WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1981
+ IT MAY BE THAT, IF THE THREE TIER STRUCTURE ENVISAGED IN THE TWO BILLS NOW BEFORE MEMBERS IS IMPLEMENTED, THE SCOPE OF THE INTEREST RATE AGREEMENT COULD BE REDUCED SO THAT IT APPLIES ONLY TO DEPOSITS OF LESS THAN $500 000, HE SAID.
+THIS WOULD NEED TO BE CONSIDERED VERY CAREFULLY, WITH THE AID OF A STUDY OF THE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF DEPOSITS WITH BANKS, WITH LICENSED DEPOSIT-TAK ING COMPANIES AND WITH OTHER DEPOSIT- TAKING COMPANIES AFTER THE MARKET HAS HAD SOME EXPERIENCE OF THE NEW STRUCTURE+.
SIR PHILIP POINTED OUT THAT A STUDY UNDERTAKEN BEFORE SUCH EXPERIENCE HAD BEEN ACQUIRED WOULD NOT BE SUFFICIENTLY VALID TO UNDERP IN SUCH A FAR-REACHING (AND, IN PRACTICAL TERMS, PROBABLY IRREVOCABLE) CHANGE TO THE INTEREST RATE AGREEMENT.
MATERNITY LEAVE PROVISIONS APPROVED
****
THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) (NO. 2) BILL WHICH PROVIDES PAID MATERNITY LEAVE FOR SOME WORKING MOTHERS WAS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SPEAKING AT ITS SECOND READING, THE REV THE HON PATRICK MCGOVERN SAID HE SUPPORTED THE MAIN PROVISIONS OF THE BILL BUT HAD RESERVATIONS ON THE QUALIFYING PERIOD AND THE LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE CHILDREN,
ON THE FIRST POINT, FR MCGOVERN SAID THE REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP ON MATERNITY LEAVE, HAVING CONSIDERED INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION CONVENTIONS AND THE PRACTICE OF NEIGHBOUR ING COUNTRIES. RECOMMENDED THAT THE QUALIFYING PERIOD FOR PAY ENTITLEMENT IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE 26 WEEKS.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM WORKERS' ORGANISATIONS MOSTLY ASKED FOR 26 WEEKS, THOUGH SOME WANTED A SHORTER PERIOD.
HOWEVER, FR MCGOVERN SAID: IT WAS AN UNPLEASANT SURP IRSE THEREFORE THAT THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDED A QUALIFYING PERIOD OF 40 WEEKS AND THAT GOVERNMENT SAW FIT TO ACCEPT THAT ADVICE RATHER THAN THE ADVICE OF THE WORKING GROUP.
+NO COUNTRY MENTIONED IN THE APPENDICES OF THE WORK ING GROUP REPORT HAS A QUALIFYING PERIOD OF MORE THAN 26 WEEKS.
+WE ARE OUT OF LINE WITH THE REST OF ASIA AND WE ARE OUT OF LINE WITH OUR OWN LAW.+
HE THOUGHT THE ONLY LOGICAL, THOUGH UNLIKELY, REASON FOR THE CHANGE FROM 26 WEEKS TO 40 WEEKS WAS THAT THE BILL WANTED TO IMPLY THAT THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYER IS RESPONSIBLE NOT ONLY FOR THE PAYMENT FOR MATERNITY LEAVE, BUT ALSO FOR THE PREGNANCY ITSELF. +
WURNING TO
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