Hong Kong Housing Authority and Housing Department

1.

The following House Rules are for the maintenance of good order governing the admission of members of the public to the open meetings of the Housing Authority.

Members of the public may be admitted, on presentation of admission tickets, to the Public Gallery of the Housing Authority's Chamber as visitors to listen to the proceedings of its open meetings. They are required to comply with all the House Rules approved by the Housing Authority. Those who signify their unwillingness to comply with any of these House Rules will not be admitted to the Housing Authority Headquarters Building (hereinafter referred to as "the building").

3.

If any visitor breaches any of the Housing Rules, he is no longer welcome as a visitor and will be required to leave the building forthwith.

4.

Any person who has previously breached the House Rules may not be issued with admission tickets for open meetings.

Applications for admittance as visitors to the Public Gallery may be made by advance booking by any member of the public. The applicant is required to provide his name and contact telephone number to the authorised staff of the Housing Department.

Admission tickets may be issued at the discretion of the Secretary of the Housing Authority or any authorised officer of the Housing Department acting on his behalf.

Visitors admitted to the Public Gallery are required to be seated according to the direction of an authorised officer of the Housing Department or security guard.

An authorised officer of the Housing Department or security guard may take such action as is necessary to verify any visitors' identity for admission purpose at the point of entry.

Visitors are not allowed to carry any luggage and bag other than a handbag into the Public Gallery. Any person who wishes to carry a handbag into the building may be asked to show its contents for inspection by an authorised officer of the Housing Department or security guard at the point of entry. Security check on visitors will be carried out using metal detector when necessary. If any visitor declines to go through the inspection on himself or on his belongings or insists on carrying an item not permitted under paragraph 10 below or a luggage and bag, he will not be admitted to the Public Gallery.

Loudhailers, banners and any materials/equipment (Note) which, in the opinion of an authorised officer of the Housing Department or security guard, may cause disturbance to the proceedings of the meeting, or to the normal conduct of business in any other parts of the building, will not be allowed. Such items should be kept in the lockable storage cabinet at the point of entry. These items are deposited at the owner's risk and should be collected immediately after the meeting. Items not collected after one day from the date of deposit become the properties of the Housing Authority and will be disposed of by the Housing Authority in any manner it thinks fit.

Once admitted, visitors are required to behave in an orderly manner and comply with the direction of any authorised officer of the Housing Department or security guard.

12.

Loitering and unauthorised gathering in any part of the building is not allowed.

No photo-taking of the proceedings except if authorised by and from a position designated by an authorised officer of the Housing Department. Smoking, eating or drinking is not allowed inside the Public Gallery or in any part of the building.

If the proceedings of any meeting are unduly interrupted or disturbed by any visitors, the Chairman may, after warning, order the removal of such visitor(s) from the Public Gallery under the Standing Orders of the Housing Authority. Any visitor so ordered from the Public Gallery should immediately leave the premises of the building.

Under the Standing Orders of the Housing Authority, the Chairman may temporarily exclude visitors, including the press, from any meeting or any part thereof, if owing to the special nature of the business being dealt with or about to be dealt with, he considers such exclusion to be necessary.

As soon as the proceedings of the meeting have concluded or as directed by the Chairman under House Rules 14 and 15, visitors are required to leave the Public Gallery and the premises of the building according to the direction of any authorised officer of the Housing Department or security guard.