Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is a question by the Hon Lothair Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (June 24):
Question: (6) It has been the Government’s policy to encourage the conversion of RMBs to GMB operations, with a view to ensuring their service quality and allowing for more effective service monitoring. The Government invited the operators of 11 selected RMB routes that met specific conditions to apply for conversion to GMB route operations (In-situ Conversion Scheme) in August 2024. The TD received a total of two applications during the application period and the GMB routes concerned have also commenced service in March 2025. After considering views from the trade, the TD agreed in June 2025 to further open up the In-situ Conversion Scheme for all RMB routes participating in the Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities (the $2 Scheme), with a view to attracting more RMBs to convert into GMBs. It is understood that some RMB operators are reviewing the operation of their routes with a view to participating in the scheme.
(7) The Government has consistently been promoting the low carbon transformation of the public transport industry. Apart from subsidising two electric PLBs (e-PLBs) by the New Energy Transport Fund since 2023, the Environmental Protection Department has launched two rounds of application under the Pilot Scheme for Electric Public Light Buses (Pilot Scheme) so as to assess the feasibility of the application of e-PLBs and the associated charging arrangements in Hong Kong. The Kwun Tong Yue Man Square and Kowloon Tong (Suffolk Road) Public Transport Interchanges (PTIs) are selected as the trial points for green minibus (GMB) operators operating at the aforementioned two PTIs to apply. The TD has been actively supporting the Pilot Scheme, including providing advice on the site selection for PTIs. The two rounds of operational trial involve six GMB routes operated by five GMB operators, with a total of 15 e-PLBs (including one with low-floor feature).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Firing practice for July 2026————————————-
DateJuly 3 (Friday) July 4 (Saturday) July 6 (Monday) July 7 (Tuesday) July 8 (Wednesday) July 9 (Thursday) July 10 (Friday) July 11 (Saturday) July 13 (Monday) July 14 (Tuesday) July 15 (Wednesday) July 16 (Thursday) July 17 (Friday) July 18 (Saturday) July 20 (Monday) July 21 (Tuesday) July 22 (Wednesday) July 23 (Thursday) July 24 (Friday) July 25 (Saturday) July 27 (Monday) July 28 (Tuesday) July 29 (Wednesday) July 30 (Thursday) July 31 (Friday)8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pmTsing Shan Firing Range ——————————-
DateJuly 3 (Friday) July 4 (Saturday) July 6 (Monday) July 7 (Tuesday) July 8 (Wednesday) July 9 (Thursday) July 10 (Friday) July 11 (Saturday) July 13 (Monday) July 14 (Tuesday) July 15 (Wednesday) July 16 (Thursday) July 17 (Friday) July 18 (Saturday) July 20 (Monday) July 21 (Tuesday) July 22 (Wednesday) July 23 (Thursday) July 24 (Friday) July 25 (Saturday) July 27 (Monday) July 28 (Tuesday) July 29 (Wednesday) July 30 (Thursday) July 31 (Friday)8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pm 8am-9pmIssued at HKT 11:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Judy Chan and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (June 24):
Question:
It is learnt that at present, the obstetrics and gynaecology departments of public hospitals encourage pregnant women to opt for natural delivery whenever possible, and caesarean sections will only be performed under specific circumstances. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows the respective criteria adopted by public hospitals for encouraging pregnant women to opt for natural delivery, and determining to perform caesarean sections for the pregnant women concerned;
(2) whether it knows the number of caesarean sections performed in public hospitals in each of the past five years, and the respective reasons for performing the surgeries, together with a breakdown by type of hospital ward (i.e. general wards and private wards); and
(3) as it is learnt that at present, public hospitals in quite a number of countries allow pregnant women to opt for caesarean sections, whether the Government and the Hospital Authority will make reference to international practices and review the existing policy of public hospitals on caesarean sections; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that, and whether the relevant review will be conducted in future?
Reply:
President,
Hong Kong has high quality obstetric services and is one of the regions with the lowest neonatal mortality rate and maternal mortality rate in the world. In 2025, the neonatal mortality rate in Hong Kong was 1.0 per 1 000 live births, and there were even no case of maternal death during childbirth. The Government attaches great importance to providing appropriate obstetric services for pregnant women. The obstetric departments of the Hospital Authority (HA) adheres to the principles of evidence-based medical practice and conducts comprehensive risk assessments for every pregnant woman during antenatal care and the delivery process. Dedicated teams in the delivery suites provide vaginal deliveries and caesarean sections. In the absence of definitive medical necessity, the healthcare team will arrange natural delivery for the pregnant woman, while caesarean sections are used for pregnant women who are not suitable for vaginal delivery.
Vaginal delivery is a natural physiological process, which results in a small extent of wounds with fast maternal postpartum recovery. Research evidence indicates that vaginal delivery not only enables pregnant women to avoid the inherent risks associated with surgery, but also allow pregnant women to get out of bed almost immediately, or just a few hours postpartum, whereas those who deliver via caesarean section often require a longer rest period and only able to get out of bed at least 12 to even over 24 hours postpartum. Compared to caesarean sections, pregnant women who undergo vaginal delivery experience fewer discomforts such as physical pain and vomiting during the early postpartum period, and is conducive to maternal postpartum recovery, thereby enabling them to care for and accompany their newborns. They also encounter fewer difficulties in breastfeeding. For infants, natural delivery through the birth canal also helps lower the risk of neonatal respiratory complications.
