Secretary for Food & Health Dr York Chow says the Government is examining whether it is still necessary to develop a poultry slaughtering centre previously proposed.

Dr Chow today told lawmakers it has commissioned a consultant to re-assess the commercial viability and market interest in running such a centre.

"We are also studying the trend of public demand for live chickens. We will consult the Legislative Council on whether a poultry slaughtering centre should be developed once the detailed analytical results of these studies are available."

He said the Government is also doing an analysis on the risk of avian flu in local markets and farms and in the region.

On Chinese medicine services, Dr Chow said two organisations have expressed an interest in running Chinese medicine hospitals. The Government has consulted the trade and it is agreed that the hospitals should provide Chinese medicine services, supplemented by Western medical services.