+
32
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 1986
PLANS IN HAND FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDERS
*****
PREPARATIONS ARE BEING MADE FOR A COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER PILOT SCHEME TO BE INTRODUCED BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, THE ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON JAMES FINDLAY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HUI YIN-FAT, MR FINDLAY SAID THE PRESENT POSITION ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICE ORDER SCHEME WAS THAT A SENIOR SOCIAL WORK OFFICER HAD RETURNED FROM A TWO-MONTH ATTACHMENT PROGRAMME AFTER STUDYING THE OPERATION OF A SIMILAR SCHEME IN THE UNITED KINGDOM,
THE OFFICER HAD NOW PREPARED A DRAFT PLAN ON THE OPERATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR A PILOT SCHEME AND CIRCULATED IT TO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES LIKELY TO OFFER PLACEMENTS.
A WORKING GROUP HAD BEEN SET UP WITHIN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TO EXAMINE THE PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF IMPLEMENTING THE SCHEME.
MR FINDLAY SAID THE WORKING GROUP WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS TO FIRM UP PROPOSALS ON THE PILOT SCHEME AND THESE WOULD THEN BE SUBMITTED TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR COMMENT.
+ IT IS AIMED TO INTRODUCE THE PILOT SCHEME BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, HE SAID.
REFERRING TO THE PROPOSED SPENT CONVICTION SCHEME, MR FINDLAY SAID THAT FOLLOWING A PERIOD OF EXTENSIVE CONSULTATION, A DRAFT BILL TO IMPLEMENT THE SCHEME WOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WITHIN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE WEEKS.
IF APPROVED, THE BILL WOULD BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE THEREAFTER.
+ONCE IT IS PASSED INTO LAW IT WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, HE SAID.
/33