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Following is the speech by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in moving the proposed resolutions under the Radiation Ordinance (Cap 303) in the Legislative Council today (May 24):
Madam President,
I move that the Radiation (Control of Radioactive Substances) (Fee Revision) Regulation 2006 and the Radiation (Control of Irradiating Apparatus) (Fee Reduction) Regulation 2006 as set out under my name in the paper circulated to Members be approved.
Fees relating to the grant or renewal of licence for radioactive substances and the issue of certified copy of medical examination certificate concerning fitness for employment involving unsealed radioactive substances are prescribed under regulations 4(1) and 16(2) of the Radiation (Control of Radioactive Substances) Regulations. Fees in respect of the issue of certified copy of medical examination certificate of fitness for engagement in radiation work, licence to possess an irradiating apparatus in a non-functional state and licence to use an irradiating apparatus are prescribed under regulation 11(2) and Schedule 2 of the Radiation (Control of Irradiating Apparatus) Regulations. The fees in respect of two of the above were introduced in 1997 and that of the remaining three were last revised in 1994.
It is Government policy that fees should in general be set at levels sufficient to recover the full cost of providing the services. However, most of the fees and charges have been frozen since 1998 as an exceptional measure to alleviate the financial burden on the public in times of economic difficulty. As the economy is gradually picking up, in line with the "user pays" principle, the Financial Secretary in his 2004-05 Budget Speech indicated the need to resume the revision of government fees and charges. Based on the costing reviews, fees will either be increased to achieve full-cost recovery by phases or reduced to reflect the full cost in one go.
A costing exercise was conducted to review the costs of the fee items under the Radiation (Control of Radioactive Substances) Regulations and the Radiation (Control of Irradiating Apparatus) Regulations. In the light of the outcome, we propose to increase the fee in respect of one item and reduce the fees of four items.
The Legislative Council Panel on Health Services was consulted in April on the fee revision proposals and Members generally raised no objection to the proposals.
The Amendment Regulations now before Members seek to amend the fees of five items specified in the Radiation (Control of Radioactive Substances) Regulations and the Radiation (Control of Irradiating Apparatus) Regulations.
With these remarks, Madam President, I move the motion.
Ends/Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:31
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