Speeches
SFH's speaking notes (Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene) tabled at LegCo Finance Committee special meeting
Following is the English translation of the speaking notes (Food Safety and
Environmental Hygiene) of the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man,
tabled at the Finance Committee special meeting in the Legislative Council
today (April 12):
Chairman and Honourable Members,
The Food and Health Bureau is committed to ensuring food safety and
environmental hygiene with a view to promoting public health and improving
people's quality of life.
In the 2013-14 Estimates, about $5.8 billion has been earmarked for
recurrent expenditure in the policy portfolio of Food Safety and
Environmental Hygiene, representing an increase of $230 million (4.2 per
cent) over the previous year and accounting for 2.0 per cent of recurrent
government expenditure.
New resources available in the next financial year are mainly used to
provide:
* additional funding of about $57 million to the Food and Environmental
Hygiene Department (FEHD) to cope with the rise in outsourcing contract
prices;
* an additional $5.8 million to provide secretariat support and legal
advisory service to the Fishermen Claims Appeal Board for handling claims
related to the trawl ban and marine works projects;
* an additional $4.8 million to administer an assistance scheme for
improving the fire safety of fixed-pitch hawker areas; and
* an additional $4 million to step up patrols and regulatory work in
enforcing the trawl ban.
I will now proceed to outline the policy priorities and work progress.
Food Safety
-----------
On efforts to safeguard food safety, the key components of our food safety
regulatory measures include food surveillance, proper handling of food
incidents, updating of food standards, effective enforcement of food safety
laws and appropriate import control on food and food animals. We will
continue to take forward the relevant work to ensure that food for sale in
Hong Kong is fit for human consumption.
The regulation which governs pesticide residues in food will come into
operation in August 2014. The Centre for Food Safety will conduct briefings
for food traders and local farmers and develop practical guidelines to help
them prepare for the commencement of the regulation.
Plans are also under way to strengthen regulation of genetically modified
food. Based on the practice as advocated by the Codex Alimentarius
Commission (Codex) and the World Health Organization, we have proposed to
introduce a mandatory pre-market safety assessment scheme in Hong Kong,
which has gained the support of the Panel on Food Safety and Environmental
Hygiene (the Panel). The Administration will launch a public consultation on
the subject in the second half of this year.
Labelling of Powdered Formula and Food Products for Infants and Young
Children
-----------------------------------------------------
The Government has been promoting the merits of breastfeeding to encourage
its adoption. Nevertheless, we have also noted that for various reasons,
many local parents have chosen not to breastfeed. For the infants and young
children of these parents, powdered formula is their only or very essential
foodstuff. Hence, the Government will, having regard to the Codex standards
and international practices, enact legislation with the aim of regulating
the nutritional composition of powdered formula products intended for
consumption by infants under the age of 6 months to ensure that adequate
nutrition is provided by these products. Meanwhile, to help parents make
informed food choices, we will also introduce legislative control on the
nutrition labelling of powdered formula and food products intended for
infants and young children under the age of 36 months. Early this year, we
have completed the public consultation on the legislative proposals, which
are generally welcomed by the trade and the community at large. We have
obtained the support of the Panel and plan to introduce the relevant
legislation into the Legislative Council (LegCo) in 2013.
Supply of Powdered Formula
--------------------------
As I mentioned just now, for parents who have not opted for breastfeeding,
powdered formula is the only or very essential foodstuff for their infants
and young children. Thus, an adequate and stable supply of powdered formula
is of utmost importance to these parents and their infants and young
children. Consequently, when the Government noted a serious shortage of
individual brands of powdered formula at the local retail level due to
parallel trading activities at the beginning of this year, amendments were
made to the Import and Export (General) Regulation (the Amendment
Regulation). Since the Amendment Regulation came into effect on March 1,
parallel trading activities related to powdered formula have dropped
substantially, while the supply of powdered formula at retail outlets has
apparently become sufficient and stable compared with the previous
situation.
We will continue to maintain close liaisons with major suppliers of powdered
formula and retail representatives and urge them to step up efforts in
improving the supply chain management to ensure an adequate and stable
supply of powdered formula for local infants and young children. Among other
things, they should ensure sufficient local supply, improve the stock
replenishment mechanism, set up services for advance order at retail outlets
and provide support to hotlines for taking purchase orders by ensuring that
there is sufficient manpower to handle purchase orders arising from a surge
in demand. The Administration will review the effectiveness of these
enhancement measures after the Amendment Regulation has been in force for
one year.
Assistance for Hawkers
----------------------
To further improve and enhance the fire resistance capability and electrical
installations of hawker stalls, the FEHD will launch a five-year assistance
scheme for about 4 300 hawkers in the 43 fixed-pitch hawker areas. The
required funding of $230 million has been approved by the Finance Committee
(FC) in March 2013. The scheme will be rolled out this summer.
