The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 11) announced the results of a recently completed targeted food surveillance project on coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms (including Staphylococcus aureus) in ready-to-eat food, which showed that all samples passed the test.
 
     A spokesman for the CFS said that a total of 300 ready-to-eat food samples were collected from different retail outlets (including online retailers) and food factories for testing of coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms this year. The samples included meat, poultry and their products (for example shredded chicken, siu mei and lo mei), salad, sashimi and sushi, dessert, Chinese cold dishes, sandwiches and steamed rice rolls.
 
     The spokesman pointed out that Staphylococcus aureus is a common bacterium that can cause food poisoning. It exists widely in the environment and is commonly found in the nasal cavity, throat, hair and skin of healthy individuals. It is also present in large numbers in wounds and infected regions. If food handlers do not observe good personal hygiene, Staphylococcus aureus can pass to foods from them. Foods stored at ambient temperature for a prolonged period will allow the toxin-producing Staphylococcus aureus to multiply and form elaborate enterotoxins which can cause food poisoning. Although most cases of infection are caused by Staphylococcus aureus, other coagulase-positive staphylococci species can also produce enterotoxins which can lead to food poisoning.
 
     Food poisoning caused by coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms is usually associated with foods that require considerable handling during preparation and no subsequent cooking is required before consumption. The poisoning risk cannot be eliminated by reheating as enterotoxins produced by coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms cannot be destroyed under normal cooking temperatures. Common symptoms of food poisoning caused by coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, often accompanied by diarrhoea.
 
     "Despite the fact that test results of the samples were all satisfactory, the trade and the public should not take the risk lightly. They should always maintain good personal, environmental and food hygiene to ensure food safety. To prevent food poisoning caused by coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms, members of the public are reminded to keep perishable foods or leftovers at or below 4 degrees Celsius or above 60 degrees C. The trade should adhere to the Good Manufacturing Practice that cooked food should be cooled from 60 degrees C to 20 degrees C as quickly as possible (within two hours), and from 20 degrees C to 4 degrees C within four hours or less," the spokesman said.

     Following is a question by Hon Vincent Cheng and a reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, in the Legislative Council today (July 11):

     It has been reported that 13 "rocking chairs", play equipment for children located in a public housing estate, were in a dilapidated state, but the Government merely replaced them with the same number of new "rocking chairs". Some members of the public have criticised that such play equipment was monotonous and uninteresting, and the spending of $210,000 on such equipment appeared to be a waste of public money. On the other hand, one of the tasks of the Commission on Children, which was established by the Government in May this year, is to review the designs of children's playgrounds throughout the territory with a view to making playgrounds more interesting. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) whether it will comprehensively review and improve the designs and play equipment of the existing and the newly built playgrounds; if so, of the details and the implementation timetable;
 
(2) whether it will change the current standardised designs for children's playgrounds under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Housing Department by collecting ideas of creative designs through design competitions or public engagement exercises, so as to introduce in various playgrounds more thematic designs and special features, add play equipment which makes use of various natural materials such as water and sand for provision of sensory experience, as well as introduce play equipment which offers more challenges to children while complying with safety standards; and
 
(3) as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child stipulates that a child has the right to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child, and as the findings of an opinion survey conducted by a local group have shown that parents generally consider that the designs of the existing public playgrounds for children have failed to cater for the intellectual and physical development needs of children of different ages, whether the authorities or the Commission on Children will examine if the existing facilities in children's playgrounds are able to cater for this right of the child, and whether they will revise the guidelines for designing playgrounds; if they will, of the details?

Reply:

President,

(1)&(2) The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) manages 640 leisure venues with outdoor children’s playgrounds.  A “universal play” concept is adopted by LCSD in planning for play equipment with a view to providing inclusive, interesting and innovative play equipment to cater for the needs of children of different ages and abilities and their parents.  To strengthen the appeal to children, themes and popular play facilities such as climbing frames, slides and swings, etc. will also be included in the playgrounds as far as possible.  All the facilities have to meet internationally recognised safety standards.  In designing facilities for individual venues, LCSD and the relevant works departments will consider topographic features, site area and circumstances and views of the District Councils concerned, etc. 