Caesarean section is a major surgical procedure involving maternal abdomen and uterus, it may pose risks of anaesthetic complications, organ injury, haemorrhage, wound healing infection complications etc., as well as a longer hospital stay. According to global statistics, the risk of surgical site infection following a caesarean section ranges between 3 per cent and 10 per cent.
According to data collected by the HA, the incidence rate of postpartum haemorrhage, defined as blood loss exceeding 500 ml, is 34.9 per cent for caesarean sections, far exceeding the 9.1 per cent for vaginal deliveries by nearly four times. In addition, caesarean sections may cause organ injury, with the probability of urinary bladder injury ranging from 0.1 per cent to 1 per cent, and the risk of developing thromboembolic disease is also 3.7 times higher than that of vaginal deliveries. In the long run, it may also lead to long-term complications such as chronic pelvic pain induced by abdominal or pelvic adhesions, as well as leave a scar on the uterus, thereby significantly increasing the risks of placenta accreta, placenta praevia and uterine rupture in subsequent pregnancies.
For infants, caesarean sections carry a risk of causing neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and neonatal hypoglycaemia. Furthermore, medical research indicates that caesarean sections are associated with an increased risk of children developing cardiovascular diseases, asthma, overweight and autism spectrum disorder later in life.
Health authorities worldwide have pointed out that caesarean sections should only be reserved for cases with clear medical needs. The World Health Organization discourages non-essential caesarean sections and continuously promotes various initiatives to reduce such unnecessary caesarean section surgeries. The National Health Commission has also explicitly stipulated “encouraging vaginal delivery and implementing caesarean section where medical indications are met” be adopted as a working principle for maternal and child healthcare. In addition, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as well as the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have all emphasised that unless medical indications arise for the mother or the fetus, vaginal delivery should be routinely recommended as the primary mode of delivery.
Therefore, the HA performs caesarean section surgeries for pregnant women based on clear medical necessity, and does not perform delivery for reasons such as a preferred delivery date and time in general. Reasons such as purely subjective choices regarding the mode of delivery generally do not account for deciding to perform caesarean section surgeries.
In consultation with the HA, the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Judy Chan is as follows:
(1) All public hospitals under the HA determine the mode of delivery appropriate for pregnant women based on the principles of evidence-based medical practice. Only upon comprehensive assessment over the medical risk on the pregnant woman and embryo with medical needs, the healthcare team will arrange for the pregnant woman to undergo a caesarean section.
(2) During the period from 2020 to 2024, the total number of deliveries in public hospitals ranged from 19 488 to 26 494 per annum, while the number of caesarean sections per annum ranged from 6 196 to 8 234, i.e. on average, approximately 30 per cent to 35 per cent of pregnant women gave birth via caesarean sections each year.
According to the HA’s data on caesarean section in 2024, the major clinical indications for caesarean sections in public hospitals include uterine scar, i.e. previous caesarean section or myomectomy, at 37.7 per cent as the most prevalent indication; failed induction of labour at 17.8 per cent; fetal distress (abnormal fetal heart rate) at 14.2 per cent; abnormal fetal presentation at 13 per cent and hypertension at 7.2 per cent. Many other clinical indications include antepartum haemorrhage, multiple pregnancy, arrest of labour, cephalopelvic disproportion, failed assisted vaginal delivery, intra-uterine infection, fetal intra-uterine growth restriction, macrosomia and placenta praevia/placenta accreta. Regardless of whether a pregnant woman is admitted to a general ward or a private ward, the HA determines the necessity of a caesarean section surgery based on the actual clinical conditions. Therefore, the HA does not compile breakdown statistics according to ward types.
(3) As stated above, international standards as well as multiple health authorities worldwide have pointed out that caesarean sections should be reserved for cases with clear medical needs. Unnecessary caesarean section surgeries shall be avoided whenever possible.
Out of consideration for safeguarding patient health, the HA currently has no intention of adjusting the existing policy on caesarean sections.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ19: Provision of drug subsidies for cancer patients Question:
The Hospital Authority (HA) regularly reviews and includes suitable new drugs in the Drug Formulary and the safety net coverage of HA’s Drug Formulary, which cover various drugs for treating cancer. Regarding the criteria, mechanism and actual effectiveness of HA’s introduction and subsidisation of new drugs for treating cancer, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) as the Government previously indicated that when considering the inclusion of a drug in the Drug Formulary or the coverage of the safety net (including the Samaritan Fund and the Community Care Fund Medical Assistance Programmes), HA’s Drug Advisory Committee would take into account the safety, efficacy, cost-effectiveness of drugs and other relevant considerations, including international recommendations and practices, as well as professional views, and that the evaluation of drugs would be conducted based on medical evidence, clinical developments, and market dynamics, of the respective weightings of the various aforesaid criteria in the overall evaluation, as well as the methodology and considerations for determining cost-effectiveness;
(2) given that for lung cancer treatment, various advanced precision treatment drugs have emerged in recent years, e.g. the third-generation targeted therapy drugs for treating ALK (Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase)-positive lung cancer, but it is learnt that patients are currently subsidised to use the aforesaid third-generation targeted therapy drugs only if they have developed brain metastasis, whether it knows if the HA will consider reviewing and adjusting the relevant subsidy criteria so that more eligible terminally-ill patients (including those who have not developed brain metastasis) can benefit at an early stage; if not, of the reasons for that;
(3) whether it knows the number of new drugs included by the HA in the Drug Formulary or the scope of subsidy under the safety net in the past five quarters; the respective numbers of patients who benefited from subsidies for drug expenses as a result and the total amount of subsidies involved (set out the relevant figures by quarter); and
(4) whether it knows, for the five types of cancer with the highest number of new cases recorded in the past year, the respective numbers of patients who received subsidies for cancer drug expenses for each of these cancer types, as well as the total amount of subsidies involved (with a breakdown by cancer type and cancer stage at the time of diagnosis of the patients)?
