3 -
Mr Ho continues to explain that during the enquiry, even though persons who are identified as not actively seeking work and hence are categorised as economically inactive persons, still a question is asked on whether they would be willing to take up jobs if being offered suitable employment. The enquiry also asked about the terms and conditions under which they are willing to take up jobs (e.g. pay level; working hours). The main results from this enquiry indicate that these people may be interested in taking up jobs on specific terms. Under such circumstances, these people are not regarded as unemployed under the internationally accepted definition of unemployment.
Mr Ho points out that the statistics published in the Labour Mobility report are additional to those on the economically active population regularly published, and hence should be of use to a more detailed understanding of the labour supply situation.
End
Consultation paper on civil liability for unsafe products
A sub-committee of the Law Reform Commission today (Monday) published a consultation paper on proposals to reform the law governing compensation for injury and damage caused by defective or unsafe goods.
In December 1995, the Sub-committee on Civil Liability for Unsafe Products was formed and included among its members lawyers, academics, and prominent figures representing both business and consumer interests. The sub-committee is chaired by Ms Audrey Eu QC.
Ms Eu said that product safety was an issue which touched upon almost every person, and continual efforts had been made to protect the public from unsafe or defective products. Ms Eu mentioned as an example of such efforts the recently enacted Consumer Goods Safety Ordinance (Cap. 456) which had afforded greater protection to the public by imposing a duty on manufacturers, importers and suppliers of certain consumer goods to ensure that the goods comply with the approved safety standard or are reasonably safe having regard to all the circumstances.
Yet, according to Ms Eu, persons who suffered injury or damage caused by unsafe products would find themselves faced with many technical hurdles when making their claims for compensation under the existing law. Ms Eu also said that the emerging international trend was towards enacting strict product liability legislation to supplement the traditional contract and negligence law, and Hong Kong was lagging behind many jurisdictions, including the EC countries, the United States, Australia and Japan.