Following is a question by the Hon Chan Chi-chuen and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for the Environment, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (May 22):

Question:

     In its reply to a question raised by me on February 28 last year, the Government said that the air quality in Tung Chung continued to improve from 2013 to 2017. However, quite a number of Tung Chung residents have recently relayed to me that they feel that the air quality in Tung Chung has continued to deteriorate in recent months (especially after the commissioning of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge). In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of exceedances of concentrations of various pollutants (including respirable suspended particulates (i.e. PM10), fine suspended particulates (i.e. PM2.5), ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide), as recorded by the air quality monitoring station in Tung Chung last year, against the Air Quality Objectives or other relevant objectives, and the details of the exceedances of each type of pollutants, including the respective average and maximum extent of exceedances and concentrations;

(2) of the measures to be implemented to ensure that the air quality in Tung Chung will not further deteriorate; and

(3) whether it has regularly reviewed the effectiveness of the various air quality improvement measures for improving the air quality in Tung Chung; if so, of the outcome; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     My consolidated responses to the questions raised by the Member are as follows:

     The overall air quality of Hong Kong (including Tung Chung) has been improving in recent years. From 2014 to 2018, the annually average concentration of key air pollutants including respirable suspended particulates (RSP or PM10), fine suspended particulates (FSP or PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) recorded at the Tung Chung Air Quality Monitoring Station has dropped by about 20 to 30 per cent, while the ozone (O3) level remained flat. The details are set out in Annex I and Annex II.

     Ozone is a complicated regional air pollution problem. It is not directly emitted from pollution sources but formed by photochemical reactions of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds from various pollution sources in the region under sunlight. It can be transported by wind and affect different areas in the region.

     In addition to our efforts to reducing local emissions, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is working with the Guangdong Province to tackle the regional air pollution. According to the monitoring data in Annex II, it can be seen that the downward trend of key pollutant concentrations in Tung Chung is discernible while the concentration of PM2.5, as an indicator of the regional smog problem, also showed a declining trend. With the progressive reduction in the concentration of various pollutants, it is anticipated that the photochemical reactions resulting in formation of O3 will slow down gradually in the future. The Government will continue to monitor the air quality of various districts in Hong Kong including Tung Chung and evaluate the effectiveness of the control measures.

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Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (May 22) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     Following is a question by the Hon Andrew Wan Siu-kin and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, in the Legislative Council today (May 22):
 
Question :
 
     It is learnt that currently, the land leases/deeds of mutual covenant of some subsidised sale housing courts provide that property owners in such housing courts are required to bear the repair and maintenance costs of the slopes/retaining walls within or adjoining their housing courts. The property owners of such housing courts have relayed that the costs concerned are huge, posing a heavy financial burden on them. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council, of the respective subsidised sale housing courts whose owners are (i) required and (ii) not required to bear part of or all of the repair and maintenance costs of the slopes/retaining walls within or adjoining their housing courts (set out the details in a table by name of housing court), and whether the Government will bear such costs for the property owners concerned in order to alleviate their financial burden?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     My consolidated reply to Hon Andrew Wan's question is as follows:
 
     Same as other private properties in general, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA)'s subsidised sale flats (SSFs) are governed by the Building Management Ordinance, related legislations and regulations, the Government leases (land leases) and Deeds of Mutual Covenant (DMCs). Day-to-day management of these properties are undertaken by the property management companies appointed by the Owners' Corporations (OCs) pursuant to the land leases, DMCs and related ordinances.
 
     According to the requirements under the land leases of the lots where these courts are located and the DMCs of these courts, the owners of the lots are responsible for the proper management, maintenance and repair (M&M) of the common areas and facilities, including roads, slopes/retaining walls (including those within the lot boundaries or adjoining slopes/retaining walls of which lot owners are responsible for as stipulated under the land leases), recreational facilities, building services facilities such as fire services installations, etc. The OCs and their property management companies are required to perform the relevant M&M duties on behalf of all owners in accordance with the ordinances, land leases and DMCs. If HA owns part of the lot, HA has the responsibility to share the M&M expenses of the specified common areas and facilities in accordance with the provisions of the DMC.
 
     Same as other private properties, the responsibilities of the owners of the SSF courts (including the slopes/retaining walls that are required to be maintained and repaired inside and outside the lot boundaries of the courts) have been clearly stated in the land leases and DMCs. Owners are obliged to understand their responsibilities when purchasing the flats. Therefore, the Government and HA consider it inappropriate to use public fund to subsidise individual owners to repair the related slopes/retaining walls within or adjoining the court boundaries.
 
     Currently, there are 80 SSF courts of which the owners are responsible for the M&M costs of the slopes/retaining walls within or adjoining the boundaries of the courts. The list of these courts is at the Annex.

