WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1977
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QUESTION OF PAID MATERNITY LEAVE
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO PLANS TO AMEND PART 1 OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE RELATING TO MATERNITY PROTECTION FOR FEMALE EMPLOYEES, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON. IAN PRICE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
HE WAS REPLYING TO THE HON. LEUNG TAT-SHING WHO ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT HAD ANY PLANS TO INTRODUCE PAID MATERNITY LEAVE FOR MARRIED WOMEN UNDER PART II OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.
MR. PRICE SAID: INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONVENTION NO. 103 ON MATERNITY PROTECTION STATES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT IN NO CASE SHALL THE EMPLOYER BE INDIVIDUALLY LIABLE FOR THE COST OF MATERNITY BENEFITS DUE TO WOMEN EMPLOYED BY HIM.+
HOWEVER, HE ADDED, THIS CONVENTION HAD BEEN RATIFIED BY ONLY
17 COUNTRIES, OF WHICH NONE WERE IN ASIA.
+SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT DECIDE TO CONSIDER IN FUTURE THE PROBLEMS RELATING TO MATERNITY ALLOWANCES, IT WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER CAREFULLY WHAT WOULD BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS WELL AS THE PRACTICES IN ASIAN COUNTRIES AND THE PROVISIONS OF THE RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONVENTION,+ MR. PRICE SAID.
138 CHILD CARE CENTRES APPLY FOR REGISTRATION
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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, THE HON. THOMAS LEE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT BY JUNE THIS YEAR, MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE 212 CHILD CARE CENTRES NOW IN OPERATION WOULD BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS AND BE REGISTERED UNDER THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. MISS KO STU-WAH, HE SAID THAT 138 CENTRES HAD APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION SINCE THE ORDINANCE CAME INTO OPERATION ON JUNE 1, 1976.
+SO FAR ONLY TWO CENTRES HAVE BEEN REGISTERED, MR. LEE SAID. +BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, ANOTHER FIVE CENTRES WILL HAVE BEEN REGISTERED.+
+HOWEVER, HE SAID, THERE ARE 76 CENTRES WHICH ARE MAK ING ALTERATIONS TO THE IR PREMISES IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE REGULATIONS AND MANY OF THESE CENTRES ARE BEING ASSISTED FINANCIALLY TO CARRY OUT THESE ALTERATIONS.+
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