XN000022-1975-07-16 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1975

MAJOR INDUSTRIAL TRAINING SCHEMES PLANNED ******

TWO BILLS AIMED AT LAUNCHING MAJOR TRAINING SCHEMES FOR THE CLOTHING AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRIES WERE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

THE BILLS, SPONSORED BY THE TWO INDUSTRIES THEMSELVES, PROVIDE FOR THE SETTING UP OF SEPARATE STATUTORY BODIES TO BUILD AND ADMINISTER SPECIAL CENTRES TO TRAIN SKILLED PERSONNEL FOR THE INDUSTRIES.

THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING SCHEME WILL BE FINANCED BY A LEVY ON ALL EXPORT CLOTHING ITEMS, AND THE CONSTRUCTION SCHEME BY A LEVY ON THE VALUE OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

INTRODUCING THE BILLS INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, THE ACTING COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON. NEIL HENDERSON, SAID THE AMOUNT OF THE LEVIES WOULD BE RECOMMENDED BY THE INDIVIDUAL STATUTORY AUTHORITY AND DECIDED BY RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

MR. HENDERSON PRAISED THE PROVISIONAL CLOTHING INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY, CHAIRED BY MR. FRANCIS Y.H. TIEN, AND THE PROVISIONAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRAINING AUTHORITY, CHAIRED BY MR. WONG TIN-SUNG, FOR THEIR HARD WORK IN GIVING BIRTH TO THE TWO BILLS.

HE SAID THE TWO STATUTORY BODIES TO BE SET UP UNDER THE BILLS WOULD FOLLOW THE COMPOSITION OF THE PROVISIONAL AUTHORITIES, COMPRISING REPRESENTATIVES OF THE VARIOUS INTERESTS IN THE TWO INDUSTRIES, PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN CONCERNED DEPARTMENTS, TRADE UNION OFFICIALS AND LAY MEMBERS.

THE TRAINING CENTRES PROPOSED IN THE BILLS WOULD AIM TO PRODUCE 600 CRAFTSMEN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY EVERY YEAR, AND 3,600 OPERATIVES FOR THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY.

MR. HENDERSON SAID PROCEDURES FOR COLLECTION OF THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY LEVY WOULD FOLLOW THE LINES OF THE COLLECTION PROCEDURES FOR THE TAX ON ALL EXPORT GOODS WHICH FINANCED THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.

THIS WOULD MEAN THE MINIMUM INCONVENIENCE TO EXPORTERS,

+1 MUST EMPHASISE,+ HE SAID, THAT ALTHOUGH THE PROCEDURE AND MECHANICS OF COLLECTION WILL BE SIMILAR, THE TRAINING LEVY WILL BE ENTIRELY SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM THE AD VALOREM CHARGES CURRENTLY COLLECTED FOR THE SUBVENTION OF THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND, OF COURSE, WILL ONLY BE APPLIED TO EXPORTED

CLOTHING ITEMS.+

MR. HENDERSON SAID