Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ10: Fixed penalty notices
Following is a question by the Hon Yeung Yiu-chung and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (February 12):
Question:
The Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness Offences) Ordinance commenced operation in June last year. In this regard, will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the details of the enforcement actions taken by the relevant government departments; and
(b) the districts and kinds of premises with higher littering rates as indicated by the number of fixed penalty notices issued?
Reply:
(a) The Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness Offences) Ordinance ("the Ordinance") provides for a fixed penalty of $600 for committing public cleanliness offences including littering, spitting, unauthorised display of bills and posters and fouling of street by dog faeces. Seven departments, namely Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Marine Department, Hong Kong Police Force, Housing Department, Environmental Protection Department, and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department are authorised under the Ordinance to take enforcement action in areas or venues under their management responsibility.
Following the commencement of the Ordinance on June 10, 2002, the Administration has issued over 11,000 fixed penalty notices, of which about 97 per cent were issued to offenders without the assistance of the Police. Some 90 per cent of the offenders paid the penalty within the statutory time limit while less than 0.6 per cent have disputed liability for the offence. Overall, the implementation of the Ordinance has been effective in improving the cleanliness of Hong Kong.
(b) The majority of fixed penalty notices were issued in densely populated areas and venues with high pedestrian flows. Eastern, Mong Kok and Kwun Tong have recorded the most offences, with some 10 per cent of the total number of notices issued in each of these districts. According to our enforcement experience, places near MTR entrances, bus stops, convenience shops and snack shops are more prone to littering, particularly improper disposal of cigarette butts, soft drink containers and straw wrappings.
End/Wednesday, February 12, 2003
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