The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
 
     The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting tomorrow (April 28) at 11.30am (or immediately after the Chief Executive's Question Time to be held at 11am) in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, Members will continue the Second Reading debate on the Appropriation Bill 2021 and Government officials will speak on the Bill. If the Bill is supported by Members and receives its Second Reading, it will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bill and its report is adopted by the Council, the Bill will be set down for the Third Reading.
 
     Meanwhile, the Second Reading debate on the Air Pollution Control (Amendment) Bill 2021, the Employees' Compensation (Amendment) Bill 2021, the Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2020, the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2021, the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Carried Interest) Bill 2021 and the Revenue (Tax Concessions) Bill 2021 will also resume. If the Bills are supported by Members and receive their Second Reading, they will stand committed to the committee of the whole Council. After the committee of the whole Council has completed consideration of the Bills and their reports are adopted by the Council, the Bills will be set down for the Third Reading.
 
     Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, all of which require written replies.
 
     The agenda of the above meeting can be obtained via the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk). Members of the public can watch or listen to the meeting via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website. To observe the proceedings of the meeting at the LegCo Complex, members of the public may call 3919 3399 during office hours to reserve seats.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam at a media session before the Executive Council meeting today (April 27):
 
Reporter: Good Morning, Mrs Lam. Two questions. The first one, how will you see Beijing's strong criticism against the Bar Association's Chairman Paul Harris, denouncing him as an anti-China politician? What is your take on this? Is the Hong Kong Government going to take any actions against Mr Harris? The second question, do you think holding an annual June 4 vigil in Victoria Park may go against the national security law? How will you ensure Hong Kong people to have the freedom of expression in issues Beijing deems sensitive? Thank you.
 
Chief Executive: Thank you for the two questions. Incidentally, in answering the first set of questions from the other reporter, I have mentioned, by referring to the blog of the Secretary for Justice issued yesterday that yes, Hong Kong respects and safeguards the individual rights and freedoms including the freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of protest and so on, but this is not an absolute right. This right could be restrained in accordance with the law in order to protect the rights of the other people – and the other people, normally, is the great majority of the Hong Kong people, and also to ensure law and order and stability in Hong Kong society. My answer to your first question is, yes, everybody has freedom of expression. They can say whatever they want to say in accordance with the law and as long as they do not deviate or breach the legal provision, I don't have any particular view on that.

     The Hong Kong Bar Association is a self-regulatory association, and operating in accordance with its own rules and regulations including the election of a chairman. For the time being, I do not see the case for any government intervention into the affairs of the Hong Kong Bar Association. But of course if there are instances or complaints about the Bar not acting in accordance with Hong Kong's law, then the Government will be called into action.
 
     Similarly, on your second question about whether certain gatherings could continue to be held and whether they will be in breach of the national security law, it much depends on what is going to happen in those gatherings and whether they will fall into the offences expressly prohibited in the national security law, that is, involved in secession, subversion of the Central Government, the Hong Kong SAR Government, engaging in terrorist activities or collusion with an external party to endanger national security. Thank you.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     The Government today (April 27) announced that the 14th round of compulsory testing for staff members of residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs), residential care homes for persons with disabilities (RCHDs) and nursing homes will commence shortly.
 
     In accordance with section 10(1) of the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) (the Regulation), the Secretary for Food and Health issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday (April 26), requiring persons who are employed by and will be on duty at RCHEs, RCHDs, nursing homes and day service units attached to the premises of residential care homes during the period from May 14 to 27, 2021, or who will provide services to residents or users through hire-of-service contracts with residential care homes and the aforementioned units during that period (including full-time, part-time and relief staff), to undergo polymerase chain reaction-based nucleic acid tests for COVID-19 during the period from April 30 to May 13, 2021, according to the requirements and procedure set out in the notice (the Specified Test).
 
     The staff of the aforementioned institutions may choose the following means to undergo the Specified Test:
 
(1) To undergo the Specified Test in any of the Community Testing Centres (see the list at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en), Temporary Testing Centres (if any) (see the list at www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_supportser/sub_ttc), or mobile specimen collection stations (if any) (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html) in accordance with the instructions given by the staff at the centre/station;
 
(2) To undergo the Specified Test as arranged by institution operators at a laboratory listed on the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf) and as instructed by the staff of the laboratory;
 
(3) To obtain a specimen bottle from one of the 121 post offices, 47 general out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority or vending machines set up at 20 MTR stations, collect a deep throat saliva sample in the specimen bottle as per the guidelines provided together with the specimen bottle, and return the specimen bottle with the sample (see the specimen bottles distribution and specimen collection locations and times at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html);
 
(4) To undergo the Specified Test at general out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority as instructed by a medical professional of the Hospital Authority; or
 
(5) To self-arrange testing provided by a laboratory listed on the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" at their own expense (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf).
 
