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#EDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1982
+ THE PRIVATE SECTOR TOO HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THE PROMOTION OF HOME OWNERSHIP. SO MORE SITES WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEME AND THE MIDDLE INCOME HOUSING PROGRAMME, HE SAID.
THESE GOVERNMENT SPONSORED HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEMES SHOULD, BY 1985-86, BE PRODUCING SOME 12 500 FLATS ANNUALLY FOR PURCHASE BY BETTER OFF PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS, TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO VACATE THE IR HEAVILY SUBSIDISED RENTAL FLATS, AND BY THOSE LIVING IN RENTED PRIVATE FLATS WHO COULD NOT OTHERWISE ASPIRE TO OWN A HOUSE OF THE IR OWN.
SIR EDWARD SAID THAT IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE LATEST FIGURES AVAILABLE SHOW THAT THREE-QUARTERS OF NEW FLATS OCCUPIED LAST YEAR WERE OCCUPIED BY THE IR OWNERS, BRINGING THE PROPORTION OF OWNER- OCCUPATION TO ABOUT 50 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL.
+THIS MOVEMENT TOWARDS HOME OWNERSHIP IS ONE WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WILL ENCOURAGE, HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD WAS CONFIDENT THAT, BY THE END OF THIS DECADE, THE HOUSING PROBLEM WILL HAVE BEEN GREATLY REDUCED.
+BUT OUR HOUSING STANDARDS HAVE IN THE PAST HAD TO BE MODEST AND THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A NEED FOR QUALITATIVE IMPROVEMENTS TO BRING OLDER HOUSING UP-TO-DATE. THERE WILL BE NO PAUSE IN OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE HONG KONG A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN,+ SIR EDWARD SAID.
ON RENTAL HOUSING, SIR EDWARD SAID THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE CONSIDER ING, WELL BEFORE THE EXPIRY IN DECEMBER NEXT YEAR OF THE EXISTING LEGISLATION CONTROLLING RENT INCREASES FOR POST-WAR PREMISES, THE FUTURE FORM OF THESE CONTROLS.
HE REVEALED THAT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION WILL BE INTRODUCED
IN THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SESSION.
HE SAID A SIGNIFICANT ADVANCE IN THE PRIVATE RENTAL FIELD OVER THE PAST YEAR WAS THE INTRODUCTION, UNDER THE AEGIS OF THE LANDS TRIBUNAL, OF A SYSTEM PROVIDING REASONABLE SECURITY OF TENURE OF PREMISES NOT SUBJECT TO RENT CONTROL, PROVIDED THEY WERE PREPARED TO PAY THE FAIR MARKET RENT.
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