LegCo to consider Ozone Layer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2024
The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council (LegCo) will hold a meeting on Wednesday (April 2) at 11am in the Chamber of the LegCo Complex. During the meeting, the Second Reading debate on the Ozone Layer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2024 will resume. 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 Banking (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Firearms and Ammunition (Amendment) Bill 2025, the Promotion of Recycling and Proper Disposal of Products (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2025, the Import and Export (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Housing (Amendment) Bill 2025 will be introduced into the Council for the First Reading and the Second Reading. The Second Reading debates on the Bills will be adjourned.
On Members' motions, Mr Lai Tung-kwok will move a motion on enhancing the handling of non-refoulement claims. The motion is set out in Appendix 1. Mr Chan Hak-kan, Dr Hoey Simon Lee and Mr Tang Ka-piu will move separate amendments to Mr Lai's motion.
Mr Shiu Ka-fai will move a motion on enhancing the measures on the importation of manpower. The motion is set out in Appendix 2. Dr Ngan Man-yu and Mr Lee Chun-keung will move separate amendments to Mr Shiu's motion.
Members will also ask the Government 22 questions on various policy areas, six of which require oral 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.
Music Office bands, choirs and orchestras invite applications for membership
The Music Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department is recruiting new members for its 18 bands and orchestras as well as two choirs. Training for 2025-26 will be held from this September to May 2026. The deadline for applications is May 6.
The 20 ensembles are respectively the Hong Kong Youth Chinese Orchestra, the Island Youth Chinese Orchestra, the Kowloon Youth Chinese Orchestra, the New Territories Youth Chinese Orchestra, the Music Office Junior Chinese Orchestra, the Music Office Children's Chinese Orchestra, the Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Music Office Junior Symphony Orchestra, the Hong Kong Youth Strings, the Island Youth Strings, the Kowloon Youth Strings, the New Territories Youth Strings, the Hong Kong Youth Symphonic Band, the Music Office Youth Brass Band, the Kowloon Youth Symphonic Band, the New Territories Youth Symphonic Band, the Music Office Junior Symphonic Band, the Hong Kong Children's Symphonic Band, the Music Office Youth Choir and the Music Office Children's Choir.
Young musicians aged 25 or below who have attained the required music qualifications can now apply to enrol in different levels of ensemble and choir training. Apart from weekly rehearsals, members can also broaden their horizons by participating in various cultural activities and concerts, or attending exchange sessions with young musicians from the Mainland and overseas.
Training is free, but members are required to bring their own instruments (except for bulky instruments) and pay for their uniforms and music scores.
Interested persons can visit the Music Office website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/mo/training/bandchoirandorchestratraining.html) for more details and application submission. Course pamphlets and application forms are also available at all Music Office's music centres. Qualified applicants will receive an audition notification by May 31. Applicants will be notified of their application results by August 15.
For enquiries, please call the Music Office's music centres at 2802 0657 (Wan Chai), 2796 2893 (Kwun Tong), 2399 2200 (Mong Kok), 2158 6462 (Sha Tin) and 2417 6429 (Tsuen Wan).
