Quality life: The Government's policy initiatives envisage a city of well-educated, healthy, and increasingly affluent people enjoying a good quality of life, committed to their civic responsibilities, proud of their identity, and global in their outlook.

A city of well-educated, healthy, and increasingly affluent people enjoying a good quality of life, committed to their civic responsibilities, proud of their identity, and global in their outlook is envisaged in the Government's policy initiatives.

In the Policy Agenda issued today, the Government outlines its policy initiatives in five major areas, namely effective governance, a vibrant economy, a caring and just society, enlightened people with a rich culture, and environmentally responsible development.

The Government said the initiatives are in line with its strategic goals, practical, and to the city's greatest benefit, adding they will be refined from time to time in  light of changing circumstances, particularly its priorities and financial position.

Highlights include:

Effective governance

* implement the next wave of the e-government programme to provide customer-centric services that promote an accessible, accountable and efficient government and contribute to Hong Kong as a leading digital city;

* fund higher education institutions to undertake public policy research through the Research Grants Council;

* reinforce actions taken to manage staff who do not measure up through enhancing the deterrence of the disciplinary system against misconduct and streamlining the procedures for removing under-performers, whilst sustaining efforts to improve efficiency and productivity in the civil service;

* continue to take forward constitutional development after 2007, facilitate the implementation of One Country, Two Systems and the promotion of public awareness and understanding of the Basic Law;

* participate actively in Pan-Pearl River Delta regional co-operation to implement the framework agreement signed last June with the governments of the various provinces and regions;

* continue efforts to restore the fiscal balance, bring public expenditure down to 20% of GDP or below, and reduce Government operating expenditure to $200 billion by 2008-09, review the tax base and continue to implement the asset sale and securitisation programme;

* take active steps to introduce a new type of passport featuring biometric capability in 2006-07, and to implement a pilot facial recognition system at control points to facilitate the verification of identity of suspect arrivals upon their entry; and,

* continue to work on the implementation of Article 23 of the Basic Law.

* finalise the Concept Plan for Lantau, update the Port Cargo Forecast to work out the optimal timing for the construction of Container Terminal 10, and conduct an ecology study on Northwest Lantau to assess the development of the terminal;

* commission a detailed feasibility study in the first half of 2005 on the Lantau Logistics Park project to fulfil the statutory requirements for the subsequent zoning and reclamation of the site for the Park;

* launch a work trial scheme for 2,000 unemployed people having special difficulty in finding jobs and a work orientation cum placement scheme for 1,000 people with disabilities into employment;

* extend some of the temporary jobs in the public sector to meet operational needs;

* establish a Construction Industry Council as an umbrella organisation with self-regulatory powers to pursue continuous quality improvements and to take ownership of a reform programme mapped out by the Construction Industry Review Committee;

* prepare for implementation of the New Basel Capital Accord (commonly known as Basel II) to enhance the risk management capability and stability of the banking sector;

* work with the World Trade Organisation to ensure the successful hosting of the Sixth Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong in December;

* continue to work closely with Mainland authorities at the central, provincial and municipal levels to ensure the smooth and effective implementation of CEPA; and make use of the standing consultation mechanism of CEPA to seek further trade liberalisation and additional market access opportunities for Hong Kong goods and services;

* pursue a series of measures to facilitate the cross-boundary movement of people and goods, like the establishment of a new boundary control point on the HK-Shenzhen Western Corridor and installation of automated passenger, vehicle and cargo clearance systems;

* in the context of cross-boundary logistics co-operation, discuss with the Guangdong authorities measures to reduce cross-boundary trucking cost to enhance freight flow and improve logistics efficiency between the two sides;

* proceed to consult the public, in two stages, on options for future development of the electricity market after the expiry of the current Scheme of Control Agreements in 2008;

* monitor housing supply and compiling comprehensive housing supply statistics, and continuing to co-ordinate the timetable for the disposal of railway property developments to ensure there would not be adverse impact on the property market;

* pursue the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge as a priority project and discuss with the Mainland authorities concerned the best way to proceed with the proposed express rail link connecting Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou upon finalisation of the relevant feasibility study;

* continue discussions with the MTR and KCR Corporations on a possible merger, actively pursue the planning of various proposed railway projects, includes planning the Sha Tin to Central Link and Northern Link, and assessing the viability of the West Hong Kong Island Line and the South Hong Kong Island Line giving careful consideration to changing community needs;

* continue the work to ensure the smooth operation of personal renminbi business in Hong Kong, and to explore how the business scope can be expanded with due regard to the pace of financial reform and liberalisation in the Mainland;

* continue the efforts in promoting bond market and fund business development; and,

* step up enforcement action and publicity to combat illegal employment.

* conduct a comprehensive review of the Quarantine & Prevention of Disease Ordinance to update the legal framework for prevention of infectious diseases so as to support the strategy and mechanism in the control of infectious diseases;

* enhance the infectious disease emergency response system by strengthening the work of the Centre for Health Protection;

* explore the feasibility of developing a small to medium sized slaughtering plant for chickens to reduce the risk of human infection of avian flu;

* review strategies on health care services development and health care financing options in consultation with the revamped Health and Medical Development Advisory Committee;

* introduce legislation to ban smoking in indoor work places and other public places to safeguard public health;

* establish a statutory Specialist Register for dentists, to provide the registration of dental specialists with legal backing, and to facilitate development of specialist practice in dentistry profession;

* explore the need to introduce a mandatory food recall framework in Hong Kong;

* regulate restricted dining places to safeguard public health;

* launch an accreditation scheme for seawater suppliers and introduce legislation to prohibit the abstraction of seawater from specified areas along the coast for keeping live seafood with a view to enhancing the quality of fish tank water;

* introduce legislation to promote sustainable development of the fishing industry and to conserve fisheries resources in Hong Kong waters;

* launch the $200 million Partnership Fund for the Disadvantaged to promote the development of partnership between the business community, the welfare sector and the Government in helping the disadvantaged;

* review the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme with a view to strengthening the assistance to able-bodied CSSA recipients to move into work.

