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Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund
Following is a question by the Hon Lee Cheuk-yan and a written reply by the acting Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Matthew Cheung, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
The Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund Board (the Fund Board) stated in its 1995-96 Annual Report that it would closely monitor the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund (the Fund) to see how the Fund's overall operation would be affected by the resolution passed by this Council on 31 January last year to significantly increase the Fund's coverage. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
of the details of the analysis of the approved ex gratia payments as percentages of applicants' entitlement during the period from 2 February last year when the resolution came into effect, up to 31 December of the same year; and how these figures differ from those recorded before the resolution became effective (that is, during the ten-month period from 1 April 1995 to 31 January 1996);
of the total amount of ex gratia payments made from the Fund during the period from 2 February to 31 December last year; and how the amount differs from that paid in the ten-month period before the resolution became effective;
of the up-to-date financial position and balance of the Fund;
how the Fund Board assesses the effect of the resolution on the operation of the Fund;
whether the authority concerned will increase the maximum amount of ex gratia payments in the light of the passage of the Protection of Wages on Insolvency (Amendment) Ordinance 1996 to extend from four to six months the period within which applications for ex gratia payments from the Fund may be made; and
whether the authority concerned has any plan to increase the amount of ex gratia payment from the Fund in accordance with the annual wage increase; if so, when the plan will be implemented; if not, why not?
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