens or clubs are run) are in fact exempted. The problem is that we can invoke neither the Food Business (Urban Council) Bylaws to impose stringent control over this type of canteen nor the points and grading system, as a result of which this type of canteen and the clubs I mentioned earlier are entirely outside our control.
At the meeting of the Public Health Select Committee a few months ago, the Department undertook to review whether the exemption enjoyed by this type of canteen should be withdrawn. May I ask the Chairman of the Select Committee whether this can be followed up and whether the related papers on the review can be submitted to the meeting for discussion? Frankly speaking, which canteen or club would not play tricks? All of them do allow members of the public to patronize them as if they were normal canteens.
Mr. Joseph Chan Yuek-sut (in Cantonese): Mr. Chairman, private clubs are issued club safety licences by the Home Affairs Department and are
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departments and their customers are government employees, the Counci would not interfere with the policy on their management, but these canteens still have to meet the requirement for exemption.
Secondly, to find out whether the canteens are open to outsiders is a bi■ difficult. If students in uniform are found cating in the canteens of governmen■ hospitals, then of course one can tell from their appearance that they are no government employees. It is only in this way that one can tell whether the canteens are open to outsiders. Normally they are not open to the public Rather it is members of the public who patronize them for the sake of convenience. For example, hospital canteens are for staff's use but very ofter. visitors who feel hungry also patronize the canteens nearby. Certainly, canteer. operators would not ask their customers to show their identification document to prove that they are working there. Neither would they sell food only to those with staff's identity cards. If outsiders were found to be patronizing these canteens, we would warn them. In the past 12 months, 62 verbal warnings were issued to canteens where the above situation was found.
We can carry out a review but at present, the Department considers that as far as the maintenance of hygienic standard is concerned, the existing policy is able to safeguard the health of the staff and therefore, there is for the time being no need to review the policy. If the situation gets so worse as to affect public hygienic safety, a review can of course be carried out.
MR. CHAN KWOK-LEUNG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, in fact this type of canteen was mentioned in the paper submitted by the Public Health Select Committee a few months ago. Private clubs (food clubs) were also covered. Clubs are licensed by the Home Affairs Department while no licences are required for canteens. In fact this is a legal loophole, because the law only covers food premises and the legislation concerned is the Food Business (Urban Council) Bylaws. Those places which are not running a business (that is, only canteens or clubs are run) are in fact exempted. The problem is that we can invoke neither the Food Business (Urban Council) Bylaws to impose stringent control over this type of canteen nor the points and grading system, as a result of which this type of canteen and the clubs I mentioned earlier are entirely outside our control.
At the meeting of the Public Health Select Committee a few months ago, the Department undertook to review whether the exemption enjoyed by this type of canteen should be withdrawn. May I ask the Chairman of the Select Committee whether this can be followed up and whether the related papers on the review can be submitted to the meeting for discussion? Frankly speaking, which canteen or club would not play tricks? All of them do allow members of the public to patronize them as if they were normal canteens.
Mr. Joseph Chan Yuek-sut (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, private clubs are issued club safety licences by the Home Affairs Department and are
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