Reply:
President,
Pharmaceutical treatment constitutes an integral part of the medical services provided by the Hospital Authority (HA) for cancer patients. The HA is committed to providing appropriate treatment for all patients, including cancer patients, while ensuring equitable access to safe, effective, and cost-effective drugs prescribed under a highly subsidised public healthcare system.
DrugNote 2: Existing drug under the Samaritan Fund
Community Care Fund Medical Assistance Programmes
Drug Furthermore, the Committee of the HA regularly reviews cancer drugs already included in the HADF. In response to clinical data and healthcare demands of the drugs, the Committee transitions self-financed drugs for the treatment of various cancers into Special Drugs in an orderly manner, and provides them at standard fees to patients who meet specific clinical criteria. Taking Dasatinib, a drug used to treat leukaemia (i.e. blood cancer), as an example, the HA transitioned the drug from a self-financed drug to a Special Drug in April this year. Consequently, patients’ drug expenses dropped significantly from approximately $20,000 to $40,000 per month to just $20 per four weeks, effectively alleviating the financial burden on patients. Following the transition of Dasatinib to a Special Drug, it is anticipated that over 400 patients will benefit from the arrangement, with the estimated additional expenditure involved being $49 million per annum.
(4) In the 2025-26 financial year, the total number of cancer patients receiving treatment under standard fees at the HA was approximately 169 600, involving a total drug expenditure exceeding $1.95 billion.
According to the latest data from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry, the five types of cancer with the highest number of new cases in 2023 were lung, breast, colorectal, prostate, and liver cancer. For the 2025-26, the Samaritan Fund and Community Care Fund Medical Assistance Programmes approved 4 865 cases for these types of cancer, totaling roughly $1.22 billion in subsidies. The number of approved subsidy applications and the approved subsidy amounts for abovementioned cancer types are set out in the table below:
Cancer Type As the condition and needs of each cancer patient vary, the HA cancer services are patient-centric and emphasise a personalised therapeutic approach. Given that clinical services are designed to focus on providing appropriate treatment and support for cancer patients, rather than being classified solely by the stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis, relevant statistics are not compiled on such a basis.
To further alleviate the financial burden on cancer and critical illness patients from low-to-middle-income families, the fees and charges reform for public healthcare has relaxed the means test criteria for the Samaritan Fund. Since the implementation of the reform, numerous cancer patients have benefited. Taking the case of a lung cancer patient as an example, the patient’s out-of-pocket treatment expenses decreased by more than $27,000 after the reform, representing a reduction of more than 75 per cent. In another case involving a leukaemia (blood cancer) patient, the treatment expenses to be borne by the patient were reduced by approximately $44,000 after the reform, representing a decrease of around 62.5 per cent. The above examples demonstrate that the reform can effectively ease the financial burden on cancer patients during their treatment process.
As the largest public cancer service provider in Hong Kong, the HA adopts an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to provide cancer treatment for patients, and arranges appropriate management according to individual clinical conditions, including clinical diagnosis and assessment, cross-specialty care (such as Family Medicine and Specialist Outpatient clinics, acute care, and palliative care services), rehabilitation services, and drug subsidies. Apart from drug subsidies, the HA also maintains an exceptionally high subsidy rate for non-drug subsidised treatment items.
The HA will continue to optimise the use of public healthcare resources and incorporate more innovative cancer drugs and medical devices into the HADF and safety net subsidisation scopes, thereby providing more comprehensive support for cancer patients. Issued at HKT 17:25
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ7: Recycling of construction waste Question:
According to the report “Monitoring of Solid Waste in Hong Kong – Waste Statistics for 2024” published by the Environmental Protection Department at the end of 2025, the overall quantity of construction waste generated in 2024 increased by about 4 945 tonnes per day compared to 2023, reaching an average of 50 505 tonnes per day. In papers submitted to the Public Works Subcommittee of the Legislative Council, the Government states that it encourages contractors to maximise the use of recycled or recyclable construction waste on site as far as possible, and requires them to submit a plan setting out the waste management measures and how such waste will be reused and recycled. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has collected basic data on the recycling of construction waste in Hong Kong, including the total weight (in tonnes), the types of recycled products (such as concrete and aggregates) and their respective weights, as well as the main recycling channels; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) of the existing standard procedures and specific measures for managing the recycling of construction waste, including the government departments involved and their detailed division of responsibilities, the number and locations of storage facilities for such waste and the means of transport; whether it has quantified and assessed the effectiveness of such measures; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; Reply: Most of the construction waste generated locally is inert construction waste, commonly known as public fill which includes rock, rubble, sand, concrete, asphalt, brick, tile, etc, and is non-decomposable materials that can be reused as construction materials. Non-inert construction waste (such as bamboo and wood pieces) accounts for a smaller portion of the overall construction waste. The Government has been managing construction waste through reducing generation, proper reuse and recycling, including direct reuse of public fill through matching between projects, or storage of public fill in the two fill banks for future reuse. As local projects cannot absorb all the public fill generated in Hong Kong in recent years, coupled with the limited capacities of the fill banks, surplus public fill has to be delivered to the Chinese Mainland for reuse. Non-inert construction waste that is not suitable for reuse as construction materials will be disposed of at landfills.