     LCSD has been liaising with concern groups on children's play equipment and consulting them and the District Councils concerned on the design and play equipment in children’s playgrounds for continuous improvement.  To usher in brand new design concepts, LCSD, in collaboration with the relevant works departments, adopted the winning design of the Inclusive Play Space Design Ideas Competition as a prototype to build an innovative inclusive playground in Tuen Mun Park as part of a pilot scheme with inclusion of two natural elements of water and sand in the design.  Through sand, water, light and shadow, play equipment that sways and spins, climbing frames and movable parts for knocking and touching, etc., children can enjoy the fun while acquiring different skills which will enhance their physical and psychological development.  The inclusive playground in Tuen Mun is expected to open for public use in the third quarter of 2018. 

     In addition, as a pilot plan, workshops will be held to bring community involvement into the Kai Tak Avenue Park project in Kowloon City to gauge views from children and residents of the area on the provision of play equipment in the project.  Suggestions received from the public will be put into practice as far as possible in accordance with government procurement regulations and procedures. 

     LCSD and the relevant works departments will summarise and draw reference from experiences gained from the above-mentioned pilot scheme and community involvement.  Concern groups and organisations, as well as District Councils will be further consulted with a view to considering adopting the same approach in other suitable locations and projects.

     In addition to focusing on the hardware of playgrounds, LCSD also organises themed fun days in playgrounds with various organisations to encourage active participation by families in games and activities, thereby energising public parks.  Activities organised last year included "Storm the Park Days" featuring frisbee, painting, water play, model car, etc. and Orienteering@Park in large public parks.

     According to information provided by the Transport and Housing Bureau, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) will provide recreational facilities for users of different age groups, including children's playground facilities, in its public rental housing (PRH) estates under the concept of "communal play areas".  For example, HA will try to integrate children’s playground facilities with other facilities, such as elderly fitness facilities, Tai Chi gardens, pavilions, etc., in the same recreational area to enable adults who need to take care of their accompanying children to use the recreational facilities together in the same area.

     HA has all along been adopting a pragmatic approach and fulfilling international safety standards when designing children’s playground, and has been selecting materials that are durable and easy to maintain. Whenever feasible, HA will also conduct public engagement activities to collect stakeholders’ views on individual proposals of playground facilities.  HA will also conduct reviews and opinion surveys one year after flats intake of new PRH estates.

     Furthermore, in order to maintain a comfortable, healthy and safe living environment for the residents of PRH estates, HA and the Estate Management Advisory Committees (EMACs) will, from time to time, gauge the views and needs of the residents and stakeholders in order to continuously improve the children’s playgrounds and other estate facilities.  Where possible, HA will also replace or upgrade various kinds of playground facilities at appropriate locations.

     Through meetings of the EMACs, resident representatives and other stakeholders, including local District Council members, can participate in reviewing the need for replacing the playground facilities in the estates.  HA will consider various factors when replacing the playground facilities, including changes in the demographic structure of individual estate, conditions of the existing facilities, environmental limitations, future maintenance and repair issues, etc., in order to install suitable facilities to address the needs of the residents.

(3) As mentioned above, LCSD is committed to providing diversified play equipment at its playgrounds for children of different ages and abilities to help them attain a balanced development of mind and body, enhance their interaction with others and stimulate exploration of the surroundings through acquiring different skills by the play equipment.

     Most of the children's playgrounds under LCSD provide play equipment for groups of children aged between two and five as well as five and 12.  In addition, play facilities of inclusive design are available at a number of children's playgrounds (e.g. Quarry Bay Park and Sha Tin Park) for the enjoyment of children with or without disabilities.  Diverse types of play equipment are installed at the venues, including tactile play panels and movable parts in different shapes suitable for visually-impaired children, movable parts that produce sounds when knocked, as well as transfer platforms or ramps that help children using wheelchairs to use facilities and allow them to join other children in playing with these facilities.  These facilities enable children with or without disabilities to play and grow up in a harmonious and happy environment and promote their physical and psychological development.

     LCSD will draw reference from overseas examples, bring in more community involvement and work in close collaboration with the relevant works departments with a view to providing more innovative, challenging and inclusive play equipment in planning children’s playgrounds in large public park projects and renovating the play equipment at children’s playgrounds in major public parks to meet the needs of children.

