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WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1975
HK TRAINING COUNCIL
A
TO STUDY GENERAL TRAINING LEVY ON INDUSTRIES
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THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL IS TO CONSIDER THE QUESTION OF A GENERAL TRAINING LEVY ON ALL INDUSTRIES TO FINANCE VARIOUS INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SCHEMES, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON. IAN PRICE, SAID TODAY.
THE IMPOSITION OF SUCH A LEVY WAS SUGGESTED BY THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, DR. THE HON. CHUNG SZE-YUEN, DURING THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING (CLOTHING INDUSTRY) BILL WHICH TOGETHER WITH THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING (CONSTRUCTION) BILL WERE PASSED BY THE COUNCIL.
MR. PRICE SAID DIVERGENT VIEWS ON THIS COMPLEX SUBJECT WOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL AT ITS NEXT MEETING AND HE DID NOT WISH IN ANY WAY TO PREJUDGE THE OUTCOME OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
OUTLINING THE ADVANTAGES OF A GENERAL TRAINING LEVY, DR. CHUNG SAID THIS WOULD AVOID SMALLER INDUSTRIES HAVING TO PAY A HIGH RATE OF LEVY AND AT THE SAME TIME AVOID THE PROLIFERATION OF A LARGE NUMBER OF TRAINING AUTHORITIES AND CENTRES.
INSTEAD, HE SAID, THE HONG KONG TRAINING COUNCIL WITH TRAINING CENTRES UNDER ITS CONTROL COULD BECOME THE SINGLE AUTHORITY FOR TRAINING OF ALL OPERATIVES AND CRAFTSMEN.
THIS WOULD IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IN TRAINING AND WOULD ENABLE SUCH TRAINING TO BE ORGANISED IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROPER PRIORITY TO MEET THE OVERALL NEEDS OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES.
HOWEVER, ANOTHER UNOFFICIAL, THE HON. JAMES WU, EXPRESSED DOUBTS OVER A GENERAL LEVY AND NOTED THAT THE RESULT OF THE INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SCHEMES IN THE U.K. WHICH ARE FINANCED BY A GENERAL LEVY WERE NOT AS GOOD AS ORIGINALLY EXPECTED.
MR. WU SAID: +1 HAVE HEARD ADVERSE COMMENTS FROM SOMEONE INVOLVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION, PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO HIGH COST OF ADMINSTRATION AND ABUSES.+
MR. PRICE SAID THAT DURING A RECENT VISIT TO BRITAIN, HE ALSO HAD HEARD FROM INDUSTRIALISTS AND EMPLOYERS CRITICISMS THAT FAR TOO MUCH WAS BEING PAID FROM THE U.K. LEVY TOWARDS ADMINSTRATIVE COSTS AND THAT FAR TOO LITTLE WAS GOING TOWARDS ACTUAL TRAINING.
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