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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1994
FOLLOWING
OLD AGE PENSION SCHEME
*
REPLY
IS A QUESTION BY THE HON JIMMY MCGREGOR AND A BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR LAM WOON-KWONG, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):
QUESTION: IN VIEW OF THE REMARKS MADE RECENTLY BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE NCNA WHICH SUGGESTED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT IN FAVOUR OF THE PROPOSED OLD AGE PENSION SCHEME, WILL THE GOVERNMENT INFORM THIS COUNCIL !
(A) HOW THE GOVERNMENT WILL ASSESS THE POSITION OF THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT TOWARDS THE PROPOSED SCHEME; AND
(B)
WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROCEED WITH THE PROPOSED SCHEME OR CONSIDER OTHER ALTERNATIVES OF PROVIDING THE TERRITORY'S ELDERLY CITIZENS WITH AN INSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM OF RETIREMENT BENEFITS?
REPLY:
MR PRESIDENT,
ON 15 DECEMBER 1993 I ANNOUNCED IN THIS COUNCIL THAT GOVERNMENT WOULD PURSUE AN OLD AGE PENSION SCHEME SUBJECT TO THREE PROVISOS, ONE OF WHICH IS CONSULTATION WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT BEFORE REACHING A DECISION, THE FORUM FOR SUCH CONSULTATION SHOULD BE THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP. IT IS THROUGH DISCUSSIONS AT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP THAT GOVERNMENT WILL ASSESS THE VIEWS OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TOWARDS THE PROPOSED SCHEME. WE REMAIN READY TO DISCUSS WITH THEM DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED SCHEME AND TO PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT MAY BE REQUIRED.
TURNING TO THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION, GOVERNMENT IS STILL ANALYSING AND EVALUATING THE WIDE SPECTRUM OF PUBLIC OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THE MORE THAN 6,000 SUBMISSIONS THAT WE RECEIVED IN THE CONSULTATION PERIOD. WE ARE THEREFORE NOT YET IN THE POSITION TO ANNOUNCE A DECISION ON THE WAY AHEAD.
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