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Regarding the Preamble to Miss Lau's question, Members will appreciate that while both China and Britain are party to the JD, and both therefore have a responsibility as sovereign governments to ensure its implementation, the Joint Declaration imposes different obligations on the two parties. Thus, Britain has an obligation to be responsible for the administration of Hong Kong up to 30 June 1997 and China has an obligation to follow the basic policies in respect of Hong Kong for 50 years after 1 July 1997. People will quite naturally look to the party that has a particular obligation under the Joint Declaration to deliver on that promise. People, therefore, look to Britain to ensure that Hong Kong is administered properly up to 30 June 1997 and they look to China for evidence that the policies to which it has committed itself will apply in Hong Kong after 1 July 1997.
Mr President, I have said, the Joint Declaration is a binding, international agreement. It is registered with the United Nations. The British Government has a responsibility to do all it can to ensure that China lives up to the undertakings set out in the JD. This is something to which the British Government is committed.
End/Wednesday, May 10, 1995
1
Wastage rates of therapists
Following is a question by the Hon Eric Li Ka-cheung and a reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council of:
(a)
(b)
the respective wastage rates of physiotherapists, speech therapists, clinical psychologists and occupational therapists in government departments and subvented agencies in the past three years; and
the effect of such wastage on the government departments and agencies concerned, and whether such wastage has brought about a serious shortage of manpower?