WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1981
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TURNING TO THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN COVERED BY THE SCHEME, FR MCGOVERN SAID HE WAS DISSATISFIED THAT LABOUR LEGISLATION SHOULD BRING IN ANY NUMBER WHETHER IT BE TWO OR THREE OR TEN.
+WHILE MOST PEOPLE AGREE THAT SMALL FAMILIES ARE DESIRABLE IN THE OVERCROWDED CONDITIONS OF HONG KONG, MOST PEOPLE WITH ANY EXPERIENCE OF METHODS OF POPULATION CONTROL AS EXERCISED IN OTHER COUNTRIES ALSO AGREE THAT A POLICY OF DIS INCENTIVES BRINGS DISASTROUS RESULTS, HE OBSERVED.
+THE INTRODUCTION IN THIS BILL OF A LIMITATION OF BENEFITS TO THE MOTHER OF THREE CHILDREN IS IN FACT A DISINCENTIVE.
+THE STATED INTENTION IS THAT THE EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY SHOULD NOT BE AN OPEN-ENDED COMMITMENT, BUT THE EFFECT IS THAT THE MOTHER OF A FOURTH CHILD IS DISADVANTAGED IN THAT SHE HAS TO TAKE UNPAID MATERNITY LEAVE IF SUCH A SITUATION SHOULD ARISE.
FR MCGOVERN ARGUED THAT THE LIMITING PROVISION IS BAD LAW AND CONSIDERED IT UNNECESSARY FOR TWO REASONS.
FIRST, ACCORDING TO THE SUPPORTING PAPERS TO THE BILL, THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF LIVING CHILDREN FOR MOTHERS BETWEEN 15 AND 49 YEARS OF AGE IN 1976 WAS 2.9. WITH SUCH AN AVERAGE, THE NUMBER OF WORKING MOTHERS OF CHILD-BEARING AGE WHO ARE LIKELY TO HAVE A FOURTH CHILD IS NOT LIKELY TO BE LARGE AND CERTAINLY WOULD NOT CONSTITUTE AN OPEN-ENDED COMMITMENT TO EMPLOYERS.
SECONDLY, A MOTHER OF FOUR OR MORE YOUNG CHILDREN COULD NOT IN FACT, AND SHOULD NOT FOR SOCIAL REASONS, HAVE TIME TO TAKE ON FULL-TIME WORK IN ADDITION TO HER VERY FULL-TIME AVOCATION OF HOME-MAKER AND EDUCATOR.
FR MCGOVERN SAID HE HAD ALSO INTENDED TO DO A COSTING EXERCISE ON THE LIKELY EXPENSE TO EMPLOYERS OF GIVING PAID MATERNITY LEAVE WITHOUT RESTRICTION OF NUMBERS OF CHILDREN BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET STATISTICS ON THE NUMBERS OF LIVE BIRTHS PER ANNUM TO MOTHERS WITH THREE OR FOUR OR MORE CHILDREN.
+HOWEVER, IN SPITE OF THE LACK OF STATISTICS, I AM SURE THE NUMBERS AND HENCE THE COSTS WOULD BE VERY SMALL.
+SO APART FROM THE SOCIAL AND POLICY ARGUMENT, THE FINANCIAL ARGUMENT IS RATHER ON THE WEAK SIDE, HE SAID.
TWO OTHER UNOFFICIALS, DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI AND THE HON CHAN KAM-CHUEN ALSO SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL.
DR HO SAID THE PROVISIONS IN THE BILL WOULD BRING OUR LABOUR LEGISLATION IN BROAD COMPARABILITY WITH OUR NEIGHBOURING ASIA COUNTRIES.
HE SAID: THEY REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF THE EMPLOYERS IN ADVANCING THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THE IR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
+THEY ALSO REFLECT A COMMENDABLE AND SINCERE EFFORT ON THE PARTS OF OUR EMPLOYERS AND GOVERNMENT TO CONSERVE OUR HUMAN RESOURCES WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL TO MOVE THE WHEELS OF OUR INDUSTRIES AND OTHER ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES.+
/MR CHAN