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4. Clause 3 provides that the Legislative Council may by resolut declare a special addition to salary to be pensionable.
5. Clause 4 specifies the officers to whom the Bill will apply. These will mainly be officers who are appointed to service under the Government on or after 1 July 1987, serving officers and those who are deemed to have opted for the application to them of the Bill.
6.
Clause 5 provides that the entitlement to pension benefits shall be a right. Clause 6 states that pension benefits will be charged to public revenue, and clause 7 states when a pension will be payable.
7. Clause 8 provides that an officer to whom the Pensions Ordinance applies may exercise an option to transfer to the new pension scheme under the Bill, but in certain circumstances the Secretary for the Civil Service may reject the option. An officer on 90 per cent pensionability under the Pensions Ordinance may further opt to 100 per cent pensionability under the Bill.
8. Clause 9 provides that, where an officer to whom the Pensions Ordinance applies dies before the expiry of his option period, he is deemed to have opted for the new pension scheme.
9. Clause 10 specifies the normal retirement age as 60 but also provides for other retirement ages.
10. Clause 11 prescribes the circumstances in which a pension shall be granted for normal service, and clause 12 provides that a pensioner who is re-appointed to service under the Government shall be granted a pension on completion of qualifying service of not less than 2 years.
11. Clause 13 empowers the Governor in Council to approve a compensation scheme under which officers who retire in special circum- stances may be granted pension benefits otherwise than in accordance with the Bill.
12. Clause 14 provides that a pension shall be granted to an officer who is retired because of injuries sustained by him in the course of duty, irrespective of the length of his service; and clause 15 provides for the payment of an additional pension in those circumstances, but that where legal liability for the injuries lies with some person other than the Government, such person may be sued by the Government. The amount recoverable is limited.
13. Clause 16 provides that an additional pension shall be granted to an officer who is retired on abolition of his office or who is compulsorily retired.
14. Clause 17 provides for the grant of pension benefits where an officer is injured or killed whilst on duty with the Royal Hong Kong Regiment, the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Police Force, the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force or the Essential Services Corps, and if the officer or, subject to certain powers of the Director of Accounting Services, any of his beneficiaries so opts.
15. Clause 18 vests the Governor with a discretionary power to grant an ex gratia payment to an officer who leaves the public service without eligibility for pension or short service gratuity.
16. Clause 19 provides for the grant of a dependant pension to the dependants of an officer who dies as a result of injuries sustained whilst on duty.
17. Clause 20 provides for the grant of a death gratuity in respect of an officer who dies whilst in the service, and in respect of the death of a pensioner or a person who is granted a deferred pension.