The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, began her visit to Chengdu today (June 6).

     Miss Mak visited the Jinshui Street community of the Jiancheng subdistrict in Jianyang this morning, and received a briefing on the practical experiences of district governance. She learnt that the services provided and activities organised by the community facility Yijiang Jinshui Community Living Space were aimed at fostering community connections and engagement. The facility also acts as a platform for residents' activities, leisure and exchanges, as well as a provider of convenient services and measures to the residents while maintaining a people-centric approach. Miss Mak stated that the district governance work of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is in line with this approach, and will continue to address issues related to people's concerns and resolve problems they have encountered within the district, thereby enhancing people's sense of happiness and contentment, while building a better community.

     Miss Mak later met with representatives from the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Sichuan Provincial People's Government, the Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office of Chengdu Municipal People's Government and the People's Government of Jianyang City to exchange views on issues of mutual concern.

     â€‹Miss Mak concluded her visit and returned to Hong Kong this afternoon.

        

     The Thematic Household Survey Report No. 79 is published by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (June 6).

     This publication contains key findings on Hong Kong population's pattern of smoking based on the Thematic Household Survey conducted from May to August 2023.

     The survey results showed that there were some 577 300 daily conventional cigarette smokers in 2023, accounting for 9.1% of all persons aged 15 and over in Hong Kong, compared with the corresponding percentage of 9.5% in 2021. Daily conventional cigarette smokers consumed on average about 12 sticks of conventional cigarettes a day in 2023, while the corresponding figure in 2021 was about 13 sticks.

     Including persons who consumed other forms of tobacco or related products (e.g. heated tobacco product, e-cigarette, cigar, hand-rolled cigarette, pipe-smoking, snuff/snus and water pipe), there were some 592 100 daily smokers in 2023, accounting for 9.4% of all persons aged 15 and over in Hong Kong, whereas the corresponding percentage in 2021 was 9.8%. There were some 11 600 daily smokers who consumed e-cigarettes, accounting for 0.2% of all persons aged 15 and over in Hong Kong, while the corresponding percentage in 2021 was 0.3%.

Other information

     The survey successfully enumerated target respondents in some 10 100 households in accordance with a scientific sampling scheme to represent the population of Hong Kong.

     Detailed findings of the survey, together with the population coverage and concepts/definitions of key terms, are presented in the publication. Users can browse and download the publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1130201&scode=453).

     Enquiries about the survey findings can be directed to the Social Surveys Section (1) of the C&SD (Tel: 2887 5103 or email: thematic@censtatd.gov.hk).

     In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on June 5 to noon today (June 6), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 192 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 57 024 samples of food imported from Japan (including 36 869 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 14 238 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, June 6, 2024 is 106.2 (up 0.1 against yesterday's index).

      A spokesman for the Education Bureau (EDB) said today (June 6) that starting from the 2024/25 school year, electronic submission (e-submission) of student grant applications will be expanded to private schools and kindergartens, covering all types of schools. Parents of all students studying in secondary day-schools, primary schools and special schools (including public sector schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) schools, English Schools Foundation schools and private schools) as well as kindergartens offering local or non-local curriculum in Hong Kong can apply for the student grant of $2,500 through the e-submission platform (e-platform).
 
     "The e-platform has already covered all government schools, aided schools and DSS schools this school year. Over 60 per cent of parents of these schools have successfully applied for the student grant through the faster means offered by the e-platform. Starting from the 2024/25 school year, parents with children studying in different types of schools can make applications for all their eligible children on the e-platform in one go. They can check the application status at any time on the e-platform and upload supplementary documents where necessary. They can enjoy more efficient and expedited application and vetting services," the spokesman continued.
 
      To submit student grant applications for the 2024/25 school year through the e-platform, parents only need to have a user account of "iAM Smart+" with a digital signing function and log in to the service platform of "e-Submission of Student Grant Applications" via the "iAM Smart" App or by clicking on stgsesweb.edb.gov.hk during the specified period in September this year.
 
      The EDB encourages parents to register for "iAM Smart+" as soon as possible for using the e-platform in the upcoming school year. The EDB is conducting promotional activities at schools across districts with booths set up for parents to register for "iAM Smart+" on site (see attachment). Parents can make an appointment at forms.office.com/r/UNhdWCSA0i. Parents may also register for "iAM Smart+" through the "iAM Smart" self-registration kiosks, registration service counters or mobile registration teams in various districts. Details can be found on the "iAM Smart" thematic website (www.iamsmart.gov.hk/en/reg_location.html).
 
      To learn about how to submit student grant applications through the e-platform, parents may refer to the Parent's Guide on e-Submission of Student Grant Applications on the EDB website (www.edb.gov.hk/en/student-parents/support-subsidies/student-grant/e-submission.html). For enquiries, please contact the Student Special Support Section Kwun Tong Office of the EDB (email: stgenquiry@edb.gov.hk; hotline: 3850 2000). Also, a series of WhatsApp stickers on e-submission of student grant applications is available on the EDB's Smart Parent Net website (www.parent.edu.hk/en/smart-parent-net/topics/article/2024-e-submission). Parents are welcome to download and share the stickers with friends and family.