Building on the Public Health & Municipal Services Ordinance, the Government will propose a more comprehensive legislation to regulate the standard of pesticide residues, the Health, Welfare & Food Bureau said today.

It will strive to finish the proposals in six months' time and submit them to the Legislative Council.

In response to a local green group's call to accelerate the introduction of a comprehensive food-safety law to regulate vegetables and fruits for safe consumption, the bureau said it has started the procedure for drafting the new food-safety law and the relevant consultation work, to introduce the law at an early date.

The new law would aim to bring under regulation foods which have higher safety risks or are of wide public concern. These include farmed aquatic products, vegetables and fruits, the bureau added.