1. Chairman report of Subcommittee on the Two Proposed Resolutions Relating to the Establishment of the Innovation and Technology Bureau
As the Chairman of the Subcommittee, I reported at the LegCo meeting on 27 May 2015 regarding the deliberations of the Subcommittee on the Two Proposed Resolutions Relating to the Establishment of the Innovation and Technology Bureau (ITB). Most members of the Subcommittee expressed support for the repeal Resolution and the new Resolution and urged that ITB should be established as soon as possible to spearhead the development of innovation and technology in Hong Kong. The Subcommittee does not move any amendments to the two proposed resolutions. The Resolutions were passed by LegCo on 3 June 2015.

2. Appropriation Bill 2015 passed
On 28 May 2015, the Appropriation Bill 2015 passed after spending nearly 130 hours on the third reading including 18 hours voting on 618 amendments. The filibustering in the LegCo during the process has led to delay in the budget’s passage and affected government operations.

3. Progress update of the construction of the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link
At the meeting of Subcommittee on Matters Relating to Railways on 19 May 2015, the Government reported on the progress and financial situation of the construction of the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL). As there were 664 unresolved claims at the end of March 2015, amounting to HK$14.6 billion, I asked if disputes over contractors’ claims had undermined coordination between MTR Corp and contractors. The MTR representative responded that the MTR is doing its best to ask contractors to prioritise the progress and at the same time settle disputes. MTR will submit a report to the government before the end of June with latest XRL cost estimates and a target completion date.

4. Subcommittee on Building (Administration) (Amendment) Regulation 2015 and Building (Minor Works) (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2015
The administration has recently completed a cost review exercise based on the 2015-2016 price level on the registration fee of building professionals and contractors. Based on the outcome of the cost review, the administration has made the following amendments: (a) to increase by 5.1% to 68% the fees relating to the registration of authorized persons, structural engineers, geotechnical engineers, general building contractors and specialist contractors, and inspectors; and (b) to revise, ranging from -4.9% to +45.1%, the fees relating to the registration of registered minor works contractors. The Amendment Regulations was published in the Gazette on 15 May 2015 and a Subcommittee was formed to discuss the amendments. I joined the Subcommittee in June 2015. The Subcommittee completed its work with one meeting held on 1 June 2015.

5. Electoral Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2015
The Administration consulted the LegCo on the proposed technical amendments for the 2016 LegCo election and a Bills Committee was formed in May 2015. This Bill makes technical amendments concerning the electorate of the functional constituencies, the name of an FC, counting procedures and textual errors for the 2016 LegCo election. I joined the Bills Committee in May 2015.

6. Inland Revenue (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015
Some concessionary revenue measures were proposed in the 2015-16 Budget to (a) increase both the child allowance and the additional one-off child allowance in the year of birth for each eligible child from $70,000 to $100,000 under salaries tax and tax under personal assessment with effect from the year of assessment 2015/16; and (b) reduce salaries tax, tax under personal assessment and profits tax for the year of assessment 2014/15 by 75%, subject to a ceiling of $20,000 per case.  The Government must amend the Inland Revenue Ordinance to give effect to the relevant proposals. A Bills Committee was formed and I joined the Committee. The Bills Committee completed the scrutiny of the Bill with one meeting held on 19 May 2015. The administration will resume the second reading debate on the Bill at the LegCo meeting of 24 June 2015.