WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1982
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ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, MR JACOBS SAID A DRAFT BILL HAD BEEN PRODUCED TO REGULATE THE LEGAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARTIES TO A HIRE-PURCHASE AGREEMENT.
HE SAID IN EXAMINING THE BILL IT HAD BECOME APPARENT THAT THERE WERE SOME DIFFICULTIES BUT ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS DOING ITS BEST TO OVERCOME THESE DIFFICULTIES.
WITH REGARD TO TRAVEL AGENTS, HE SAID, A WORKING PARTY HAD BEEN APPOINTED TO ADVISE ON WHAT MEASURES MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE F THE GOVERNMENT TO INTRODUCE IN ORDER TO AFFORD A REASONABLE DEGREE OF PROTECTION FOR THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC, PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO ANY FRAUD ON THE PART OF A TRAVEL AGENT.
THE WORKING PARTY COMPRISED REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY, THE CONSUMER COUNCIL AND THE GOVERNMENT.
HE SAID THE WORKING PARTY HAD COMPLETED ITS DELIBERATIONS, AND WOULD BE IN A POSITION TO MAKE ITS PROPOSALS BEFORE THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
HOWEVER, HE EMPHASISED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS STILL NOT YET CONVINCED THAT IT WAS EITHER NECESSARY, DESIRABLE OR PRACTICABLE FOR MEMBERS OF THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC TO BE AFFORDED PROTECTION IN RESPECT OF QUALITY OF SERVICES ACTUALLY RENDERED BY TRAVEL AGENTS.
+WHAT WE ARE CONCERNED WITH IS FAILURE BY TRAVEL AGENTS, WHETHER BY REASON OF FRAUD OR OTHERWISE, TO PRODUCE THE SERVICES PAID FOR BY THEIR CUSTOMERS,+ HE SAID.
ON CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY, MR JACOBS SAID HITHERTO THE GOVERNMENT'S CONCERN HAD BEEN TO SUPPORT MANUFACTURERS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO MEET THE MANY AND VARIED OVERSEAS SPECIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS SET BY THE IR EXPORT MARKETS. THIS SUPPORT WAS BACKED BY AN EXPORT LICENSING SYSTEM OPERATED BY THE TRADE DEPARTMENT.
+ IT IS NOW BECOMING APPARENT THAT QUALITY ASSURANCE, OF WHICH PRODUCT SAFETY IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT, WOULD BE BETTER VIEWED IN FUTURE AS A MATTER OF COMMON CONCERN FOR THE WHOLE HONG KONG ECONOMY SO THAT LOCAL EXPECTATIONS IN THIS AREA, AS WELL AS THE EXPECTATIONS OF OUR EXPORT MARKETS, ARE ALSO MET.+
MR JACOBS SAID THE GOVERNMENT SCIENCE ADVISER'S REPORT ON THIS TOPIC SHOULD BE AVAILABLE VERY SHORTLY, AND IN KEEPING WITH THIS GENERAL AWARENESS, THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALREADY RECEIVING AND ACTING ON REPORTS FROM CONSULTANTS WHO HAD BEEN ASKED TO ADVISE ON A TESTING LABORATORIES ACCREDITATION SYSTEM FOR HONG KONG.
+SUCH A SYSTEM WOULD BE AN ESSENTIAL PRE-REQUISITE FOR A PROPERLY DEVELOPED PRODUCT QUALITY AUDIT SYSTEM. BUT IT WILL TAKE TIME, HE SAID.
MR JACOBS ALSO SPOKE ON THE INSURANCE COMPANIES BILL 1982, AIMED AT PROTECTING POLICY-HOLDERS WITHOUT IMPEDING THE INSURANCE
INDUSTRY.
HE SAID HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT, WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS WHICH FOLLOWED UPON DISCUSSIONS WITH THE UMELCO GROUP AND WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HOPED TO INTRODUCE, THE RIGHT FRAMEWORK OF INSURANCE LEGISLATION FOR HONG KONG WOULD BE ACHIEVED.
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