The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (May 29) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Second Reading debate on the Dutiable Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2024 will resume. If the Bill is supported by Members and receives its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.

     In addition, the Construction Industry Security of Payment Bill will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debate on the Bill will be adjourned.

     On Members' motions, Professor Lau Chi-pang will move a motion on developing digital education. The motion is set out in Appendix 1. Professor William Wong, Mr Shang Hailong, Professor Chan Wing-kwong and Mr Kenneth Leung will move separate amendments to Professor Lau's motion.

     Mr Chan Hak-kan will move a motion on seizing the opportunities of accelerating the development of new quality productive forces in the country. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Dr Johnny Ng, Professor William Wong, Mr Sunny Tan, Mr Shang Hailong, Mr Dennis Leung, Dr Tan Yueheng and Mr Yim Kong will move separate amendments to Mr Chan's motion.

     Mr Duncan Chiu will move proposed resolution under section 34(4) of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance to extend the period for amending subsidiary legislation. The proposed resolution is set out in Appendix 3.

     Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral replies.

     The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats.

     On the first day of the expansion of the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) to cover eight Mainland cities, namely Taiyuan, Hohhot, Harbin, Lhasa, Lanzhou, Xining, Yinchuan and Urumqi, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, today (May 27) visited the Hong Kong International Airport Visitor Centre of the Hong Kong Tourism Board to ensure that relevant units are well prepared to welcome visitors from the eight cities with a view to providing them with comprehensive travel information about Hong Kong and extending warm hospitality to the visitors.

     "The further expansion of the IVS to cover all provincial capitals in our country will help Hong Kong better connect and interact with residents from all provincial capitals through tourism activities, while promoting two-way visits between Hong Kong and different provincial capital cities and attracting more high value-added overnight visitors to Hong Kong. We look forward to welcoming more visitors from different cities to come to explore Hong Kong and experience Hong Kong's unique appeal as an international tourism destination," Mr Yeung said.

     The Government has prepared a series of arrangements to allow Mainland visitors to personally experience the extraordinary charm of Hong Kong as an international metropolis and a culinary capital, which includes distributing vouchers valued at $200 by the Hong Kong Tourism Board to IVS visitors from the eight cities to enable them to spend at various types of restaurants and shops, as well as inviting representatives from the tourism trade of the eight cities and relevant Mainland media to Hong Kong to introduce to them Hong Kong's unique features, including the latest information of tourism products, with the aim of jointly promoting visitors' touring and consumption in Hong Kong.

     â€‹Starting from May 27, 2024, the number of designated Mainland cities eligible for the IVS have been increased to 59.

    

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (May 27) closely monitoring a human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) on the Mainland, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

     The case involves a 52-year-old female living in Quanzhou city in Fujian Province, who had exposure to backyard poultry before the onset of symptoms. She developed symptoms on April 13 and was admitted to a hospital for treatment on April 20. She passed away on April 30.

     From 2014 to date, 90 human cases of avian influenza A(H5N6) have been reported by Mainland health authorities.

     "All novel influenza A infections, including H5N6, are notifiable infectious diseases in Hong Kong," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     Travellers to the Mainland or other affected areas must avoid visiting wet markets, live poultry markets or farms. They should be alert to the presence of backyard poultry when visiting relatives and friends. They should also avoid purchasing live or freshly slaughtered poultry, and avoid touching poultry/birds or their droppings. They should strictly observe personal and hand hygiene when visiting any place with live poultry.

     Travellers returning from affected areas should consult a doctor promptly if symptoms develop, and inform the doctor of their travel history for prompt diagnosis and treatment of potential diseases. It is essential to tell the doctor if they have seen any live poultry during travel, which may imply possible exposure to contaminated environments. This will enable the doctor to assess the possibility of avian influenza and arrange necessary investigations and appropriate treatment in a timely manner.

     While local surveillance, prevention and control measures are in place, the CHP will remain vigilant and work closely with the World Health Organization and relevant health authorities to monitor the latest developments.

     The public should maintain strict personal, hand, food and environmental hygiene and take heed of the advice below when handling poultry:
 

• Avoid touching poultry, birds, animals or their droppings;
• When buying live chickens, do not touch them and their droppings. Do not blow at their bottoms. Wash eggs with detergent if soiled with faecal matter and cook and consume the eggs immediately. Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling chickens and eggs;
• Eggs should be cooked well until the white and yolk become firm. Do not eat raw eggs or dip cooked food into any sauce with raw eggs. Poultry should be cooked thoroughly. If there is pinkish juice running from the cooked poultry or the middle part of its bone is still red, the poultry should be cooked again until fully done;
• Wash hands frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, before handling food or eating, and after going to the toilet, touching public installations or equipment such as escalator handrails, elevator control panels or door knobs, or when hands are dirtied by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing; and
• Wear a mask if fever or respiratory symptoms develop, when going to a hospital or clinic, or while taking care of patients with fever or respiratory symptoms.

