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At a special Executive Council meeting today (August 13), the Chief Executive in Council has approved the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry under the Commissions of Inquiry Ordinance (Cap. 86) to inquire into the incidents of excess lead found in drinking water.
Mr Justice Andrew Chan Hing-wai, Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court, has been appointed as Chairman and Commissioner, and Mr Alan Lai Nin has been appointed as Commissioner.
Mr Justice Chan joined the Judiciary as Magistrate in 1998. He was appointed as District Judge in 2007 and Judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court in 2012.
Mr Lai has had a career of nearly 40 years in the civil service and the public service in Hong Kong. He was the Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption from 1999 to 2002 and the Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Treasury) from 2002 to 2007. He was appointed as the Ombudsman from 2009 to 2014. Mr Lai is currently a Professor of Practice in the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Hong Kong.
The Terms of Reference of the Commission, as approved by the Chief Executive in Council, are to:
(a) ascertain the causes of excess lead found in drinking water in public rental housing developments;
(b) review and evaluate the adequacy of the present regulatory and monitoring system in respect of drinking water supply in Hong Kong; and
(c) make recommendations with regard to the safety of drinking water in Hong Kong.
The Commission is expected to report to the Chief Executive within nine months. If necessary, the Commission may make an interim report.
The Commission of Inquiry is appointed under the Commissions of Inquiry Ordinance (Cap. 86). The appointment of the Commission will be published in the Gazette.
Mrs Sharon Yip, Administrative Officer Staff Grade B, has been appointed as Secretary to the Commission.
Ends/Thursday, August 13, 2015
Issued at HKT 13:45
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