Columbarium Policy
------------------
On regulation of private columbaria, our aim is to introduce the relevant
Bill into the LegCo in the fourth quarter of 2013 as scheduled. Prior to the
introduction of the licensing scheme, we will strengthen public education to
remind consumers of the issues that require attention when purchasing
private columbarium niches.
Meanwhile, in the interest of encouraging wider use of environmentally
friendly and sustainable means of handling cremains, the Administration will
continue with its efforts to foster the necessary mindset change.
To promote the district-based columbarium development scheme, the Government
has identified 24 potential sites across the 18 districts for columbarium
development and is forging ahead with the technical feasibility studies
related to these sites as well as the consultation with relevant District
Councils. In February 2013, the FC approved funding of $66.4 million for
undertaking detailed design and site investigations for the site formation
and associated infrastructural works for the construction of a columbarium
and related facilities at Sandy Ridge Cemetery.
Fisheries Development
---------------------
To help restore the fisheries resources and promote the sustainable
development of the fisheries industry, the legislation which bans trawling
activities in Hong Kong waters has taken effect. To facilitate the granting
of ex-gratia allowances, a committee comprising non-official members is
handling appeals filed by applicants.
Apart from the trawl ban, we are also processing applications for
registration of local fishing vessels so as to control the fishing effort in
Hong Kong waters.
In the 2013 Policy Address, the Chief Executive has proposed the setting up
of a $500 million Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund. We are consulting
the trade and other stakeholders before finalising the details of the Fund.
We plan to seek funding approval from the LegCo in the fourth quarter of
2013.
Agricultural Development
------------------------
On supporting agricultural development, the Government has been making use
of the Agricultural Development Fund under the Vegetable Marketing
Organisation to facilitate the further development of local agriculture by
developing modern and environmentally friendly farming technologies with
emphasis on preservation of natural resources and the agricultural ecology,
and yielding quality and high-value agricultural produce safe for
consumption, thereby assisting the industry in moving towards sustainable
development. The Government will continue with its work in this area.
Alignment of Fees and Charges for Municipal Facilities and Services in the
Urban and New Territories Regions
-----------------------------------------------------
The Administration has earlier announced the arrangement for alignment of
fees and charges for municipal facilities and services provided by the FEHD.
The lower rate will prevail where the fee or charge for a certain facility
or service differs between the urban areas and the New Territories. The
associated legislative amendment exercise is expected to be completed in
mid-2013.
As the next step, the FEHD will conduct a comprehensive review of the
charging policy and rates of these facilities and services. In the course of
the review, we will have due regard to public affordability as well as the
fiscal discipline pursued by the Government over the years, with a view to
striking a reasonable balance between the two.
Public Markets
--------------
The FEHD is committed to enhancing the operating environment of the public
markets under its management through the implementation of various measures.
These include carrying out enhancement projects to upgrade facilities,
maintaining and keeping the markets in good and hygienic conditions to
provide customers with a pleasant environment, and holding promotional
activities from time to time to attract patronage.
At the request of the Panel, the Administration is examining the policy,
positioning and functions of public markets, including putting forward
proposals regarding improvement of the operating environment of the public
markets and other related matters. A preliminary report will be submitted in
the second half of 2013.
Animal Welfare
--------------
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), in
conjunction with the Police and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (Hong Kong), provides a platform for relevant professional
departments and animal welfare organisations (AWOs) to enhance mutual
support, with a view to ensuring effective investigation of animal cruelty
cases. The Administration will continue to enhance the work in this respect.
In the coming year, the AFCD will allocate about $8 million to public
education and publicity for promoting animal welfare. In addition, the AFCD
will set aside $1 million for AWOs to organise activities relating to animal
welfare.
Last year, we conducted a public consultation on the proposals to better
regulate pet trading, including tightening regulation of persons who breed
and sell dogs and raising the penalties under the relevant legislation. We
aim to introduce the Amendment Regulation into LegCo within 2013.
Avian Influenza (AI) Prevention and Control Measures
----------------------------------------------------
The Government has been implementing a series of AI prevention and control
measures at the poultry farm, wholesale, retail and import levels. Over the
past three years, 18 000 dead wild birds and 15 000 specimens from poultry
and the environment were tested. No H7 AI virus had been detected.
In response to the human infection cases of H7N9 AI in the eastern part of
the Mainland, the Mainland authorities have immediately stepped up
surveillance of live poultry and poultry products bound for Hong Kong. Since
April 11, Hong Kong has also started to conduct rapid tests against H7 AI on
imported live poultry upon its arrival at the Man Kam To Control Point.
The Government will continue to liaise closely with the Mainland authorities
and keep the public informed of developments on the H7 AI front. We will
stay alert and monitor developments closely.
Chairman, my colleagues and I are happy to answer questions from Members.
Ends/Friday, April 12, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:41
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