In consultation with the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the reply to the question raised by the Hon Tommy Chung is as follows:
(1) The Government compiles statistics on construction waste in Hong Kong regularly, including the disposal and reuse quantities of overall construction waste. According to the latest report “Monitoring of Solid Waste in Hong Kong – Waste Statistics for 2024” published by the Environmental Protection Department at the end of 2025, in 2024, an average of 45 810 tonnes per day of public fill was received by the fill banks for future reuse (including local reuse and delivery to the Chinese Mainland for reuse) and delivered to works projects for direct reuse (i.e. a total of approximately 16.8 million tonnes in the year). An average of 4 695 tonnes per day of construction waste was disposed of at landfills (i.e. a yearly quantity of about 1.7 million tonnes). The major recycled products or reuse means and the respective quantities are tabulated as follows:
Recycled products or reuse means (2) At present, the recovery rate of overall reusable and recyclable construction waste has reached about 90 per cent. The Government has been adopting a multi-pronged strategy to ensure the proper management of construction waste, primarily driven by three directions: reduction at source, beneficial reuse and recycling, with a view to making the best use of resources, reducing waste and alleviating the pressure on the environment. This work, implemented by the Public Fill Committee established by the Government, includes the vetting of public works projects to minimise the generation of construction and demolition material and maximise the use of public fill .
On the aspect of reduction, we request public works projects to enhance the planning, design and management of various engineering projects, striving to achieve on-site cut-and-fill balance as far as practicable to minimise the generation of public fill at source, thereby alleviating the pressure on existing public fill reception facilities.
Regarding proper reuse, suitable public fill is either directly reused in earth filling, reclamation projects, or transported to the two local fill banks for temporary storage for future reuse in suitable projects, thereby enabling the resources circulation. The remaining portion that cannot be absorbed locally will be transported to the Chinese Mainland for reuse.
With respect to recycling, we actively promote the reprocessing of suitable materials into usable construction materials, which not only enhances resource utilisation efficiency but also helps drive the industry towards sustainable development.
There are currently four public fill reception facilities operated by the Civil Engineering and Development Department, including the two fill banks located at Tuen Mun and Tseung Kwan O with recycling facilities, and the two public fill transfer facilities located at Chai Wan and Mui Wo (which mainly serve to receive part of the public fill generated in Hong Kong Island and Lantau Island respectively, and to transfer the material to the two local fill banks). The facilities receive public fill from the local industry that cannot be directly reused on site and temporarily store it in the fill banks, pending future reuse.
(3) The Government has been increasing land supply through reclamation, site formation or earth filling projects, etc, which serve as the main outlets for absorbing a large amount of reusable and recyclable construction waste as construction materials. Looking ahead to the coming years, the Government is progressively implementing various projects, including the site formation works for the San Tin Technopole that commenced in December 2024, the reclamation works at Area 132 in Tseung Kwan O for which funding approval will be sought from the Legislative Council later in 2026, as well as the proposed reclamation works at Area 137 in Tseung Kwan O and Lung Kwu Tan, to absorb substantial quantities of reusable and recyclable construction waste. In alignment with the implementation schedules of various projects, we will supply public fill to reclamation, site formation or earthworks projects for reuse. Meanwhile, we will continuously explore recycling public fill into useful construction materials.
(4) In the past five years, the average cost and total expenditure of handling and managing the reusable and recyclable public fill by the Government annually are as follows:
Financial year Note 3: As many of Hong Kong’s large-scale reclamation projects have largely been completed, several upcoming large-scale reclamation projects are yet to commence, the capacity of existing fill banks is nearly saturated, coupled with the gradual release of land from the fill bank at Area 137 in Tseung Kwan O for long-term development, it has become necessary to increase the quantity of surplus public fill transported to the Chinese Mainland for reuse, resulting in a corresponding increase in the expenditure.
(5) The Government will continue to create land in a resolute and persistent manner, so that a steady and continuous land supply for Hong Kong can be maintained to meet future economic and social development needs. In alignment with the implementation schedules of various projects, the Government will strive to use public fill in reclamation, site formation and earth filling projects. However, as the implementation programmes and construction arrangements of various projects will be continuously optimised as they progress, the demand for public fill will be adjusted subject to design and construction progress. It is therefore difficult to provide precise schedules at this stage.
In addition, the Government has been supporting innovative development, continuously collaborating with local universities on multiple research and development projects to recycle public fill into useful construction materials. These initiatives include sorting and recycling suitable hard materials from public fill into manufactured sand for reclamation, studying the use of public fill as final cover for landfills, and implementing a pilot scheme to produce eco-bricks using public fill. We will continue to monitor advancements in frontier technology, maintain close communication with university research teams, and continuously explore other feasible options for recycling public fill. Issued at HKT 17:23
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Government will introduce the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 (Bill) into the Legislative Council (LegCo) to make miscellaneous amendments to various enactments. The opportunity is also taken to make straightforward adaptation or amendment of provisions of, or references in, various enactments that are inconsistent with the constitutional status of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; and to repeal obsolete provisions or references in various enactments.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice (DoJ) said today (June 24) that the Law Reform Commission Secretariat spearheaded the Systematic Review of Statutory Laws of Hong Kong in 2022 to handle, with priority, the adaptation of laws, while also attending to the consolidation of laws and repeal of obsolete laws. The DoJ already introduced two omnibus bills, one in 2024 and the other in 2025, on behalf of different policy bureaux, to deal with adaptation of laws amendments collectively. With the DoJ introducing legislative proposals under the present Bill, alongside any other bill or amendment to subsidiary legislation taken forward in a timely manner by the relevant bureaux, it is promising that the target of completing the adaptation of laws exercise by the end of this term of Government can be met.
