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WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1978
CENSUS AND STATISTICS BILL
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UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR THE HON. PETER C. WONG TODAY EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE WIDE POWERS GIVEN TO A CENSUS OFFICER UNDER THE PROPOSED CENSUS AND STATISTICS BILL 1978.
SPEAKING DURING ITS RESUMED DEBATE, MR. WONG SAID THE BILL IMPOSED A STATUTORY DUTY ON AN OCCUPIER TO GRANT A CENSUS OFFICER ACCESS TO HIS PREMISES WHETHER OR NOT THE OCCUPIER HAS DULY COMPLETED AND RETURNED THE FORM DELIVERED TO HIM.
HE SAID THERE WAS NO PARALLEL PROVISION IN EITHER THE ENGLISH CENSUS ACT 1920 OR THE CENSUS REGULATIONS 1970.
HE PROPOSED THAT GOVERNMENT INTRODUCE APPROPRIATE AMENDMENTS AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE TO ENSURE THAT A CENSUS OFFICER MAY SEEK SUCH ACCESS ONLY WHEN THE OCCUPIER HAS FAILED TO COMPLETE AND RETURN THE FORM IN THE MANNER AND WITHIN THE TIME SPECIFIED.
+SUCH AMENDMENTS, WHILE PROTECTING THE PRIVACY OF AN INDIVIDUAL, WOULD NOT HINDER THE COMMISSIONER IN CARRYING OUT HIS STATUTORY FUNCTIONS, MR. WONG SAID.
IN REPLY, THE ACTING FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE HON. DAVID JEAFFRESON, SAID HE HAD DISCUSSED MR. WONG'S PROPOSAL WITH THE COMMISSIONER FOR CENSUS AND STATISTICS AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY ACCEPTABLE IN PRINCIPLE SUBJECT TO ANY DIFFICULTIES WHICH MIGHT BE ENCOUNTERED IN THE DRAFTING PROCESS.
MR. JEAFFRESON ALSO PROPOSED TO MOVE AN APPROPRIATE AMENDMENT AT THE BILL'S COMMITTEE STAGE.
AS REGARDS THE POWER TO ENTER PREMISES BY A CENSUS OFFICER, MR. JEAFFRESON SAID SUCH POWER WOULD BE EXERCISED IF SO REQUIRED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND HE WOULD BE EXERCISING THIS POWER PERSONALLY.
MR. JEAFFRESON ALSO ASSURED THAT THE COMMISSIONER WOULD USE THE POWER ONLY IN EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES.
+ IN OTHER WORDS, HE WOULD USE THIS POWER WITH HIS GREATEST DISCRETION,+ HE SAID.
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