The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today the progress made in its handling of banking complaints received as at end-March 2021. Banking complaints include cases concerning general banking services and conduct-related issues.
      
     In March 2021, 290 cases were received and the handling of 270 cases was completed. As at end-March, the handling of 653 cases was in progress. 
      
     A table summarising the progress made in the handling of banking complaints by the HKMA is attached.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Friday, April 16, 2021 is 101.7 (down 0.1 against yesterday's index).

     The Town Planning Board today (April 16) announced the publication of the draft Urban Renewal Authority (URA) Shantung Street/Thistle Street Development Scheme Plan (DSP) No. S/K3/URA4/1.
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     The scheme area covers about 0.28 hectares and is designated as "Residential (Group A)" and an area shown as 'Road'. The scheme is for high-density residential developments with commercial and government, institution or community facilities.

     In accordance with section 25(9) of the URA Ordinance, the draft DSP replaces the draft Mong Kok Outline Zoning Plan No. S/K3/33 in relation to the area delineated and described in the draft DSP.
      
     The draft Shantung Street/Thistle Street DSP No. S/K3/URA4/1 is now available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Tsuen Wan and West Kowloon District Planning Office, and (iv) the Yau Tsim Mong District Office.

     Any person may make written representations in respect of the DSP to the Secretary of the Board on or before June 16. Any person who intends to make a representation is advised to read the revised Town Planning Board Guidelines No. 29B on "Submission and Publication of Representations, Comments on Representations and Further Representations under the Town Planning Ordinance" (TPB PG-No. 29B).
 
     Submission of a representation should comply with the requirements set out in TPB PG-No. 29B. In particular, the representer should take note of the following:
 
* If the representer fails to provide his or her full name and the first four alphanumeric characters of his or her Hong Kong identity card or passport number as required under TPB PG-No. 29B, the representation submitted shall be treated as not having been made; and
* The Secretariat of the Board reserves the right to require the representer to provide identity proof for verification.
 
     The Guidelines and the submission form are available at locations (i) and (ii) above and the Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).

     Copies of the draft URA Shantung Street/Thistle Street DSP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the plan can be viewed at the Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb). 

     The Town Planning Board today (April 16) announced amendments to the approved Mong Kok Outline Zoning Plan (OZP).
 
     The amendments mainly involve incorporation of (i) the area covered by the approved Urban Renewal Authority (URA) Anchor Street/Fuk Tsun Street Development Scheme Plan (DSP) No. S/K3/URA1/2 into the OZP and zoning the area as "Other Specified Uses" ("OU") annotated "Hotel"; (ii) the area covered by the approved URA Prince Edward Road West/Yuen Ngai Street DSP No. S/K3/URA2/2 into the OZP and zoning the area mainly as "OU" annotated "Historic Buildings Preserved for Commercial and/or Cultural Uses"; and (iii) the area covered by the approved URA Shanghai Street/Argyle Street DSP No. S/K3/URA3/2 into the OZP and zoning the area mainly as "OU" annotated "Historic Buildings Preserved for Commercial and/or Cultural Uses". Opportunity is also taken to amend the Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP to reflect the above amendments and to update the general information of various land use zonings and the planning area, where appropriate.
 
     The draft URA Shantung Street/Thistle Street DSP No. S/K3/URA4/1 has replaced that part of the draft Mong Kok OZP No. S/K3/33 delineated and described in the DSP from the date the exhibition of the DSP is first notified in the Gazette on April 16.
 
     The draft Mong Kok OZP No. S/K3/33, incorporating the amendments, is now available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Tsuen Wan and West Kowloon District Planning Office, and (iv) the Yau Tsim Mong District Office.
 
     Any person may make written representations in respect of the amendments to the Secretary of the Board on or before June 16. Any person who intends to make a representation is advised to read the revised Town Planning Board Guidelines No. 29B on "Submission and Publication of Representations, Comments on Representations and Further Representations under the Town Planning Ordinance" (TPB PG-No. 29B).

     Submission of a representation should comply with the requirements set out in TPB PG-No. 29B. In particular, the representer should take note of the following:
 
* If the representer fails to provide his or her full name and the first four alphanumeric characters of his or her Hong Kong identity card or passport number as required under TPB PG-No. 29B, the representation submitted shall be treated as not having been made; and
* The Secretariat of the Board reserves the right to require the representer to provide identity proof for verification.
 
     The Guidelines and the submission form are available at locations (i) and (ii) above and the Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).

     Copies of the draft Mong Kok OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed at the Board's website (www.info.gov.hk/tpb).

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (April 16) released the latest grading of water quality for 38 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay, see Note 2).     
 
     Thirty-one beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), seven as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:         

 
Grade 2 beaches are:

 
Grade 3 beach is:

 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Casam Beach has been upgraded from Grade 2 to Grade 1.
 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
 
Note 1: The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has resumed lifeguard services at 16 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk above, from April 16.
 
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.