WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1994
Ι
SEM ON OLD AGE PENSION SCHEME
*
FOLLOWING IS THE SPEECH BY MR MICHAEL LEUNG, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON OLD AGE PENSION SCHEME AT THE LEGCO SITTING TODAY (WEDNESDAY):
MR PRESIDENT,
I
SHOULD
THE 29 GOVERNMENT
ALL LIKE FIRST OF ALL TO BEGIN BY THANKING WHO HAVE SPOKEN IN THE DEBATE THIS AFTERNOON.
HAVE MADE THAN SIX TO
MEMBERS
GREAT IMPORTANCE TO YOUR VIEWS. THE POINTS YOU ATTACHES WILL BE CONSIDERED VERY CAREFULLY AS WE ASSESS THE MORE THOUSAND WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN RESPONSE THE CONSULTATION PAPER OVER THE PAST THREE AND A HALF MONTHS.
THE SHEER VOLUME OF THESE SUBMISSIONS INDICATES THE IMPORTANCE WITH WHICH ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY VIEW THE
OLD AGE PROPOSED
PENSION
NOT SCHEME. OLD AGE AFFECTS US ALL EVENTUALLY, SO IT IS
90 MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY SURPRISING THAT
HAVE TAKEN THE TROUBLE TO COMMENT ON OUR PROPOSALS. LET ME ASSURE THIS COUNCIL THESE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED WITH GREAT CARE AND WITH AN MIND. WE HAVE PLEDGED IN THIS COUNCIL THAT GOVERNMENT WOULD IMPLEMENT
SUBJECT THE SCHEME
AMONG OTHER
BY THINGS, TO,
ENDORSEMENT COMMUNITY OF OUR PROPOSALS. WE SHALL HONOUR THIS PLEDGE.
THAT
OPEN
THE
THE ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS OF THESE SUBMISSIONS HAS JUST AT BEGUN, SO IT WOULD BE PREMATURE FOR ME TO REACH ANY CONCLUSIONS
A THIS STAGE. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DISPEL NUMBER OF MISCONCEPTIONS RAISED BOTH DURING THE CONSULTATION PERIOD AND IN THIS DEBATE.
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS
ΤΟ
FIRST, CONTRARY TO THE CRITICISM DEPLOYED BY SOME OPPONENTS SCHEME, THE
WITH WE HAVE NOT CONFUSED RETIREMENT PROTECTION
SOCIAL
WHAT WE WELFARE.
THE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS
PROVISION OF INCOME SECURITY FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE ELDERLY BY THE TIME THEY OR THEIR SPOUSES THE PROPOSED OLD AGE HAVE LOST THEIR EARNING CAPACITY DUE TO OLD AGE.
THE IS A FORM OF SOCIAL INSURANCE WHEREBY PENSION SCHEME
COMMUNITY
PROVIDE
ELDERLY FOR INCOME SECURITY FOR THEIR COLLECTIVELY
THROUGH
CONTRIBUTIONS.
SECURE
FOR A CONTRIBUTION. PARTICIPATED
THEIR
FAMILIES,
COUNTERPARTS.
THE
COMMUNITY, MAKING A
THEY ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE THE DEGREE OF INCOME SECURITY AT OLD AGE BY
MODEST
FOR
HAVE NOT THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO IN THE WORKFORCE,
LOOK DUE OFTEN TO THE NEED TO
AFTER
THEY
THAN DESERVE NO LESS SECURITY
THEIR WORKING THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE WORKED IN
KITCHENS AND FAMILY ROOMS INSTEAD OF IN THE EMPLOYMENT MARKET SHOULD NOT DISCRIMINATE THEM FROM BEING TREATED AS FULL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, DESERVING
SUPPORT OF CARE AND FINANCIALLY VULNERABLE DUE TO OLD AGE.
THE SAME DEGREE
WHEN THEY BECOME
/SECOND, THE