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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1986
HE SUGGESTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF GRANTING TAX CONCESSION TO TAXPAYERS SO THAT THEY COULD OFF- SET THEIR MORTGAGE INTEREST PAYMENTS AGAINST PERSONAL INCOME TAX.
THE PROPOSAL WOULD LESSEN THE DEMAND ON PUBLIC HOUSING AND ON THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME, HE BELIEVED.
LONG-TERM HOUSING POLICY ADVOCATED
*****
THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD FORMULATE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THE LONG-TERM HOUSING POLICY MENTIONED IN THE GOVERNOR'S ANNUAL ADDRESS. THE HON TAM YIU-CHUNG SAID DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON PUBLIC HOUSING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
+ONLY BY ASCERTAINING THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TOWARDS THE PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS THEMSELVES AND THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY. CAN A BASIC SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF PUBLIC HOUSING BE WORKED OUT,+ HE SAID.
STATING THAT THE REPORTS ON PUBLIC HOUSING SUBSIDY AND DOMESTIC RENT POLICY WERE BY NO MEANS COMPREHENSIVE, MR TAM SAID HE DID NOT AGREE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ADOPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING WELL-OFF TENANTS AND THE DOMESTIC RENT POLICY TODAY IN THE ABSENCE OF A LONG-TERM AND COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING POLICY.
HE SAID THAT AT PRESENT, ACCORDING TO THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THE MAJOR COMMITMENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT IN CONSTRUCTION OF PUBLIC HOUSING WERE PROVISION OF LAND AT NO COST AND LOW-INTEREST LOANS.
HOWEVER, HE SAID THERE WAS AN INDICATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS TRYING TO RELINQUISH ITS PUBLIC HOUSING COMMITMENTS.
+ SUCH WITHDRAWAL WILL DIRECTLY INCREASE THE BURDEN OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND INDIRECTLY INCREASE THAT OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG,+ HE ADDED.
MR TAM SAID IT APPEARED THAT THE AMOUNT OF GOVERNMENT LOANS WOULD BE PROGRESSIVELY REDUCED AND THAT BY 1992-93. THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WOULD NOT REQUIRE ANY LOANS FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
/+OBVIOUSLY, IF