CONFIDENTIAL
MINUTES OF THE SECOND MEETING OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE TO MONITOR THE HONG KONG PLANNING PAPER, HELD ON 7 FEBRUARY 1977
1.
Present:
Mr Cortazzi Mr Murray
Mr Stewart
Mr Hurst
Mr Smith
Mr Lipsey
Mr Milton Mr Hall Mr Duffy
Mr David
Chairman
Head of Hong Kong Department Overseas Labour Adviser
Senior Economic Adviser Political Adviser
Hong Kong Department
Financial Relations Department Hong Kong Department
Hong Kong Department
The Committee noted that since its last meeting
Lord Goronwy-Roberts had repeated that he attached great importance to its work.
2.
Agenda Item (a): Matters Arising from the First Meeting of the Standing Committee and from Lord Goronwy-Roberts' Meeting with the Governor on 9 December 1976.
(i) Extension of public assistance scheme to 15-55 year old unemployed males (sub-paragraph 3a of the minutes of the first meeting of the Standing Committee): the meeting took note that the details of the extended scheme had been finalized and that it would come into force on 1 April 1977. Nevertheless, it expressed misgiving on two counts:
(a) the difference in the residential criteria to be applied to different age groups seeking public assistance, i.e. two years for those under 55 and one year for those over 55; and
(b) the terms of reference for the review of the public assistance scheme that a DHSS expert in social welfare would be helping to conduct. The terms of reference, as at present drafted, were confined to social welfare arrangements and to short-term improvements in the existing public assistance scheme, whereas there was a need to start work on a longer term revision of both social welfare and social security policies;
(ii) Confidential Note for the TUC (paragraph 4 of the minutes of the first meeting): The Note, after approval by Lord Goronwy-Roberts and the Governor, had been sent to the TUC on 14 December. It could come up for discussion on 25 February when the Secretary of State would be holding one of his regular meetings with members of the TUC's International Committee;
CONFIDENTIAL