     Following is a question by the Hon Charles Mok and a written reply by the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang, in the Legislative Council today (May 22):
 
Question:
 
     The Government established the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund (ITVF) in September 2017 to encourage applications from venture capital (VC) funds for becoming ITVF's co-investment partners and co-investing in local innovation and technology (I&T) start-ups, so as to fill the funding gap encountered by such start-ups and cultivate an I&T ecosystem. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) since the establishment of ITVF,
     (i) of the number of enquiries received by ITVF from VC funds,
     (ii) of the number of investee companies involved in the investment proposals received by ITVF from partner VC funds, with a breakdown by type of business, and
     (iii) of the ratios of the shares in co-invested start-ups held respectively by ITVF and various partner VC funds; 

(2) of the modus operandi of the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund Advisory Committee, and the number of meetings held by the Committee each month; and 

(3) of the time generally needed by ITVF to decide the acceptance or otherwise of an investment proposal, as well as (i) the number of investment partners from which investment proposals have been received, (ii) the number of investment proposals received and (iii) the percentage of investment proposals accepted, by ITVF so far; the general reasons for declining investment proposals? 

Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Government set up the $2 billion Innovation and Technology Venture Fund (ITVF) to co-invest with partner venture capital (VC) funds in local innovation and technology (I&T) start-ups at an investment ratio of around 1:2, with a view to encouraging more private investment in local I&T start-ups and building a more vibrant I&T ecosystem in Hong Kong.
 
     Our consolidated reply to the various parts of the question is as follows:
 
     Between September 2017 and January 2018, ITVF publicly invited VC funds to apply as ITVF's co-investment partners (CP).  During this period, we received about 30 enquiries and 14 applications from VC funds. We entered into agreement with a total of six VC funds to become CPs in July and August 2018.
 
     We have so far received 9 investment proposals, with proposed investee companies engaging in the following businesses: financial technology (3); e‑commerce (3); supply chain management (1); biotechnology (1); and artificial intelligence (1).  Assessment of 3 investment proposals have been completed. The ITVF has invested about $12 million in two local I&T start-ups which engage respectively in e-commerce and supply chain management. The investment ratios between the ITVF and the CPs concerned were about 1:2. The shareholding ratios involve commercially sensitive information, e.g. company valuations, which is bounded by the confidentiality clauses and cannot be disclosed.
 
     In general, we would notify the CPs our investment decisions shortly after consulting the views of the ITVF Advisory Committee (the Committee) and completing the relevant procedures. The key factors of our consideration include:

• the proposed investee company shall have I&T elements and sufficient business operation in Hong Kong; and
• the business of the proposed investee company shall not be in conflict with government policy or legislation nor involve activities that may bring the Government into disrepute.

 
     The Committee holds meetings on a need basis and handles ITVF-related matters by means of circulation from time to time.

     The critically acclaimed off-Broadway solo play "The Other Mozart", created, written and performed by Sylvia Milo from the United States, will debut in July in Hong Kong. 
 
     The play had an off-Broadway run in New York at HERE Arts Center, in London at St James's Theatre and in Munich at the Pasinger Fabrik, and was presented in Salzburg at the invitation of the Mozarteum Foundation (inside Mozart's Wohnhaus apartment) and in Vienna at Mozarthaus Vienna (Mozart's Domgasse home). The monodrama continues to be presented internationally, currently in four languages, performed by Sylvia Milo or another actress, with over 250 performances to date.
 
     "The Other Mozart" tells the true, untold story of another Mozart genius, Nannerl Mozart, the sister of Wolfgang Amadeus. She was a prodigy, keyboard virtuoso and composer performing throughout Europe with her brother to equal acclaim, but her work and her story have faded away, lost to history.
    
     The play is set in a stunning 18-foot dress designed by Magdalena Dabrowska of the National Theatre of Poland. Directed by Isaac Byrne, the play is based on facts, stories and lines taken directly from the Mozart family's humorous and heart-breaking letters.

     With the opulent beauty of the dress and hair design, the sweet smell of perfume and the clouds of dusting powder rising from the stage, the performance creates a multi-sensory experience and transports the audience into a world of outsized beauty and delight – but also of overwhelming restrictions and prejudice where, finally, this other Mozart tells her story.
 
     Along with music composed by her famous brother and Marianna Martines (a female composer who inspired Nannerl), original music was written for the play by Nathan Davis and Phyllis Chen – featured composers of the Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival, the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the International Contemporary Ensemble – for the instruments Nannerl knew intimately, such as clavichords, music boxes and bells as well as teacups, fans and other ordinary objects that might have captured her imagination.
 
     Period-style movement directed by Janice Orlandi creates a world of opulence and elegance through the articulate delicacy of expressive balletic gestures, reverent court bows and fan language.
 
     "The Other Mozart" (in English with Chinese surtitles) is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The performances will be staged at 8pm on July 12 and 13 (Friday and Saturday) and at 3pm on July 13 and 14 (Saturday and Sunday) at the Studio Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets, priced $220 and $300, are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7325 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/theatre/programs_797.html.
 
     Meet-the-artist sessions with Sylvia Milo and Nathan Davis, to be conducted in English, will be held in the evenings on July 12 and 13 (Friday and Saturday) and after the July 14 (Sunday) matinee show. Members of the audience are welcome to stay behind for the sessions.