Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ8: Funeral services
Following is a question by Hon Wong Kwok-hing and a written reply by the
Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, in the Legislative Council today
(June 22):
Question:
Since 2000, the right to operate the Hung Hom Public Funeral Parlour (HHPFP),
constructed by the former Urban Council, has been granted to private
institutions through open tender, but the operator is required to provide
low-cost funeral services to specific groups of people referred by the Social
Welfare Department (SWD) or the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department at a
specified fee as determined by SWD. The incumbent operator of HHPFP has to pay a
quarterly fee of HK$13.95 million to the Government for the operating right, and
the five-year contract will expire on March 31, 2017. In this connection, will
the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it knows, since April 2012, (i) the number of deceased persons for
whom funeral ceremonies were held in HHPFP each year and its percentage in the
total number of deceased persons in that year, and (ii) the average usage rate
of the service halls in HHPFP per annum;
(2) whether it knows, since April 2012, the average charges of various services
provided by HHPFP each year, as well as the number of times for which low-cost
funeral services were provided to specific groups of people each year and the
average fee charged each time;
(3) whether the authorities have, since 2000, reviewed on a regular basis the
level and charges of the funeral services provided by HHPFP, as well as the
person-times using such services; if they have, of the details, and when the
last review was conducted;
(4) whether the operator of HHPFP assisted in the promotion of green burials in
the past three years; if the operator did, of the details;
(5) whether it has formulated a plan for the mode of operation and the direction
of development of HHPFP in future (e.g. relocating or reprovisioning HHPFP); if
it has, of the details; and
(6) as some members of the public have criticised that the fee for the operating
right has indirectly pushed up the charges of the funeral services provided at
HHPFP, whether the authorities will, in granting a new contract for the right to
provide services next year, lower the fee for the operating right and cap the
charges of funeral services; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons
for that?
Reply:
President,
(1) In June 2002, the Government first contracted out the operating right of the
Hung Hom Public Funeral Parlour (HHPFP) to the private sector through open
tender. At present, the HHPFP is operated by the Grand Peace Funeral Parlour
(GPFP). The five-year operating right granted to GPFP will expire at the end of
March 2017.
The number of times GPFP's service halls were used as a ratio to the total
number of deceased persons each year, and the usage rate of the service halls
since April 2012 are listed in Annex 1.
(2) and (3) To ensure the availability of low-cost funeral services for those in
need, the Government has included terms in the agreement relating to the
operation of the HHPFP, requiring its operator to offer low-cost funeral
services to specific groups of people referred by the Social Welfare Department
(SWD) or the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD). The funeral
services in question should embrace in a holistic manner the basic and necessary
services for the disposal of a dead body, at a fee not exceeding the limit of
the burial grant set by SWD. To help ensure public awareness of the availability
of the low-cost funeral services, the agreement also requires the operator to
display details of the low-cost funeral services at a conspicuous position of
the funeral parlour, and set up a website to provide service information
including the price list. In case of violation of the agreement, the Government
will require the operator to make improvement.
From April 2012 up to now, the number of people using the low-cost funeral
services provided by GPFP is listed in Annex 2.
SWD adjusts the burial grant regularly. With effect from April 1, 2016, the
applicable level of burial grant is $14,500.
FEHD does not keep figures on the average fee charged by GPFP for its service
halls each year.
(4) We have not requested the operator of GPFP to provide information relating
to green burial.
(5) and (6) At present, we have no plan to relocate or reprovision HHPFP. Upon
the expiry of the operating right of GPFP in end March 2017, the Government will
carry out proper on-site maintenance works and conduct a re-tender exercise for
the operating right in accordance with the established open tendering
procedures. Having regard to past experience and the prevailing circumstances,
the Government will also impose appropriate terms in the agreement to ensure
that the operation of HHPFP is in keeping with the public interest.
Ends/Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:22
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LCQ8 Annex 1
LCQ8 Annex 2