* strengthen district welfare planning and coordination, services and staff training relating to the handling of family crises and violence, and suicide, and review the Domestic Violence Ordinance;

* provide more residential care placements for vulnerable children and youth coming from problem families, strengthen psychological support for those suffering abuse and other problems, and enhance support for youth at risk and young offenders;

* strengthen the community support service for people with disabilities and their families, enhance the assistance to young people with disabilities by providing vocational rehabilitation, and specialised support service to those with early sign of mental health problem;

* provide a monthly supplement of $100 for those CSSA standard rate recipients who are not living in institutions but are 100% disabled or require constant attendance;

* convert subvented residential places into long-term care places for frail elders to meet the growing care needs of elders;

* relax the eligibility requirements under the Portable Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme by providing needy elderly CSSA recipients for not less than one year, instead of three years, the option to retire in Guangdong or Fujian Province;

* relax the permissible limit of absence from Hong Kong under the Social Security Allowance (including Old Age Allowance and Disability Allowance) Scheme from 180 days to 240 days a year;

* provide continual researches, preventive education, remedial counselling and treatment services for addressing gambling-related problems;

* work on measures to speed up the processing of application for small houses, and review the mechanism for the determination of domestic rents for public housing;

* work out a sustainable long-term funding arrangement for the Hospital Authority to ensure the provision of quality public health care services; and,

* conduct studies with a view to developing a sustainable financial support system that better targets resources at elders most in need.

* work on a detailed proposal to allow the entry of more non-local students into Hong Kong for education;

* provide additional resources initially for three years starting from the 2005-06 school year to public primary schools with 12 or more classes to improve the teacher-to-class ratio so as to reduce teachers' workload and implement specialised teaching;

* introduce the school-based professional support programmes to provide targeted support at the school level to empower frontline educators in capacity building and to take forward education initiatives in a strategic manner;

* establish a Sports Commission and reconstitute the Sports Institute, with a view to pursuing the new vision for sports development, and plan the development of a stadium complex and a home base for elite training in South East Kowloon;

* formulate a comprehensive development package for the integrated arts, cultural and entertainment district in West Kowloon;

* consult the public on the long-term arrangements of the Medium of Instruction Policy and the Secondary School Places Allocation System, and consolidate public views before deciding on the way forward for the new academic structure including the design, implementation details and financial arrangement; and,

* implement a qualifications framework by phases through the formation of industry training advisory committees to develop competency-based qualifications for the industries, and a quality assurance mechanism to underpin the framework.

* solicit the support of the Housing Society to provide assistance to owners of old buildings so as to promote proper management and maintenance of such buildings;

* develop a programme for implementing the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme Stage 2 in the light of the outcome of the public consultation exercise on the way forward;

* consult the public and the trades on a mandatory energy efficiency labelling scheme to facilitate consumers to choose energy efficient equipment;

* review the existing sewage services charging scheme according to the "polluter-pays" principle with a view to achieving an equitable sharing of the funding responsibility in respect of the provision of sewage services;

* draw up measures to promote and facilitate the development of the recycling industry under the environmental industry policy;

* based on the results of pilot schemes on separation of domestic waste, roll out a territory-wide source separation campaign to encourage households to separate waste at source, thereby improving recovery and reducing waste;

* strengthen co-operation with Guangdong to improve the air quality of the Pearl River Delta Region, and start monitoring jointly the air quality of the region in 2005 and discuss the introduction of further enhanced emission control measures;

* introduce a Product Responsibility Scheme for waste tyres to provide an incentive for stakeholders to reuse or recycle waste tyres;

* implement a comprehensive greening policy for Hong Kong through the collaboration of different departments and with the input of experts and specialists in the field, so as to develop a sustainable greening programme for the urban areas;

* continue the efforts to enhance building management and maintenance of private housing through public education, publicity and participation of professional bodies, and to work towards a second stage public consultation focusing on the feasibility of introducing mandatory building inspections in response to public views;

* ensure the planning and land use objectives are geared towards the mission to protect Victoria Harbour and enhance it for the enjoyment of our residents and visitors alike;

* encourage power companies to undertake pilot production-scale wind energy projects, and continue to promote the wider application of renewable energy;

* identify viable technologies to be adopted with a view to developing state-of-the-art, cost-effective and environmentally friendly large-scale waste treatment facilities in Hong Kong, and consult the public on the adopted options;

* continue to implement the "polluter-pays" principle and introduce a disposal charging scheme for construction and demolition waste, which will provide economic incentives to reduce such waste and carry out sorting to facilitate reuse or recycling;

* work towards the implementation of the Regional Air Quality Management Plan with the Guangdong Provincial Government to improve air quality in the Pearl River Delta region; and,