WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1983.
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DRIVING LICENCES MAY SOON NO LONGER BE PROOF OF IDENTITY
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DRAFTING INSTRUCTIONS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR A RESOLUTION UNDER SECTION 17B (2) OF THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE TO DELETE +CURRENT DRIVING LICENCE+ FROM THE LIST OF DOCUMENTS WHICH MAY BE USED AS PROOF OF IDENTITY, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON D.G. JEAFFRESON, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING TODAY.
HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON F.K. HU, WHO ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT WAS SATISFIED THAT IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT DRIVING LICENCES IN THEIR PRESENT FORMAT CAN BE FORGED, + A DRIVING LICENCE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE PROOF OF IDENTITY FOR IMMIGRATION PURPOSES.
ANSWERING ANOTHER QUESTION BY MR HU, MR JEAFFRESON SAID THAT IT WAS RECKONED THAT ABOUT 95 PER CENT OF THE DUPLICATE LICENCES ISSUED LAST YEAR WERE REPLACEMENTS FOR LOST LICENCES, RATHER THAN FOR DAMAGED ONES.
ADDED.
+ IN OTHER WORDS, ROUGHLY 30 300,+ HE SAID.
DURING THE YEAR, TWO COUNTERFEIT LICENCES WERE DETECTED, HE
NEED FOR TAX RECEIPTS EXPLAINED
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THE INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT DID NOT CALL FOR DOCUMENTARY PROOF WHICH WAS EASILY VERIFI ABLE FROM DEPARTMENTAL RECORDS, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON JOHN BREMRIDGE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
BUT PROPERTY TAX AND INTEREST TAX RECEIPTS HAD TO BE SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF CLAIMS FOR PERSONAL ASSESSMENT RELIEF, MR BREMRIDGE SAID, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON WONG LAM.
HE EXPLAINED THAT IN THE CASE OF PROPERTY TAX, THE RECEIPTS WERE NECESSARY TO VERIFY THAT THE TAX HAD INDEED BEEN PAID BY THE LANDLORD CLAIMING PERSONAL ASSESSMENT, AND NOT BY THE TENANT.
IN THE CASE OF INTEREST TAX, THIS WAS AGAIN NECESSARY TO VERIFY THAT THE TAX HAD BEEN PAID BY THE PERSON CLAIMING PERSONAL ASSESSMENT.
+THE RETURNS OF INTEREST TAX DEDUCTED BY BANKS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS COMPRISE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPUTER PRINT-OUT SHEETS. IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO CHECK EVERY INDIVIDUAL CASE WITHOUT CONSIDERABLE ADDITIONAL STAFF RESOURCES,+ MR BREMRIDGE SAID.
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