G.S. 84
RESTRICTED
2 -
XCR(80)143
5.
Clause 3 amends section 17 to convey more clearly the original intention of allowing employers to submit voluntarily for registration under the Ordinance contracts with apprentices in non-designated trades as well as of apprentices in designated trades who are not "young persons",
6.
Clause 4 amends section 30 to allow the Commissioner for Labour to give a period of notice, shorter than the statutory 14 days, of his intention to terminate a registered contract of apprenticeship if it is beneficial to the apprentice for him to do so.
7.
Clause 5 improves the wording of section 31 to remove an apparent anomaly and to bring out more exactly the original intention to disqualify an apprentice, within a period of two years following the termination of his contract, on grounds of misconduct or repudiation, from entering into a contract of apprenticeship in a designated trade or the trade in which he was apprenticed or attending the course specified by the Commissioner in the original attendance order,
8.
Clause 6 adds to section 48 various parts of the Employment Ordinance which are relevant to registered apprentices and their employers. Some of these parts have been enacted since the Apprenticeship Ordinance came into force.
9.
Members may also wish to be aware that this review has also shown the desirability of amending some of the Apprenticeship Regulations. The Commissioner is empowered under section 47 of the Apprenticeship Ordinance to make regulations, subject to the approval of the Legislative Council, which he proposes to obtain concurrently with the Bill. The amending regulations are mainly concerned with bringing the period of employment for registered apprentices aged below 18 years into line with Regulation 8(1) of the Women and Young Persons (Industry) Regulations 1980, which will come into operation on 1 July 1980.
Consultation
10.
The principles underlying the Bill have been considered and accepted by the Hong Kong Training Council and its Committee on Apprenticeship. The Hong Kong Polytechnic/Technical Institutions Joint Consultative Committee has also indicated its general support. It is proposed that a period of notice of about 3 months should be given before the new legislation is brought into force.
Public Relations Aspects
11.
It is not expected that the Bill and Regulations will arouse any great public interest or controversy.
RESTRICTED