ENG-2012 — Page 205

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Food Safety, Environmental Hygiene, Agriculture and Fisheries

Of 24 sites in the 18 districts identified for columbarium development, the Diamond Hill Columbarium extension (offering about 1,500 niches) was completed in April 2012 and the Cheung Chau Cemetery extension (offering about 1,000 niches) is scheduled for completion in 2013. Detailed design and site investigation works for columbarium development at the Sandy Ridge Cemetery (expected to provide 200,000 niches by batches starting in 2022) will start in 2013.

Following two rounds of public consultation in 2010 and 2011, the Government aims to introduce a Bill into the Legislative Council in 2013 to enhance the regulation of private columbaria.

Licensing of Food Premises and Other Trades

The FEHD is the licensing authority for food businesses. It issues permits for the sale of restricted foods (including Chinese herbal tea, milk, frozen confections, sushi and sashimi) and licences for places of public entertainment (such as theatres, cinemas and entertainment machine centres). The department also licenses private swimming pools, commercial bathhouses and factories engaged in offensive trades. The FEHD provides executive and secretarial support to the Liquor Licensing Board, an independent statutory body that issues liquor licences, including those for clubs.

During 2012, the FEHD issued 6,523 full and provisional food business licences, 742 permits for restricted foods, 1,557 licences for places of public entertainment, 21 licences for other trades, 907 liquor and club liquor licences, and 11 permits for karaoke establishments in premises with restaurant licences.

In September 2012, the FEHD further shortened the time to process applications for live broadcasts in licensed cinemas from eight working days to four.

Food Safety and Labelling

The FEHD's Centre for Food Safety (CFS) is responsible for ensuring that food sold in Hong Kong is safe and fit for consumption. About 65,000 samples of food were taken at import, wholesale and retail points in 2012 for chemical, microbiological and radiological testing. The overall satisfaction rate of these tests was 99.8 per cent.

During 2012, about 28,900 vehicles carrying vegetables, and about 42,700 vehicles carrying live food animals including pigs, cattle, goats and poultry were inspected at the Food Control Office and Animal Inspection Station at Man Kam To, and about 5,115,900 live food animals were examined and about 48,500 blood and 58,300 urine, faecal and tissue samples were tested for zoonotic disease and veterinary drug residues.

The Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation was passed by the Legislative Council in June 2012 and will come into operation on 1 August 2014.

In November 2012, the Government embarked on a two-month public consultation exercise on legislative proposals relating to formula products and foods intended for infants and young

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