The latest test results of an opening-up investigation in the second stage of the holistic assessment strategy for Hung Hom Station Extension under Shatin to Central Link (SCL) Project (as at December 28) are now available at the Highways Department's website for the SCL project (www.hyd.gov.hk/en/road_and_railway/railway_projects/scl/index.html) for reference by the public.

     In response to media reports on short term tenancy (STT) information on the GeoInfo Map, the spokesman for the Lands Department (LandsD) gave the following reply today (December 28):
 
     The LandsD announced yesterday (December 27) that it uploaded information on those STTs granted since January 1, 2018, and those with rent reviewed during the same period, onto the GeoInfo Map, with updates on a quarterly basis. This initiative supports a major direction of the Development Bureau in recent years to gradually enhance the transparency of land information, and is also a continuation of a number of initiatives adopted by the LandsD in recent years to open up information access (including the online promulgation in 2017 of the list of vacant school premises and vacant government sites available for letting).  
 
     Currently, there are around 5 500 valid STTs with a total area of approximately 2 500 hectares. In terms of area, around 90% of the STTs are being used for public, community and commercial purposes to meet the various needs of the society, including works sites or works area for projects such as railway, public housing and airport construction works; commercial uses such as carparks and workshops; non-profit-making uses such as social welfare and religious uses; and public utilities related uses. Relatively speaking, the around 1 950 tenancies for private garden use account for less than 2% (around 43 hectares) of the total area of all STTs.
 
     The LandsD has all along considered STT applications in accordance with the established mechanism, including STT applications for private garden use. Applications for STT involving private garden use must fulfill certain basic criteria, including that the subject government land can hardly be leased on its own to persons other than the applicant due to factors such as its location, topography, area, planning use, etc., and that the government land does not have any other use in the short term. By letting out such vacant government land, the Government can optimise the utilisation of land resources on one hand and save public resources for managing this type of vacant land on the other. When considering an STT application, the LandsD does not take account of the applicant’s background. 
 
      Applicants with STT granted have to pay full market rent, which will be assessed by professional surveyors of the LandsD who will make professional consideration of factors such as land use, location, topography, area, and market demand and supply. As this type of garden tenancy sites can only be used for garden purpose and have limited development potential, their rental assessment is not the same as that of general residential sites, rendering a direct comparison between the two inappropriate.

     The Government announced today (December 28) the quarterly land sale programme for the fourth quarter of 2018-19, i.e. January to March 2019.
      
     “In the fourth quarter of 2018-19, the Government will sell by tender four residential sites, with two in Kai Tak, and one each on Lantau and in Yuen Long. The total estimated flat yield is about 1 860 units,” the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong, said.
      
      In this quarter, the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) is planning to tender Package 11 of the LOHAS Park, which is estimated to provide about 1 650 flats, while the two Urban Renewal Authority (URA) projects on Hang On Street in Kwun Tong and on Ash Street in Tai Kok Tsui can provide a total of about 210 units. 
      
     “Including private development and redevelopment projects which are capable of providing about 230 units, the private housing land supply in the fourth quarter of 2018-19 is estimated to have a capacity to produce about 3 950 flats in total,” Mr Wong said.
      
     Combining all sources, the private housing land supply in 2018-19 has a capacity of providing about 13 850 flats.
      
     Mr Wong remarked that this supply had taken account of the new public/private split for the supply of housing units recently announced in the Long Term Housing Strategy Annual Progress Report 2018, under which 70% would be for public housing and 30% for private housing.  
      
     Mr Wong also noted that the supply of private housing land had stayed at a relatively high level for a period of time. Taking the three-year period from 2016-17 to 2018-19 as an example, the annual average private housing land supply had a capacity to produce nearly 20 000 flats. In addition, based on the latest projection as at end-September 2018, there would be some 93 000 units available in the first-hand private residential property market for the coming three to four years.
      
     He added that in light of the new public/private split, the Government would also increase the supply of land for public housing development through a multi-pronged approach, including changing land use and suitably increasing development intensity, and using 70% of housing units on Government’s newly developed land for public housing purpose.
      
     On land supply for economic uses, Mr Wong said that the Government will sell by tender in the fourth quarter of 2018-19 one commercial/hotel site in Kai Tak, capable of providing about 80 200 square metres of gross floor area. The successful bidder of this site will be required to provide floor area for hotel use, which is estimated to provide about 480 to 800 hotel rooms.
      
     The list of the sites to be tendered in January to March 2019 is attached. The actual tender timetable will be drawn up taking into account the progress of necessary preparatory work. The Lands Department will separately announce the detailed land sale arrangements before individual sites are tendered.
   

Attention Duty Announcers, Radio and TV Stations:

     Please broadcast the following special announcement immediately, and repeat it at frequent intervals:

     With the approach of cold weather, the Social Welfare Department (SWD) reminds the elderly to take precautionary measures during the cold spell. Relatives, friends and neighbours are encouraged to show concern and care for the health of frail elderly persons, particularly those living alone. Those in need may call the SWD hotline at 2343 2255 for assistance.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 28) that a sample of frozen tuna imported from Japan was found to contain a metal contaminant, mercury, at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the case.

     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample at import level for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that it contained mercury at a level of 0.71 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 0.5 ppm."

     The spokesman said the CFS had informed the importer concerned of the irregularity and had requested it to stop sale of the affected product. 

     "Mercury may affect the nervous system, particularly the developing brain. At high levels, mercury can affect foetal brain development, and affect vision, hearing, muscle co-ordination and memory in adults. Furthermore, as some international organisations such as the World Health Organization have pointed out, consuming predatory fish species is the main source of mercury intake for human beings. The report of the CFS' Total Diet Study has also pointed out that large fish or predatory fish species may contain high mercury levels (for example, tuna, alfonsino, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy and king mackerel). Hence, groups particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of mercury, such as pregnant women, women planning pregnancy and young children, should opt for fish that are smaller in size for consumption and avoid consumption of the above-mentioned types of fish which may contain high mercury levels to minimise the health risk posed to the foetus, infants and young children by excessive exposure to metal contaminants in food," he added.

     According to the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap 132V), any person who sells food with metallic contamination above the legal limit may be prosecuted and is liable upon conviction to a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     "People are advised to maintain a balanced and varied diet. To avoid health risks posed by excessive intake of metallic contaminants, pregnant women, women planning pregnancy and young children should avoid eating large or predatory fish," the spokesman said.

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing.