XN000022-1985-11-08 — Page 3

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1985

SENATE ACTION SOON ON JENKINS BILL FORECAST

*****

+ACTION IN THE SENATE ON THE JENKINS BILL CAN BE EXPECTED SOON, POSSIBLY NEXT WEEK, THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, WARNED TODAY (FRIDAY).

IN +WE HAVE BEEN KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON DEVELOPMENTS CONSULTATIONS WITH OTHER OPPONENTS OF THE BILL, SINCE SENATOR HOLLINGS HAD THE REVISED VERSION OF THE BILL ATTACHED TO THE BUDGET RECONCILIATION BILL ON OCTOBER 24,+ HE SAID.

+THE BILL ITSELF IS NOW TEMPORARILY STALLED IN THE SENATE. IT APPEARS THAT SENATOR HOLLINGS' MANOEUVRE HAS NOT BEEN WELCOMED BY ALL THE KEY PLAYERS IN THE SENATE, AND THERE HAS BEEN A GOOD DEAL OF JOCKEYING FOR POSITION IN THE SENATE IN DECIDING WHAT TO DO NEXT.

+DEVELOPMENT SINCE OCTOBER 24 HAVE LARGELY TAKEN PLACE BEHIND THE SCENES. BUT THE SURFACE LULL SINCE THEN IS UNLIKELY TO LAST MUCH LONGER, AND WE MUST EXPECT SOME MOVEMENT IN THE REASONABLY NEAR FUTURE.

+THE PRECISE FORM THAT MOVEMENT WILL TAKE REMAINS UNCERTAIN. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OPTIONS OPEN UNDER THE COMPLEX SENATE RULES FOR DEBATE. BUT WE SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE TEXTILE BILL TO MOVE FORWARD, AND POSSIBLY VERY QUICKLY,+

MR MACLEOD SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON OFFICES AND THE HONG KONG LOBBYISTS WERE PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH THE TEXTILES BILL, THEY WERE ALSO ALERT TO OTHER POSSIBLE ADVERSE DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CONGRESS.

+VARIOUS TRADE BILLS ARE UNDER PREPARATION AND THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT PROVISIONS INIMICAL TO HONG KONG'S INTEREST. FOR EXAMPLE, IN RELATION TO GSP (TARIFF PREFERENCE) MAY BE PUT FORWARD, HE SAID.

+WE ARE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON DEVELOPMENTS AND DOING ALL WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS ARE LOOKED AFTER.+

SOCIAL SECURITY NETWORK CATERS TO MOST NEEDS

******

THERE ARE ABOUT 100 000 PERSONS FROM ABOUT 61 000 FAMILIES RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AMOUNTING TO $600 MILLION A YEAR, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR STEPHEN LAW, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL LUNCHEON OF THE MARYK NOLL MEDICAL AND WELFARE ASSOCIATION, MR LAW GAVE AN ACCOUNT OF THE FIVE SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEMES ADMINISTERED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

PHONG KONG