The proposed amendments in the present Bill are largely minor, technical and non-controversial but are useful for the purpose of updating or improving the relevant enactments. The proposed amendments can be broadly categorised into two groups, namely those arising from the Systematic Review of Statutory Laws of Hong Kong, and those not so related. The Bill amends references such as “Crown”, “Governor”, “Her Majesty”, “Secretary of State”, “Government of the United Kingdom”, “foreign” or “overseas”, and also those to “Commonwealth” and legislation of the United Kingdom, among others, in various enactments. It also updates or amends certain texts, references or terminology in specific ordinances or subsidiary legislation. Furthermore, the Bill repeals a number of enactments or certain provisions or references therein, which have become obsolete, and makes minor or technical miscellaneous amendments to some enactments.
The DoJ issued an information paper to the LegCo Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services last month, briefing members of the Panel on the major legislative proposals to be included in the Bill. The relevant policy bureaux and independent organisations have consulted the relevant stakeholders and no objection to the proposed amendments was received.
The Bill will be gazetted on June 26 and will be introduced into the LegCo on July 8.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by the Hon Michelle Tang and a written reply by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, in the Legislative Council today (June 24):
Question:
In order to enhance the overall level of occupational safety and health (OSH) in Hong Kong and safeguard workers’ safety, the authorities have been promoting the optimal use of innovative technology in the construction industry for the implementation of the Smart Site Safety System (the System) in recent years. However, it has been reported that many frontline workers not only resist using technology-assisted equipment such as smart safety helmets, but even seek ways to evade monitoring by various smart devices. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) apart from the several new measures introduced in 2024 (including a labelling scheme and subsidies for the application of the System in private construction projects), of the additional measures the authorities have adopted over the past two years to promote the implementation of the System in the industry, including whether the authorities have allocated additional resources and strengthened training; whether the authorities have assessed the territory-wide coverage and actual effectiveness of the System and such measures; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) over the past two years, apart from using small unmanned aircraft to assist in stepping up OSH inspections, whether the authorities have adopted any other new technological equipment to step up site inspections, and provided more smart site-related OSH education and training to various stakeholders in the construction industry; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) in view of the behaviour of some frontline workers who evade monitoring by various smart devices, whether the authorities will discuss with the industry as soon as possible the corresponding strategies to further enhance OSH level at construction sites across Hong Kong; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
The Government, as a party responsible for public works projects and an advocate of site safety policies, attaches great importance to site safety. The Development Bureau (DEVB), as a major stakeholder for public works, maintains close co-operation with the Labour Department (LD) and other stakeholders to deliberate and implement various site safety measures, including driving the construction industry to fully adopt the Smart Site Safety System (4S) to enhance site safety. The 4S enables remote monitoring of high-risk activities of construction sites in real time (such as lifting operations, confined spaces work, and mobile machinery operations). It can detect hazards early and issue immediate alerts to prevent the occurrence of serious incidents. The 4S can analyse the safety performance data collected to identify the crux of potential safety hazards for formulating appropriate enhancement measures.
Having consulted the LD, the reply to various parts of the question is as follows:
(1) The DEVB has required public works contracts exceeding $30 million to fully adopt the 4S since February 2023. Contractors are required to update and review the adoption of the 4S during monthly site safety management committee meetings with the resident site staff and take effective measures to ensure the 4S is properly adopted on site. Resident site staff will also check whether the 4S has been properly adopted in a continuous manner during site inspections.
Regarding private works projects, to expedite full adoption of the 4S in the construction industry, the Government has introduced a series of enhanced measures since 2024 with a view to promoting the adoption of the 4S in private building works. The measures include:
(i) The Buildings Department (BD) has introduced mandatory measures since July 2024. Conditions will be imposed on building works under the Buildings Ordinance when the first approval for superstructure plans of private works projects or approval for major revisions of superstructure plans is granted. For building works with an estimated cost exceeding $30 million and involving the use of mobile plants and tower cranes, registered contractors should use the 4S Mobile Plant Alert System and Tower Crane Alert System. Since July 2025, the aforementioned mandatory requirements have been extended to demolition works, excavation and lateral support works, foundation works and site formation works. Even if the relevant mandatory requirements have not been imposed when the building plans of the private works projects are approved, the aforesaid requirements will also be imposed by the BD when the first consent for the commencement of building works is granted. The mandatory requirements are also applicable to additions and alterations projects involving structural works;
(ii) In May 2024, the DEVB and the Construction Industry Council (CIC) launched the 4S Labelling Scheme, under which labels are issued to construction sites that have been verified as properly adopting 4S. The 4S plaques are placed at conspicuous spots around construction sites that have been issued with the labels for identification and to facilitate monitoring of the construction sites without 4S labels by enforcement departments (such as the LD). The list of such construction sites is available at the CIC’s webpage (www.cic.hk/content/4s-labelling/en/project-list) for public inspection;
(iii) The DEVB and the LD have established a notification mechanism. During site inspections, the LD will assess the adoption of the 4S at construction sites. If it is obvious that the sites with 4S labels issued have failed to adopt the 4S properly, the LD will notify the DEVB as soon as possible for referring the cases to the CIC for follow-up actions. The CIC will also conduct surprise inspections to check the adoption of the 4S of the construction sites with 4S labels issued. The 4S label of a construction site will be confiscated by the CIC if the site is found not having properly adopted the 4S. The above measure is also applicable to public works sites with 4S labels issued;
(iv) The Government has been subsidising the adoption of the 4S at construction sites of private works projects (including works projects self-financed by public organisations) through the Construction Innovation and Technology Fund (CITF). The scope of subsidy under the CITF has been extended since May 2024 to cover the relevant additional expenses in various aspects of adopting the 4S, including network capacity upgrades, additional manpower employed for the 4S operation, maintenance and technical support arising from the use of the 4S. From September to November 2024, the applicant eligibility of the CITF has been extended to local mobile plant/tower crane rental companies. The subsidy ceiling for each company is $7.5 million to support the installation of danger zone alert system on their machinery; and
(v) The Government has injected $1 billion again into the CITF in 2026, together with the CIC’s contribution of $400 million, bringing the total to $1.4 billion to continue supporting industry development and promoting the wider adoption of innovative construction methods and new technologies, including the 4S, in the industry.
