The Pest Control Steering Committee held its first meeting today to review the effectiveness of the Government's pest control efforts and to formulate strategies.

Under Secretary for Food & Health Dr Chui Tak-yi said: "The steering committee provides an efficient platform for policy bureaus, government departments and other relevant organisations to grasp the latest situation of pest problems."

The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department briefed attendees on the mosquito breeding situation in Hong Kong.

It said it instigated 78 prosecutions against mosquito breeding in premises under the Public Health & Municipal Services Ordinance in the first half of the year, among which 76 involved construction sites.

It will also organise pest control training courses for other departments to help them carry out pest control work and monitor the performance of their service contractors.

For more effective interdepartmental co-ordination, the Anti-Mosquito Steering Committee was renamed as the Pest Control Steering Committee, which will discuss issues like mosquito, rodent and midge control.