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obtain a PPEL from the Provisional Urban Council (PUC). Under the established procedure, the Department, upon receipt of an application, will refer the case to relevant government departments for comments and stipulation of licensing requirements, if necessary. Fire Services Department (FSD) must be consulted in respect of fire safety of the premises under application. The PUC will issue a PPEL only if all licensing requirements have been found complied with.
The requirement to obtain a FSC is contained in the Places of Public Entertainment (Amendment) Regulations 1996. Members were consulted on the draft amended Regulations in January 1995. With effect from 28 June 1996, when the Places of Public Entertainment (Amendment) Regulations 1996 came into force, the PUC requires PPEL applicants to produce a FSC issued by FSD as a documentary proof of full compliance of the imposed fire services requirements. At present, FSD levies a fee of $825 for a FSC. According to the Urban Services Department's records, since the introduction of the FSC, no applications for PPEL have been rejected on the grounds that the applicants were unable to obtain a FSC.
On the second part of the question, regarding the proposal of making known in advance to applicants of the requirement of FSC and the related charges, I have been advised that the Department has taken steps to amend the application form to include such information. This will take a little time as the Department has to arrange for printing of the new forms. However, the Department has incorporated this requirement into the existing information sheets on application for PPEL which the Department gives to every applicant.
Ms. GRACE AU YUK-HAR (in Cantonese):—I have some follow-up questions. First of all, how many applications for this type of licenses were received by the Department in the past year?
Secondly, are there sufficient manpower and resources for the Department to handle such cases efficiently? On average, how much processing time is required for an application?
Thirdly, were there cases in past years when organizations were found to have staged or organized public entertainment programmes at public places without first giving notice to the Department to apply for licenses? If the answer is yes or if there is any non-compliance in the applications, will the Department take any prosecution actions?
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, the Department did receive a number of applications in the past year. Since the implementation of the FSC rule in 1996, 572 PPEL were issued by the Department. In other words, the Department never turned down an
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Page 384 of 654
Page 384 of 654
1 age 384 of 654
380
HONG KONG PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
obtain a PPEL from the Provisional Urban Council (PUC). Under the established procedure. the Department, upon receipt of an application, will refer the case to relevant government departments for comments and stipulation of licensing requirements, if necessary. Fire Services Department (FSD) must be consulted in respect of fire safety of the premises under application. The PUC will issue a PPEL only if all licensing requirements have been found complied with.
The requirement to obtain a FSC is contained in the Places of Public Entertainment (Amendment) Regulations 1996. Members were consulted on the draft amended Regulations in January 1995. With effect from 28 June 1996, when the Places of Public Entertainment (Amendment) Regulations 1996 came into force, the PUC requires PPEL applicants to produce a FSC issued by FSD as a documentary proof of full compliance of the imposed fire services requirements. At present, FSD levies a fee of $825 for a FSC. According to the Urban Services Department's records, since the introduction of the FSC, no applications for PPEL have been rejected on the grounds that the applicants were unable to obtain a FSC.
On the second part of the question, regarding the proposal of making known in advance to applicants of the requirement of FSC and the related charges, I have been advised that the Department has taken steps to amend the application form to include such information. This will take a little time as the Department has to arrange for printing of the new forms. However, the Department has incorporated this requirement into the existing information sheets on application for PPEL which the Department gives to every applicant.
Ms. GRACE AU YUK-HAR (in Cantonese):—I have some follow up questions. First of all, how many applications for this type of licenses were received by the Department in the past year?
Secondly, are there sufficient manpower and resources for the Department to handle such cases efficiently? On average, how much processing time is required for an application?
Thirdly, were there cases in past years when organizations were found to have staged or organized public entertainment programmes at public places without first giving notice to the Department to apply for licenses? If the answer is yes or if there is any non-compliance in the applications, will the Department take any prosecution actions?
MR. JOSEPH CHAN YUEK-SUT (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, the Department did receive a number of applications in the past year. Since the implementation of the FSC rule in 1996, 572 PPEL were issued by the Department. In other words, the Department never turned down an
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