     Following is a question by the Hon Dennis Kwok and a written reply by the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, in the Legislative Council today (July 11):
 
Question:
 
     It has been learnt that educational psychologists (EPs) play a rather important role under the policy on integrated education. Their tasks include conducting psycho-educational assessments for children suspected to have special educational needs, as well as providing counselling services and accommodation arrangements for them. At present, the University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University take turn each year to run local master degree programmes for training EPs, which are funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC). Meanwhile, the Government announced in the 2016 Policy Address that it would enhance the School-based Educational Psychology Service by progressively improving the ratio of EP to school to 1:4 in respect of public sector primary and secondary schools which admit a large number of students with special educational needs. As a result, the demand for EPs will increase gradually. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council if it knows:
 
(1) (i) the number of places, (ii) the number of graduates, (iii) the unit cost and (iv) the amount of subsidy, in respect of UGC-funded educational psychology pragrammes in each of the past five years;
 
(2) the criteria adopted by UGC for vetting and approval of funding applications from tertiary institutions for (i) running new master degree programmes and (ii) increasing the number of places of those programmes, as well as the procedures concerned; and
 
(3) whether UGC has received funding applications from the two aforesaid institutions for increasing the number of funded places of their master degree pragrammes in educational psychology; if UGC has, of the details; whether UGC will invite and provide funding to other tertiary institutions to run similar programmes; if UGC will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Our reply to the question raised by the Hon Kwok is as follows:
 
(1) The approved student intake and the number of graduates of the University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded educational psychology programmes for 2012/13 to 2016/17 academic years are tabulated as follows:
 

Note: The above figures cover Master of Educational & Child Psychology programme offered by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Master of Social Sciences (Educational Psychology) programme offered by the University of Hong Kong.
 
     Funding for individual UGC-funded programmes is subsumed under the block grant to universities without precise requirements by the UGC as to how it should be spent. Universities may allocate funds internally to programmes of various disciplines at different levels as they see fit. The UGC is therefore unable to identify or provide information about the actual subvention on specific programmes.
 
     That said, the UGC has derived the average student unit cost of UGC-funded Taught Postgraduate (TPg) places, which are based on the actual costs incurred on UGC-funded expenditure items and reported by universities. The said average unit cost is not equivalent to the actual subvention or expenditure on specific TPg programmes. The average student unit costs of UGC-funded TPg places for the 2013/14 to 2017/18 academic years are as follows:
 

Note: The bulk of the student unit cost of a TPg place is subsidised by Government subvention with the remainder funded by income from tuition fees (i.e. $42,100 per student per year).
     
(2) and (3) The UGC and the UGC-funded universities conduct a planning exercise and recurrent grant assessment on a triennial basis. Proposals of launching new UGC-funded programmes or making changes to the number of intake places of existing programmes are usually raised by the UGC-funded universities in the context of the triennial planning exercise.
 
     The planning exercise for 2019/20 to 2021/22 triennium is currently underway. Pursuant to the Government's advice on manpower requirements, the UGC-funded universities have submitted planning exercise proposals (PEPs) to the UGC. The UGC Sub-Group on Planning Exercise met with individual universities in May 2018 to exchange views on the PEP. Before making relevant recommendations to the Government, the UGC will fully consider the needs of society and the government's advice on manpower requirements. Later this year, the UGC will submit its recommendations on allocation of student places and the associated funding for the 2019/20 to 2021/22 triennium to the Government. The Government will announce the indicative student number targets of the 2019/20 to 2021/22 triennium as and when appropriate.

