HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL — 20 January 1988
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MR. TAM (in Cantonese): Sir, in 1974, 1979 and 1981 respectively, the Ordinance has been amended to raise the wage ceiling and on those occasions government officials had repeatedly mentioned that they were considering doing away with the wage ceiling altogether. That particular attitude when compared with the reply in front of this Council now would seem that this particular reply is not positive enough. Is there any explanation for this change in attitude?
SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER: Sir, I cannot speak for my predecessors. As far as I am concerned, I would tend to be guided by the views of the Labour Advisory Board.
Juvenile crimes in new towns
7. MRS. TAM asked (in Cantonese): Will Government inform this Council of the number and types of juvenile crimes which occurred in new towns over the past three years and what effective measures the Government will take to tackle this problem?
SECRETARY FOR SECURITY: Sir, as crime statistics are classified according to police districts or divisions, figures which relate specifically to crime in the new towns are not available. But I can provide statistics which relate to the police divisions in which the new towns are situated.
In the past three years a total of 9 038 juvenile offenders have been arrested by the police in the police divisions which include new towns. In 1985 the number was 2 853, in 1986 2 576, and in 1987 3 609. Of the total arrested over the three years, 4 056, or 45 per cent, were arrested for shoptheft; 1 509, or 17 per cent for other types of theft; 601 for robbery; 509 for burglary; 495 for wounding and serious assault; and 285 for criminal damage. The remaining offenders were arrested for blackmail, unlawful society offences, offences against public order and other crimes.
To answer the second part of my hon. Friend's question, the Government's anti-crime measures do not tend to focus on certain geographical areas, although measures to combat crime by young people,will have more effect in the new towns in the New Territories where there is a proportionately younger population. For example, from the statistics I have just given, shoptheft is clearly a particular problem involving juvenile offenders in new towns. Part of the Fight Crime Committee's campaign over the past year has concentrated on publicity against shoptheft and such publicity will again be part of the anti-crime drive in 1988. The Fight Crime Committee hopes that this publicity will help to reduce the number of cases of shoptheft, particularly among young people in new towns.