Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ9: Hong Kong residents' young children missing in the Mainland

Following is a question by the Dr Hon Fernando Cheung and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (February 15):

Question:

It has been reported that the three-year-old girl taken to Guangzhou by her mother had been left stranded in Guangzhou upon the suicide and death of her mother, while the girl's father had sought assistance from the Social Welfare Department about his missing wife and daughter. Regarding the search for missing children, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) whether there are concrete measures to handle cases reported to the Social Welfare Department, relating to Hong Kong residents' children aged below 12 and missing in the Mainland; if so, of the details; and

(b) whether it will adopt the practise of other countries, such as Canada, whereby if either of the parents disagrees to their children being taken away from the territory, or children are suspected to having been abducted, the information of the children concerned will be displayed publicly on the border, so that the public can help prevent them from being taken away from the territory?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) In cases where the Social Welfare Department (SWD) receives reports from Hong Kong residents that their children aged below 12 are missing in the Mainland, it will, in light of the prevailing circumstances and the wish of the parties concerned, offer assistance where necessary to them including seeking assistance from the Police as well as providing emotional counselling and other support services.

If the circumstances so warrant, the Police will, with the consent of the family members of the missing children, pass on relevant information to the Mainland's enforcement agencies and seek their assistance in locating the missing persons.

Besides, the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), in collaboration with the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau, has also put into place the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Land Boundary Police Co-operation Scheme (the Scheme) since January 19, 2003. The Scheme aims at enhancing liaison on police matters in the four land boundary crossing points, so that the police authorities of both sides can cooperate more effectively to combat criminal activities and deal with relevant cases, and provide immediate assistance to boundary crossers falling victim to crimes that occur in the boundary area. Both sides will continue to utilise the existing police reporting centres or public security facilities located within the land boundary area to serve the boundary crossers. Members of the public who have lost touch with their young children in the boundary area may seek assistance through the Scheme.

(b) After taking over cases involving missing children aged below 12, the Regional Missing Persons Units of the Police or relevant officers in charge of case will, having regard to the circumstances of individual cases and with the consent of the family members of the missing children, issue missing-person notices through the media and disseminate information of the missing children via the HKPF webpage as soon as possible. They will also consider liaising with all major public transport operators, for example the Kowloon Canton Railway and Light Rail Transit, for posting information of the missing children in the appropriate areas of their stations.


Ends/Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:46

NNNN