The CIC has stepped up its publicity efforts and arranged outreach teams to visit construction sites. These teams aim to promote the use of the 4S in the industry, and the financial support available through the CITF. In addition, the CIC prepares and proposes different types of 4S packages with a view to assisting the industry to choose appropriate devices under the 4S having regard to factors such as the different nature of works and site environment. The CIC has also provided 4S-related training courses, including Certificate in 4S Planning and Implementation and Certificate in Safety Supervision with 4S. The CIC has also incorporated 4S-related content into its safety conference, seminars and safety training courses for site personnel at different levels to enhance the awareness and attention to the 4S of relevant personnel.
Currently, about 60 per cent of new construction projects and maintenance projects underway across the territory with a contract sum exceeding $30 million have adopted the 4S and been issued with labels. Since the introduction of the above-mentioned policy measures requiring construction sites to adopt the 4S or its related devices, the overall accident rate in the construction industry has dropped notably by approximately 20 per cent from 2023 to 2025, thus having a positive impact on site safety and providing workers with more comprehensive protection.
(2) The LD has started using small unmanned aircraft (SUA) to assist frontline officers in law enforcement work since October 2025. The SUA is used for aerial photography and videography of work sites. The captured images are used to generate three-dimensional photorealistic models to enhance the effectiveness of occupational safety and health inspections, accident investigations and evidence collection, etc. In addition, the LD has recently introduced the use of handheld point cloud scanners, allowing frontline staff to quickly and accurately scan the environment of the workplace under scenarios where drones cannot be used (such as congested areas, indoor areas, or restricted flying zones). The data collected by scanners can also be used to generate three-dimensional photorealistic models to assist in accident investigations and law enforcement.
As the technology matures and the deployment of body-worn video cameras (BWVC) has become increasingly common in the construction industry, the DEVB has recently required the frontline staff of resident site staff and contractors in all public works contracts to equip with BWVCs during site inspections, with a view to effectively enhancing site supervision, safety management, quality control and works progress monitoring.
For enhancing the awareness and attention to the 4S of relevant personnel, the CIC has provided 4S-related training courses, please refer to the part (1) of the reply above.
(3) We understand that the situations where frontline workers resist the use of or attempt to evade monitoring by various smart devices are not common. We nevertheless will continue to closely monitor the situation and deliberate feasible measures to uplift site safety with industry stakeholders. In fact, every member of the project team plays a crucial role in ensuring site safety. Everyone has the responsibility to perform their own duties. The CIC has been proactively implementing measures to enhance the safety awareness of frontline personnel and nurturing a safety culture. The Government also appreciates that the CIC and industry stakeholders have reached a consensus and duly implemented the Frontline Personnel Safety Performance Recording Scheme applicable to frontline personnel of construction sites, aiming to let the frontline personnel to continuously take note on their safety performance during daily work, to praise and record the good behaviour of outstanding performers. It can also timely remind those whose safety behaviours need improvement. Specific safety performance improvement courses will be arranged for them outside working hours, with a view to helping frontline personnel to further enhance their safety awareness and site safety performance.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
LCQ14: Joint-user government complex project in Kwu Tung North Question:
Earlier on, the Panel on Development of this Council discussed the Administration’s proposed public works project to construct a joint-user complex (JUC) and a joint-user general office building (JUB) at Area 29 of the Kwu Tung North New Development Area (KTN NDA). In addition to providing government offices, the project, which is the first Government’s flagship project in the Northern Metropolis (NM), will also offer various community facilities. There are views that the two proposed buildings will not only provide facilities and services to nearby residents but also serve as landmarks of KTN NDA. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the strategic significance of the aforesaid project to the enhancement of the speed and quality of NM development, and how its implementation in KTN NDA will improve the planning of KTN NDA; how the Government will step up public promotion of the public facilities and services provided by the aforesaid project;
(2) as indicated in the paper submitted by the Government to the Panel on Development, the scale of the proposed JUC and JUB is comparable to that of the Central Government Offices (CGO) and the Legislative Council Complex (Complex) after expansion, whether the construction costs of these two buildings are also comparable to those of CGO and the Complex;
(3) whether the Government has plans to provide similar joint-user office and service complexes in other areas of NM to accommodate the relocation of major government departments and provide various community cultural, recreational and sports facilities; if so, of the details; and
(4) given that JUC and JUB will each house facilities such as a library and a community hall, it is anticipated that they will serve a large number of people daily, but the authorities have allocated only around 650 square metres for small and medium-sized shops under the entire project, and such a limited area may not be sufficient to meet residents’ daily consumption needs and demand for support facilities, whether the authorities have reserved space or incorporated design flexibility to allow for an expansion of shop area in the future; whether the authorities have planned any other commercial sites near Area 29 of KTN NDA to supplement the community’s commercial support facilities?
