XN000022-1978-06-21 — Page 22

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1978

ANNOUNCEMENT ON TONG FAI NEXT MONTH

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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION. THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT WILL BE MADE EARLY NEXT MONTH ON TONG FAI IN FORMS | TO IT! IN AIDED SCHOOLS.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE REV. THE HON. JOYCE M. BENNETT, MR. TOPLEY SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOW FINALISED ITS PROPOSALS FOR TONG FAI IN FORMS TO HI IN AIDED SCHOOLS AND IT IS INTENDED TO PUT THESE PROPOSALS TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE VERY SHORTLY.

+IF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AGREES, THIS WILL ENABLE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO BE MADE IN EARLY JULY, PROBABLY ON THE 6TH OR 7TH, HE ADDED.

TWO BILLS ON PENSION SCHEMES INTRODUCED INTO LEGCO

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+

THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE THE HON. MARTIN ROWLANDS TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY THAT THE NEW WIDOWS' AND CHILDREN'S PENSIONS SCHEME WHICH WAS INTRODUCED ON JANUARY 1 THIS YEAP, IS PROGRESSING SATISFACTORILY.

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE WIDOWS' AND CHILDREN'S PENSIONS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1978, HE SAID THAT EXPERIENCE GAINED IN IMPLEMENTING THE NEW SCHEME HAS SHOWN THE NEED FOR A MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE LEGISLATION.

HE SAID THE BILL BEFORE THE COUNCIL SEEKS TO PROVIDE THAT OFFICERS WHO LEAVE THE CIVIL SERVICE DURING THE PERIOD TO ELECT THE NEW SCHEME SHALL HAVE THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME AS SERVING OFFICERS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO JOIN THE SCHEME.

MR. ROWLANDS ALSO INTRODUCED THE WIDOWS' AND ORPHANS' PENSION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1978 WHICH SEEKS TO SAFEGUARD THE INTEREST OF A SMALL NUMBER OF UNMARRIED OFFICERS OR WIDOWERS WHO HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTORS TO THE OLD WIDOWS' AND ORPHANS PENSION SCHEME.

HE SAID THIS BILL SEEKS TO AMEND THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE SO THAT REFUNDS CAN BE MADE TO THESE OFFICERS WITHOUT PENSIONABLE CHILDREN, BUT SERVING ON NON-PENSIONABLE TERMS AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE OLD WIDOWS AND ORPHANS' PENSION SCHEME.

MR. ROWLANDS SAID: +SHOULD THEY BE APPOINTED TO THE PERMANENT AND PENSIONABLE ESTABLISHMENT, SUCH OFFICERS WOULD BE OBLIGED TO JOIN THE NEW WIDOWS' AND CHILDREN'S PENSIONS SCHEME.

+ HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THEIR MARITAL STATUS, THEY WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS UNDER THE WIDOWS' AND ORPHANS' PENSION SCHEME.

+IN THIS EVENT IT IS CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE TO REFUND THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY THE OFFICER UNDER THE OLD SCHEME,+ HE SAID.

DEBATE ON THE TWO BILLS WAS ADJOURNED.

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