month.

I a OPINNI

rage ራህ

I would suggest that the clawback' provision be abolished.

this

or not-to give is the problem. Such clawback complication is quite unnecessary and we can afford to be more generous.

To give

5 Secondly, the basic allowance ought to be adjusted more often to be in

6

J

7

8

line with inflation. It has been an area of grievances since many people

10 we have a much lower real income than they had ten years ago are caught

my Thudly

9

10

St

11

12

in the tax net."/so since a larger increase in the allowance for the first

child

two children in a family and the abolition of the allowance for the fifth

onwards are

smel

child/will be worth exploring/Big families with a large number of

may

help

children are less common nowadays, and we also have in the Family Planning Association's work.

13

IP 14

15

16

17

18

c 19

2e 20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

lc 30

31

32

33

34

35

36

I first raised the issue of separate taxation in my speech in this. Council on the 29th March 1984. There is clearly an inequity in tax burden where both spouses are working and, I suggested, at that time, that the Financial Secretary should address the problem in the expectation of mounting

Will

Working Wives Allowance of $15,000 is now proposed.

In my

pressure to rectify the inequity. I also propose the reintroduction of

with the Working Wyes Allowance as an interim measure. I am pleased that a

This should go a

considerable way in easing the unfair tax burden on working wives. speech of 18th March 1987, I expressed my disappointment that the

large

cogent Financial Secretary had, despite the last surplus and the eultural arguments against excuses for not introducing separate assessment, decided that it was not appropriate to introduce separate taxation.

the

I fully understand

that separate taxation may complicate our simple tax system and may create considerable operational difficulty for the Inland Revenue Department. Although the Working Wife Allowance will alleviate considerably the unfair tax burden, already the principle of separate taxation should not be taken lightly: The equality of women should be ·

respected in a modern society like ours.

Technicalities can be overcome

within a reasonable time and should not be used as an excuse with the

d and

I also realise that the work of

improven efficient computer facilities.

the Commissioner of Inland Revenue will be made difficult especially in

taxation preparing estimates assessments and refunds if separate assessment is made optional. If, however, it is not optional, a large number of

W

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