Reply:
President,
The Government plans to construct a joint-user complex (JUC) and a joint-user general office building (JUB) (the Project) at Area 29 of the Kwu Tung North (KTN) New Development Area (NDA) in the Northern Metropolis (NM). The Project demonstrates the Government’s commitment to drive the development of the NM, with an iconic government facility cluster showcasing the NM as a future core area of Hong Kong.
In respect of the Hon Yiu Ming’s question, the reply to various parts is as follows:
(1) The KTN NDA is the first NDA in the NM entering the construction stage, and the Project marks an important milestone and pioneer in the NM development. First, it is the first government facility cluster in the NM. Some government offices currently situated in other districts, covering nine bureaux/departments including the headquarters of the Architectural Services Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, will be relocated to the JUB within the Project, thereby driving the development of KTN and highlighting the NM’s strategic significance. In addition, the Project is of a substantial scale, with a total net operational floor area (NOFA) of about 86 000 square metres, comparable to the Tamar Central Government Offices (CGO) and Legislative Council (LegCo) Complex after expansion. Apart from its iconic architectural design, the Project will also integrate green building and smart elements, and adopt advanced construction methods, setting to become a landmark building in the KTN. The Project also embodies the principles of enhancing speed and efficiency. Subject to LegCo’s funding approval, works will commence in the third quarter of this year. The 35-storey JUB is anticipated to be completed first in only about three and a half years (i.e. by end-2029), while the JUC is scheduled for completion by end-2030 to meet the needs of the additional population of 130 000 upon the full completion of KTN in 2032.
For the KTN NDA, the Project provides not only government offices, but also various sports, cultural and recreational, medical, educational and welfare facilities, including a multi-purpose sports centre capable for hosting local and international fencing competitions (such as Fencing World Cup sub-station tournaments), as well as serving as a training venue for non-elite fencing athletes. Relevant departments will promote the public facilities and services available within the Project to their stakeholders. In addition, the Project, together with the NM core exhibition gallery under construction, the international swimming complex under planning, and the Long Valley Nature Park already open to the public, will transform the KTN NDA into a new civic node, comprehensively enhancing the positioning and development potential of the NDA.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Hong Kong Customs yesterday (June 23) arrested a model and toy shop sole proprietor on suspicion of engaging in wrongly accepting payments in the course of selling models and toys, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).
Customs earlier received a number of reports alleging that someone sold models and toys through two physical shops and their respective online shops but failed to supply the ordered goods within the specified date or a reasonable period after accepting payments from customers. Also, no refund was offered in a timely manner. As of yesterday, the reports received by Customs involved 26 customers and 57 toy products, with the total amount involved being about $98,000.
After investigations, Customs officers yesterday arrested a 41-year-old man suspected to be connected with the case. He is the sole proprietor of the two shops concerned in Mong Kok.
An investigation is ongoing, and the arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure products at reputable shops.
Under the TDO, any trader commits an offence if at the time of acceptance of payment, the trader intends not to supply the product or intends to supply a materially different product, or there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the trader will be able to supply the product within a specified or reasonable period. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Following is a question by Dr the Hon Thomas So and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (June 24):
Question:
It has been reported that the number of marketing calls reported in 2025 by the users of an unsolicited call reporting website amounted to 466 000, which represented an increase of nearly 220 000 from 241 000 calls in 2023. Among these cases, marketing calls promoting financial loans and banking investments increased by nearly 160 000 in two years, while calls involving estate sales doubled and those promoting body checks increased by 10 times. Recently, there has even been the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated Cantonese-speaking calls developed by suppliers from the Mainland, who claimed that up to 10 000 calls could be made each day. There are views that while the Government has been inclined to encourage self-regulation by the industry over the years, the data has reflected that such self-regulation is ineffective since the number of unsolicited marketing calls has been rising. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the existing objective indicators formulated by the Government for evaluating the effectiveness of the self-regulatory efforts made by the industry; whether the Government will consider introducing measures to curb the rising trend of unsolicited marketing calls, provided that normal business activities remain unaffected; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) while the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Ordinance (Cap. 593) currently in force regulates facsimile messages, short messages and pre-recorded telephone messages, it does not cover marketing calls featuring AI-generated speeches, and given the relatively low cost of using AI for marketing purposes, will the Government consider studying the regulation of such marketing calls to prevent the number from growing out of control; and
(3) there are views that the increase in marketing calls is primarily caused by the collection and transfer of personal data of members of the public among business organisations for commercial and marketing purposes. While the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) stipulates that data subjects must be informed and their express consent be obtained before their personal data can be used in direct marketing, it is learnt that some service providers obtain customer consent by way of “bundled consent” (for example, the forms used for collecting personal data from customers are designed in such a way that renders it impracticable for customers to refuse the use of their personal data for direct marketing purposes unrelated to the services the customers seek, such collection of personal data contravenes the original intent of authorisation), whether the Government will step up efforts in regulating such practice of data transfer; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
