Legislators may be asked to sit during their summer recess to pass the covert surveillance law after 'unsatisfactory' progress on the bill. Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong yesterday said he might apply for special Legislative Council sittings to meet a court-imposed deadline of August 8. The bills committee, which has been meeting nearly every day this month, has its last meeting set for June 23, but lawmakers have yet to reach clause 10 of the 65-clause bill. Mr Lee said the progress had been unsatisfactory and Legco might have to hold a special meeting on August 2 to pass the bill. 'It is very important that we have this piece of legislation in place. If we don't have this law in place when the six-month grace period ends, there will be a vacuum where law enforcement agents will not have the legislative backing to carry out their work.' Mr Lee has not ruled out introducing emergency legislation if the law is not passed by the court-imposed deadline. The six-month grace period granted to the government is under appeal in the Court of Final Appeal. Legislator 'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung is challenging the court's power to suspend the effect of its judgment after declaring the government's covert surveillance regime unconstitutional. An initial quota of 1,000 people would be targeted by a scheme to attract talented people from the mainland and overseas to settle in Hong Kong, Mr Lee said yesterday. The new Quality Migrant Admission Scheme will employ a points system to determine applicants' suitability. Sixty per cent of the points will be awarded based on an applicant's education. The other 40 per cent will be awarded based on their age, language proficiency and ability to support themselves and their dependants. A committee will be established to verify the qualifications of each applicant. Mr Lee said the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme, introduced in 2003, had attracted more than 600 people with an average household investment of $7.2 million, $700,000 more than the minimum.