     
     â€‹The public may visit the CHP's pages for more information: the avian influenza page, the weekly Avian Influenza Report, global statistics and affected areas of avian influenza, the Facebook Page and the YouTube Channel.

     The Planning Department (PlanD) today (May 27) announced that the department has completed the latest round of review which has examined the long-term use of a total of four to-be-vacant school premises sites in accordance with the Central Clearing House (CCH) mechanism. The report, incorporated with the latest review results, is now available on the PlanD's website (www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/resources/vsp/index.html) and at the PlanD's Planning Enquiry Counters located at the North Point Government Offices and the Sha Tin Government Offices for public viewing.

     The four sites, including one re-examined site, are located in Eastern, Southern, Wan Chai and Tai Po Districts. Three of these sites are recommended to be retained for government, institution or community (G/IC) uses, and the remaining one is recommended for residential use in the long term.

     Since the establishment of the CCH mechanism in 2011, the PlanD has reviewed a total of 259 vacant or to-be-vacant school premises sites, including the above-mentioned four sites. In respect of the recommended long-term uses, 41 sites have been recommended for public or private residential use, and 193 sites have been recommended to be retained for G/IC uses. The remaining 25 sites, which are former village schools located within village areas in the New Territories, have been recommended to be retained as village type development, rural use, open space, etc, in the long term.

     In accordance with the status of site utilisation (as at December 2023), the majority of these sites (157 sites) have already been or will be put to the recommended long-term uses such as public and private housing and various G/IC uses. The other 52 sites are available for applications by non-government organisations (NGOs) for short-term beneficial community uses (relevant organisations may refer to the "GeoInfo Map" website (www.map.gov.hk/gm/map/search/faci/__VGS?lg=en)). There is only one site the availability of which for short-term uses is subject to further confirmation. For the remaining 49 sites, they are wholly or mostly on private land and their utilisation depends on private land owners' initiatives having regard to the applicable uses in statutory planning terms and lease conditions. Members of the public can contact the relevant managing parties for the latest information on these sites.

     In accordance with the CCH mechanism, upon the Education Bureau confirming sites of vacant or to-be-vacant school premises are no longer required for school uses, the PlanD would periodically review and recommend suitable long-term uses for these sites for follow-up actions by relevant bureaux/departments. Before implementation of the long-term use for individual vacant school premises sites, the sites concerned could be made available for applications by NGOs for short-term community, institutional or non-profit making uses.

     To encourage more Hong Kong students studying in Mainland universities to join the civil service of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) led a delegation for the first time, together with representatives from the Civil Aviation Department, Civil Engineering and Development Department, Highways Department and Leisure and Cultural Services Department, to visit the campuses of Shenzhen University, Jinan University and Huaqiao University in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, and Quanzhou respectively, to conduct recruitment talks for three consecutive days starting today (May 27). 

     The Director of General Grades of the CSB, Mr Hermes Chan, told the Hong Kong students present at the recruitment talk at Shenzhen University that different departments and grades of the HKSAR Government recruit a large number of people every year to provide young persons with job opportunities of different types and nature, as well as offer long-term and stable career development. These jobs are suitable for people who are determined to contribute to the country, serve Hong Kong and accept challenges. The CSB conducted recruitment talks at universities in Guangdong and Fujian last year, and many Hong Kong students expressed interest in the civil service posts. This is the first time for the CSB and other departments to have formed a delegation to visit universities in Guangdong and Fujian to introduce the diverse career opportunities provided by the HKSAR Government. He encouraged Hong Kong students with aspirations to serve the community to equip themselves early to join the civil service. 

     The recruitment talk introduced the work, entry requirements, recruitment processes and related information for positions including Executive Officer, Clerical and Secretarial Grades, Student Air Traffic Control Officer, Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology Graduates, Technical Officers, Works Supervisors, Leisure Services Managers, Amenities Assistants and civil service/contract Lifeguards. There was also a mock interview session for the first time, enabling students to acquire first-hand experience of the interview process, receive on-the-spot assessment and advice, and enrich their interview experience and skills. 

     The delegation will visit Jinan University and Huaqiao University tomorrow (May 28) and the next day (May 29) respectively to conduct recruitment talks.

     For information on matters related to civil service recruitment and job vacancies, as well as the latest examination arrangements, please visit the website of the CSB: https://www.csb.gov.hk/english/recruit/7.html.