     Following is a question by the Hon Au Nok-hin and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr John Lee, in the Legislative Council today (July 11):

Question:
 
     Reuters reported on June 6 this year that the Chinese enterprise Tencent had been discussing with the Mainland authorities issues relating to the establishment of an electronic customs clearance system.  The system uses biometric data to create an "e-Card" system and uses WeChat and virtual documents stored in mobile phones to replace traditional travel documents (including Hong Kong Identity Cards and Home Visit Permits) for Mainland and Hong Kong residents commuting between the two places to go through customs clearance procedure.  It was reported that the Chief Executive had watched a demonstration of the "Scan-WeChat-to-cross-border".  It is learnt that quite a number of Mainland academics have said that streamlined customs clearance arrangements may bring convenience to the cross-boundary activities of residents in the various cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area (the Bay Area), and given the significant problems arising from the differences in the customs clearance systems, "separate location of boundary control for different places" is not a desirable option.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
      
(1) whether any government department discussed with Tencent or the Mainland authorities the aforesaid electronic customs clearance system in the past five years; if so, of the name(s) of such government department(s) and the progress of the relevant work;
 
(2) as the Finance Committee of this Council approved in May this year the allocation of funding for the Government to set up an electronic identity (eID) system which allows members of the public to access public and commercial e-services with a single digital identity and authentication, whether the Government has plans to incorporate electronic customs clearance function into the eID system so that Hong Kong residents may use their smart phones to go through customs clearance procedure;
 
(3) whether it has assessed if, upon the implementation of the aforesaid electronic clearance system, the storage of biometric data (e.g. the captured data on fingerprints, iris and facial information) of Hong Kong residents in the computer systems of the Mainland immigration departments will give rise to the risk of privacy leakage, and the facial recognition system of the Mainland will access such data for the purpose of monitoring the whereabouts of Hong Kong residents on the Mainland;
 
(4) as the Government has indicated that it will strengthen the "mutual access" to the financial services of Hong Kong and the cities in the Bay Area, whether the relevant arrangements cover customs clearance and taxation matters; if so, whether the Government has assessed if those arrangements may give rise to issues relating to "the identity of Hong Kong residents" and "integration of Shenzhen and Hong Kong", and whether the Government will conduct public consultation on those arrangements; and
 
(5) whether it has made reference to the technologies and relevant experience of the governments of other places in using virtual documents in mobile phones for customs clearance; if so, of the details?
 
Reply:
 
President,
      
     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has not communicated or discussed with any organisation or Mainland government department regarding the proposal of performing immigration clearance with smartphone applications as mentioned in the question.  We noted that the State Immigration Administration of the Mainland made an announcement on June 12, 2018 regarding the report that the company mentioned in the question and the relevant Mainland government departments had studied the use of smartphone applications to replace traditional travel documents (including Hong Kong Identity Cards, Home Visit Permits and Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao) for immigration clearance.  The announcement clarified that the contents of the report concerned are untrue.  The Mainland authorities have not communicated or co-operated with the company on the matter.  Mainland residents are required to apply for and hold a lawful and valid Exit-Entry Permit and endorsement for travelling to and from Hong Kong. 
 
     Having consulted the Innovation and Technology Bureau (ITB), the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (CMAB) and the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB), our reply is as follows:
 
(1), (3) and (5) The Immigration Department (ImmD) has all along adopted various measures and made good use of technology to improve the clearance procedures and enhance the handling capacity as well as operational efficiency of control points.  In recent years, measures taken by ImmD include:
 

• In March and December 2013, ImmD has introduced "Non-stamping immigration clearance service" for visitors and Hong Kong non-permanent residents respectively.  Under the arrangement, stamping on travel documents during arrival clearance was replaced by the issue of a landing slip bearing the conditions and limit of stay of the holder.  Upon departure, no landing slip or stamping would be given, which shortens the immigration clearance time.

• In December 2013, ImmD launched the "Hong Kong Immigration Mobile Application" for Hong Kong residents and visitors to obtain information on the estimated passenger waiting time at major land boundary control points and other information.  The information serves as a reference for Hong Kong residents and visitors so that they may choose a less congested land boundary control point or travel at less busy hours. 

• Starting from early 2016, ImmD has commenced the implementation of the "New Immigration Control System" by phases.  It comprises upgrading and integration of the hardware and software of various control point systems, upgrading all existing e-Channels at control points to multi-purpose e-Channels and the installation of 158 additional multi-purpose e-Channels, bringing the total number of multi-purpose e-Channels at all control points to 595.  It enables frontline staff at control points to deploy e-Channels more flexibly based on passenger flow to expedite immigration clearance of Hong Kong residents and visitors and alleviates the work pressure of the traditional counter officers. 

