XN000022-1984-06-14 — Page 5

THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 1984

COMMENTING ON THESE FIGURES, THE COMMISSIONER FOR CENSUS AND STATISTICS SAID THAT BECAUSE THE PROPORTION OF FIRST-TIME JOB-SEEKERS (E.G. PEOPLE WHO HAVE JUST LEFT SCHOOL) VARIES FROM MONTH TO MONTH, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES WHICH HAD BEEN SEASONALLY ADJUSTED FOR THE VARIATION IN FIRST-TIME JOB-SEEKERS SHOULD BE USED IN MAKING COMPARISONS OVER TIME. THE UNADJUSTED UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR THE QUARTER TO APRIL 1984 WAS 3.9 PER CENT.

THE UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT STATISTICS WERE OBTAINED FROM A CONTINUOUS GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT. THIS SURVEY COVERS A QUARTERLY SAMPLE OF SOME 15 000 HOUSEHOLDS OR 55 000 PERSONS, SELECTED SCIENTIFICALLY TO REPRESENT THE LAND-BASED CIVILIAN NON-INSTITUTIONAL POPULATION IN HONG KONG. PERSONAL AND LABOUR FORCE DATA WERE OBTAINED IN THE SURVEY BY INTERVIEWING EACH INDIVIDUAL MEMBER IN THE HOUSEHOLDS SAMPLED.

DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE LABOUR FORCE CHARACTERISTICS IS GIVEN IN THE REPORT ON THE GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY WHICH IS PUBLISHED FOUR TIMES A YEAR. THE NEXT REPORT COVERING THE QUARTER TO JUNE 1984 WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AROUND SEPTEMBER 20, 1984.

ENVIRONMENT BODY STRENGTHENED

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THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS BEEN RETITLED, STRENGTHENED AND GIVEN WIDER RESPONSIBILITIES FOR

ITS NEXT TERM OF OFFICE BEGINNING ON JULY 1. THE NEW MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE WILL BE GAZETTED NEXT FRIDAY (JUNE 22).

IT IS INTENDED TO EMPHASISE THE CONTROL OF POLLUTION AS THE MAIN TASK COMMANDING THE COMMITTEE'S ATTENTION, A MINOR CHANGE TO REFLECT THIS IS THAT EPCOM WILL NOW BE KNOWN AS THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

THE COMMITTEE WILL TAKE OVER THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CLEAN HONG KONG STEERING COMMITTEE, WHICH MASTERMINDED THE ANTI-LITTERING CAMPAIGN IN 1982 AND ITS IMMEDIATE FOLLOW-UP. LITTERING IS SEEN AS AN INTRINSIC PART OF POLLUTION AND ASPECTS SUCH AS THE CONTROL OF FLOATING REFUSE ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUPY A GOOD DEAL OF EPCOM'S TIME IN THE COMING MONTHS.

THE SPECIAL COMMITTEES ON LAND AND WATER POLLUTION, AIR POLLUTION AND NOISE, WHICH AT PRESENT REPORT TO EPCOM, ARE TO .BE DISCONTINUED. INSTEAD, THE NEW EPCOM WILL BE ABLE TO SET UP

AD HOC WORKING GROUPS FROM AMONG ITS OWN MEMBERS TO STUDY PARTICULAR ISSUES SHOULD THIS BE FELT NECESSARY. THIS WILL BE A MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE ARRANGEMENT.

THE PURPOSE