     Any person who fails to comply with the testing notice commits an offence and may be subject to a fixed penalty of $5,000. He or she would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.
 
     A spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said that the SWD and the Department of Health would issue letters to institutions to inform them of the relevant arrangements and requirements. The spokesman reminded that staff of the said institutions who would undergo testing at community testing centres should make an advance booking via the community testing centre booking system (www.communitytest.gov.hk) for the free testing service. In addition, institution operators should remind their staff members to properly keep the SMS notifications of their test results or their test result reports.
 
     Institution operators are required to keep records of their staff having received the Specified Test and the results within the time frame specified by the Government. Institution operators also have to co-operate with Checking Officers (Compulsory Testing) of the SWD who are enforcing the Regulation at residential care homes.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (April 27) that due to big waves, red flags have been hoisted at Stanley Main Beach, Shek O Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island; Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach in Islands District; and Silverstrand Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at these beaches.

     The Government today (April 27) started recruitment under the Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth (MSSY) Phase IV. The application period will close on May 26.

     A spokesman for the Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) said, "To provide more opportunities for young people to participate in policy discussions and understand government operation, we have regularised the MSSY launched by the current-term Government and expanded it to cover more boards and committees. So far, around 400 posts are currently held by young people who have been appointed to advisory and statutory bodies directly or indirectly through the MSSY. The overall ratio of youth members in these bodies has increased from 7.8 per cent in 2017 to 13.7 per cent at present, gradually approaching the target of 15 per cent set by the current-term Government."

     The MSSY has received over 5 300 applications for the past four phases (i.e. the Pilot Member Self-recommendation Scheme for Youth and Phases I to III of the MSSY). The list of appointees has been uploaded to the website of the HAB.

     The MSSY Phase IV is now open for application. The number of participating committees is increased from 10 to 15, covering a wider spectrum of policy areas:
     

1. Advisory Committee on Built Heritage Conservation
2. Advisory Committee on Countryside Conservation
3. Assessment Panel of the Innovation and Technology Fund for Better Living
4. Business Facilitation Advisory Committee
5. Chinese Language Interface Advisory Committee
6. Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations of the ICAC
7. Committee on Reduction of Salt and Sugar in Food
8. Energy Advisory Committee
9. Family Council
10. Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board
11. Joint Committee on Information Technology for the Social Welfare Sector
12. Quality Education Fund Dissemination and Promotion Sub-committee
13. Small and Medium Enterprises Committee
14. Steering Committee on the Child Development Fund
15. Steering Committee on Promotion of Vocational and Professional Education and Training and Qualifications Framework

     "Young people aged between 18 and 35 on May 26, 2021, i.e. the date of the application deadline, with a commitment to serve the community are invited to self-nominate to become members of the 15 specified committees," the spokesman continued.
     
     â€‹A Recruitment Committee (RC) has been set up by the HAB for overseeing the implementation of the MSSY. The RC comprises the Secretary for Home Affairs, a representative of the Youth Development Commission, non-official chairpersons or members of the aforementioned 15 committees and representatives of the bureaux/departments concerned. Under the RC, 15 Assessment Panels (APs) will be formed to take care of the applications concerning the 15 committees respectively. The APs will conduct interviews with applicants to facilitate assessment.

     The APs will consider whether each applicant has a strong commitment to serve the community, good understanding of the policy area concerned and good analytical and communication skills. Following the principle of meritocracy, the Government aims to, through the MSSY, recruit young people who have the commitment to serve the community and the ability to contribute to the committees concerned for recommending to the relevant bureaux/departments for consideration of appointment. Each of the above committees will respectively offer two seats for appointment. Subject to the actual number of applications received, the assessment should be completed in the fourth quarter of 2021.

     The application form and other details of the MSSY Phase IV are available on the website of the HAB (www.hab.gov.hk). In completing the application form, each applicant needs to write no more than 600 words or provide a video or audio clip of no longer than three minutes to explain, in either Chinese or English, his or her suitability for being appointed to be a member of the selected committee(s). Applications may be submitted through the online application system, by post or by hand.