• In October 2017, ImmD has also launched self-service departure for visitors (Smart Departure).  Visitors who hold valid electronic travel documents compliant with stipulated requirements may perform self-service departure clearance, through face recognition technology for identity verification, without prior enrolment.  It provides a more convenient immigration service for visitors, while enhancing the effectiveness of immigration control. 

 
     When considering and launching any measures involving changes of existing clearance mode and enhancing handling capacity of control points, the Government must take into account issues concerning the law, technology, actual benefits, etc., as well as factors such as whether the privacy of residents and passengers (including the biometric data) can be protected under the measures concerned.  At present, the HKSAR Government has no plan to conduct any research on the performance of immigration clearance through smartphone applications as mentioned in the question.
 
(2) According to OGCIO, eID could functionally be regarded as a common key for digital identity authentication.  It will enable members of the public to access various government and commercial e-services in a simple, convenient and secure manner. It can be used for logging on online accounts of the Government and public/private organisations.  eID will mainly be deployed for identity authentication in online transactions.  At this stage, there is no study on using eID as an identity authentication technology for immigration clearance.
 
(4) One of the HKSAR Government’s key focuses in taking forward the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area is, through policy innovation and breakthrough, to enhance the interconnectivity of Bay Area cities and foster the flow of people, goods, capital and information between Hong Kong and other cities in the Bay Area.  In light of the opportunities arising from the Bay Area development, the HKSAR Government will strive for the provision of more measures that would increase the level of convenience for Hong Kong people working, starting businesses and doing business in the Bay Area, including discussion with relevant Mainland authorities on tax arrangements for Hong Kong people working in the Mainland.  On promoting mutual access of financial services between the two places, we will seek to expand the cross-border use and business scope of RMB in the region, and develop additional financing channels and cross-boundary financial services to tie in with the growth of enterprises in the Bay Area.

     Following is a question by the Hon Lau Kwok-fan and a written reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, in the Legislative Council today (July 11):
 
Question:
 
     Regarding the minor works projects implemented by District Councils (DCs) under the District Minor Works (DMW) Programme, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of works projects proposed by each DC in each of the past two years and the first half of this year, with a breakdown by project progress (including (i) the relevant feasibility study/design work being under way, (ii) project found to be infeasible after study, (iii) project already endorsed by DC for implementation, and (iv) project completed);

(2) of (i) the average construction cost and (ii) the average construction period of the works projects completed in each of the past two years and the first half of this year; among such projects, the number of those the span of which from inception to completion straddled two DC terms (broken down by DC district);

(3) of the account balance of the DMW Programme in each of the past five years; and

(4) as it has been more than six years since the Finance Committee of this Council approved an increase in the financial ceiling of the delegated authority for Category D works projects (including DMW projects) to $30 million in July 2012, and as the construction costs of works projects have been rising incessantly during the period, whether the Government will propose to the Finance Committee the raising of such financial ceiling according to the cumulative inflation over the years; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     Regarding Hon Lau Kwok-fan's question, upon consultation with the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, our reply to the question is as follows:

(1) The number of District Minor Works (DMW) projects endorsed by District Councils (DCs) over the past two years and for the period from January to March 2018 and their respective progress, break down by DC, are set out in Annex.

(2) (i) The average construction cost of the works projects completed in each of the past two years and for the period from January to March 2018 are as follows:
 

(ii) The average construction period of the works projects completed in each of the past two years and for the period from January to March 2018 are as follows:
 

     Among such projects, the number of those spanning over two DC terms from inception to completion are as follows:
 

(3) The annual provision under the DMW Programme for the past five years was $340 million. The account balance of the Programme in each of the past five years are set out as follows:
 

(4) According to the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Government would regularly review the financial ceiling of delegated authority for items under the block allocation subheads of the Capital Works Reserve Fund (CWRF). The Finance Committee approved the increase of financial ceiling from $21 million to $30 million in 2012. According to the assessment with reference to tender price indices since 2012, the average price of construction works under the block allocation subheads of the CWRF (including projects under the DMW Programme) has only increased slightly. Thus, the Government would not consider adjusting the financial ceiling concerned at the moment.