LegCo to debate motion on reviewing Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme

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

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (January 16) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex.  During the meeting, Members will debate a motion on reviewing the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme.

     The motion, moved by Mr Shiu Ka-chun, states: "That, given that the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme is outdated, the amount of assistance received by CSSA recipients is unable to cover their basic needs in daily lives, this Council urges the Government to immediately review and improve the CSSA Scheme, particularly the mechanism to determine the amount of assistance, so as to safeguard the basic income of CSSA recipients."

     Dr Fernando Cheung, Mr Leung Che-cheung, Mr Leung Yiu-chung, Dr Kwok Ka-ki and Mr Au Nok-hin will move separate amendments to Mr Shiu Ka-chun's motion.

     Mr James To will move a motion on increasing housing supply in the short to medium term to rectify the problem of public housing shortage. The motion states: "That, in the recently announced Long Term Housing Strategy, the Government has revised the new public and private housing supply in the 10-year period from 2019-2020 to 2028-2029 to a ratio of 7:3; however, due to inadequate supply of land for housing construction, it is anticipated that public housing supply in the short to medium term will fail to meet the expected target; in this connection, this Council urges the Government to adopt the following measures to increase public housing supply in the short to medium term:

(1) to invoke the Lands Resumption Ordinance for the massive resumption of brownfield sites and idle agricultural lands in the New Territories, so as to open up new development areas for housing construction purpose;

(2) to fully resume the 172-hectare site of the Fanling Golf Course for developing housing and relevant ancillary facilities;

(3) to conduct studies on converting the use of the site which has been reserved for the second phase development of the Hong Kong Disneyland to public housing development;

(4) to negotiate with the Central Government for releasing certain idle or under-utilised military sites in Hong Kong for housing development purpose;

(5) to effect the participation of the Hong Kong Housing Authority in the 'Letting Scheme for Subsidised Sale Developments with Premium Unpaid' under the Hong Kong Housing Society, and to discuss the scheme with the Hong Kong Housing Society with a view to allowing owners to let their entire flats, subject to a pro-rata sharing of their rental incomes with the Government;

(6) to formulate redevelopment plans for aged public housing estates for the expeditious redevelopment of certain aged public housing estates with higher residual plot ratios, so as to increase the supply of public housing units; and

(7) to use the land resumed by the Urban Renewal Authority for developing subsidised housing (e.g. the 'Starter Homes' Scheme for Hong Kong Residents)."

     Dr Lo Wai-kwok, Mr Tony Tse, Dr Kwok Ka-ki, Ms Alice Mak, Dr Fernando Cheung, Mr Gary Fan, Mr Wilson Or, Mr Chu Hoi-dick and Dr Junius Ho will move separate amendments to Mr James To's motion.

     On government bill, the Second Reading debate on the Electoral Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2018 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.

     During the meeting, 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).  Please note that the agenda is subject to change, and the latest information about the agenda could be found on the LegCo Website.

     Members of the public are welcome to observe the proceedings of the meeting from the public galleries of the Chamber of the LegCo Complex.  They may reserve seats by calling 3919 3399 during office hours.  Members of the public can also watch or listen to the meeting via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website.