XN000022-1981-05-27 — Page 11

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1981

MR LIAO SAID THE INCREASES WERE SMALL IN ACTUAL CASH TERMS AND REPRESENTED ANOTHER SMALL STEP IN GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF LOOSENING THESE RIGID AND OUTDATED CONTROLS WHICH HAD BEEN IN FORCE FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

HE RECALLED THAT IN NOVEMBER 1978, THE GOVERNMENT AGREED TO PURSUE A POLICY OF ALLOWING ANNUAL INCREASES IN THE PERMITTED RENTS OF PREWAR PREMISES IN ORDER TO MITIGATE THE RESTRICTIVE NATURE OF THE STATIC RENT CONTROLS, AND IT WAS THE DECLARED POLICY OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO DECONTROL PREWAR BUSINESS PREMISES ON JULY 1, 1984.

HE SAID DESPITE THE ANNUAL INCREASES SINCE 1976, AVERAGE PERMITTED RENTS OF BUSINESS PREMISES SUBJECT TO CONTROL STILL STOOD AT ABOUT 27 PER CENT OF FAIR MARKET RENTS WHILE THOSE OF DOMESTIC PREMISES AT ABOUT 21 PER CENT OF FAIR MARKET RENTS.

+THIS IS DUE TO THE VERY LOW BASE ON WHICH RENT INCREASES ARE CALCULATED AND TO INCREASED MARKET RENTAL LEVELS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS. UNLESS FURTHER INCREASES ARE ALLOWED, THE GAP BETWEEN EXISTING RENTS AND MARKET RENTS IS NOT LIKELY TO BE REDUCED, + HE SAID.

THERE ARE 11 000 UNITS IN PREWAR BUILDINGS. OF THESE 5 000 ARE EITHER OCCUPIED BY OWNERS, SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED FROM CONTROLS OR LET AT RENTS AT OR APPROACHING MARKET LEVELS. THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED HAS LITTLE EFFECT ON RENTS PAYABLE BY TENANTS OF PREMISES WHICH ARE NOT SUBJECT TO CONTROLS.

IMMIGRATION BILL BECOMES LAW ****

THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) BILL WHICH INTRODUCES DETERRENTS TO VIETNAMESE REFUGEES REFUSING RESETTLEMENT OFFERS, WAS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

DURING THE COMMITTEE STAGE OF THE BILL, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON LEWIS DAVIES, MOVED A MINOR AMENDMENT TO THE BILL WHICH WILL ENABLE THE COUNCIL TO DELETE OR ADD TO THE LIST OF DOCUMENTS USED AS PROOF OF IDENTITY.

UNDER THE BILL, VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WHO CONTRAVENE THE IR CONDITIONS OF STAY ARE LIABLE TO DETENTION FOR UP TO 28 DAYS AND MAY BE REFUSED PERMISSION TO WORK.

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