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FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1986
+ BUT AS I SAY YOU MAY BE SURE THAT IF THERE ARE ANY LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM THE HANDLING OF THIS CASE, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT THEMSELVES WILL BE LOOKING AT IT.+
ASKED IF THERE WOULD BE ANY CONFLICT OF INTEREST+ IF THE MOTHER SUED THE SWD, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT IF THERE WAS ANY NEED FOR HER TO HAVE LEGAL ADVICE, IT WOULD BE PROVIDED TO HER.
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+ IF THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE LOOKED INTO, YOU CAN BE SURE IT WILL BE LOOKED INTO. BUT ONCE YOU ASSUME AS I DO THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT ARE TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST - AND I COME BACK TO IT AGAIN THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO THE IR BEST FOR THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD, AND AS LONG AS THEY ARE TRYING TO DO THAT, SURELY THEY SHOULD HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY, RATHER THAN A GREAT DEAL OF CRITICISM.
+NOBODY IS PERFECT IN THIS WORLD AND MAY BE IT CAN BE DONE BETTER. AND WE ARE ALWAYS PREPARED TO SEE WHETHER THINGS CAN BE DONE BETTER,+ HE ADDED.
ASKED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO CLEAR UP ANY ANOMAL JES IN THE LAW THAT WERE UNCOVERED IN THIS CASE, SIR EDWARD SAID HE WAS NOT SURE WHAT ANOMALIES THERE WERE IN THE EXISTING LAW.
+ IF THERE IS ANY LOOPHOLE IN THE LAW WE SHALL EXAMINE IT, HE ADDED.
+
ON WHETHER IT WAS NECESSARY TO ACT QUICKLY TO COVER SUCH LOOPHOLES, SIR EDWARD SAID THE FIRST THING TO DO WAS TO ESTABLISH WHAT THE SUPPOSED LOOPHOLES WERE.
+ALL I'VE SEEN IS CERTAIN PEOPLE MAKING COMMENTS IN THE PRESS. PERHAPS THE NEXT THING WE HAD BETTER DO IS TO GIVE SOME GUIDANCE ON SOME OF THESE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SITUATION IS,
+I'M NOT SURE THAT EVERYBODY REALLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE SITUATION UNDER THE LAW IS, HE SAID.
IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION ON WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT HAD ANY POLICY ON NUCLEAR POWER, SIR EDWARD SAID WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS DOING HAD BEEN FULLY EXPLAINED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE, WHEN HE MADE A STATEMENT AND ANSWERED
+PRACTICALLY EVERY QUESTION ON THE SUBJECT+ IN A RECENT LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEETING.
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