Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ12: Nurses Registration Ordinance
Following is a question by the Hon Michael Mak Kwok-fung and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, in the Legislative Council today (March 5):
Question :
In June 1997, the former Legislative Council ("LegCo") passed the amendments to the Nurses Registration Ordinance (Cap. 164), including adding the provision that six of the members of the Nursing Council of Hong Kong shall be elected among registered nurses and enrolled nurses in a manner provided for by regulations. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the progress in drafting the relevant election regulations and the planned time to introduce the proposed regulations to LegCo; and
(b) the planned time for implementing the relevant regulations; if no implementation date has been fixed, the reasons for that?
Reply :
(a) Since the enactment of the Nurses Registration (Amendment) Ordinance 1997 in June 1997, the Administration has been working closely with the Nursing Council of Hong Kong (the Council), known as the Nursing Board of Hong Kong prior to May 3, 1999, to prepare the necessary regulations in relation to the election of the six members who are registered nurses or enrolled nurses to serve on the Council. As it is necessary to provide powers to the Council to enable it to handle election petitions, the Administration introduced relevant amendments to the Nurses Registration Ordinance through the Medical and Health Care (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill 2000 in January 2000. The Bill however lapsed at the end of the 1999/2000 legislative session pending the establishment of a Bills Committee. The same proposed amendments were introduced again through the Medical and Health Care (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill 2001, which was eventually passed by the Legislative Council in April 2002.
Drafting of the regulations providing for the election of the six members is in progress. With the necessary enabling powers in place, these regulations are expected to be ready for introduction into the Legislative Council for negative vetting within the current legislative session.
(b) Subject to the scrutiny of Legislative Council, the relevant regulations providing for the election of the six members are planned to be brought into operation later this year.
End/Wednesday, March 5, 2003
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