Telecommunications services are closely related to citizen’s livelihood, and are also one of the important means for businesses to reach out to members of the public. The Government understands that members of the public are concerned about unsolicited calls (commonly known as marketing calls) and scam calls. Considering the different nature of marketing calls and scam calls, the Government has introduced different measures targeting them respectively in an active response to public concerns. Regarding marketing calls, despite that different industries have adopted innovative modes to promote services and products, the Government understands that currently some enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, are still using voice marketing calls for promotional activities and service follow-up, etc. Therefore, there is a practical and legitimate need for enterprises to use marketing calls for their business operation. At present, marketing calls are handled differently around the world depending on local circumstances, including restriction-free, industry self-regulation and legislative regulation. Based on the experience in other regions, there are considerable challenges in the actual operation and enforcement of handling marketing calls through legislation (including how to distinguish unlawful marketing calls, evidence collection, cross-border enforcement and prosecution, etc). Under the overarching principle of balancing the practical needs of enterprises’ business operation and minimising nuisance caused to public by marketing calls, and considering that enterprises are undergoing transformation amid the prevailing economic environment, the Government believes that the more pragmatic approach in managing marketing calls is to promote industry self-regulation, while putting in place other industry collaborative and regulatory measures. In response to the question raised by Dr the Hon Thomas So, in consultation with the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA), our reply is as follows:
(1) and (2) To alleviate the nuisance caused by marketing calls, the Government has implemented a series of measures, including:
(i) Through the Industry Regulatory Scheme for Marketing Calls, OFCA has proactively invited relevant industries to implement industry self-regulation, including requiring telemarketers to provide their names and contact numbers upon recipients’ requests, as well as limiting the number of calls made to the same telephone number within a specified period. Currently, 12 industry associations from seven industries (including finance, insurance, telecommunications, call centres, beauty, estate agencies, and money lenders) are participating in the Scheme. Since the relevant industry associations issued their sector-specific codes of practice in 2011, the number of enquiries and complaints related to marketing calls received by the Government has significantly reduced from around 2 000 cases in 2012 to around 270 cases in 2025, reflecting that the measure is effective to a certain extent. The Government will continue to engage relevant stakeholders and various industries to further expand the scope of the Scheme with more industries participating in industry self-regulation;
(ii) OFCA has requested telecommunications service providers (TSPs) to provide call-management services or call-filtering applications to their customers. Subscribers to these services may personalise or use the pre-set black and/or white lists provided by mobile service providers to filter all incoming calls, including anonymous calls, to minimise suspicious and nuisance calls. Currently, the four major TSPs are providing the above services as required, and some even offer free call filtering value-added services to all or some of their customers (e.g. customers aged 60 or above). OFCA has encouraged the use of call-management services and call-filtering applications through various publicity and education activities, and has also helped members of the public in need download and use relevant filtering applications during the public education and promotional activities. Between January 2023 and May 2026, OFCA has organised a total of 366 public education and publicity activities, including 52 roving and small-scale exhibitions, 126 community and school talks, 70 school drama performances, 56 roadshows, 36 mobile promotion truck tours and 26 publicity activities in other forms, to promote relevant messages to residents and students across all districts; and
(iii) Unsolicited electronic messages are currently regulated by the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Ordinance (Cap. 593) (UEMO), members of the public can choose to unsubscribe from commercial electronic messages (e.g. faxes, emails, short messages, pre-recorded telephone messages, etc) at their own will. Regarding artificial intelligence (AI)-generated marketing calls, regardless if they are pre-recorded using human or AI-generated voices, all of them are currently regulated under the UEMO, unless they involve person-to-person interactive communication. In other words, if the caller conducts the entire phone call solely by AI without any person-to-person interaction, i.e. fully AI-powered telephone voice messages, it will be subject to the UEMO. Furthermore, in view of the increasing prevalence of AI-generated marketing calls originating from the Mainland, OFCA communicated with the relevant Mainland authorities in March this year to reflect relevant concerns and to explain the requirement of the UEMO to enterprises in the Mainland, strengthening co-operation in tackling unsolicited electronic messages between Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. Currently, marketing calls with AI-generated elements only account for a very small fraction of UEMO reports. According to records, among the 831 reports of alleged contravention of the UEMO received by OFCA in 2025, there were only 10 reports in which the complainants alleged the use of AI in those pre-recorded telephone messages. That said, OFCA will continue to closely monitor the development in AI and review the implementation effectiveness of the UEMO to ensure that the UEMO keeps pace with the times.
In addition, OFCA has implemented a series of measures from the perspective of telecommunications services to assist the Police in combating phone deception at the source. Among these measures, according to the Code of Practice formulated by the Communications Authority, TSPs are required to monitor calls and SMS messages originated from their networks and systems. TSPs must suspend the services of the relevant local telephone numbers once suspicious calling or SMS-sending patterns are identified (e.g. making a large number of calls/sending a large number of SMS within a short period of time), regardless of whether such calls and SMS messages are generated by an AI system. As at end May 2026, over 1.59 million local telephone numbers have been suspended as a result. The Government will continue to closely monitor market developments to ensure that the current regulatory mechanisms can respond to the needs of society.
(3) Regarding Member’s concern that there are commercial enterprises obtaining customers’ agreement in using their personal data for business or promotional purposes by “bundling”, the Guidance on Direct Marketing published by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data has already reminded data users not to design a service application form in such a way as to render it impracticable for customers to refuse the use of their personal data for direct marketing purposes (such as the so-called “bundled consent”). Instead, data users are advised to design a service application form that separates customers’ agreement to terms and conditions of the services being purchased from customers’ agreement in using their personal data for direct marketing.
As for telecommunications services, OFCA has not received any complaints regarding TSPs obtaining “bundled consent” in their service contracts. If members of the public have any concerns on the matter, OFCA will actively follow up with TSPs.