XN000022-1987-01-07 — Page 27

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1987

25

POSITIVE STEP IN REDUCING DISEASE

*****

REINFORCING EDUCATION. PUBLICITY AND RESEARCH ON PREVENTING PNEUMOCONIOSIS REPRESENTS À POSITIVE APPROACH IN REDUCING THE INCIDENCE OF THE DISEASE. THE HON HO SAI-CHU TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR HO WAS SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF A RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS (COMPENSATION) ORDINANCE, REDUCING THE RATE OF LEVY FOR THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS COMPENSATION FUND FROM 0.15 PER CENT TO 0.05 PER CENT OF THE VALUE OF QUARRY PRODUCTS AND CONSTRUCTION WORKS.

HE NOTED THAT THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE FUND WAS TO PROVIDE CASH COMPENSATION TO THOSE WHO HAD BECOME DISABLED BY PNEUMOCONIOSIS AND TO THE DEPENDANTS OF VICTIMS WHO HAD DIED.

HOWEVER, COMPENSATION SERVED A SPECIAL NEED, AND WITH A SIZEABLE SURPLUS IN THE FUND THE WIDER ISSUE OF PREVENTION COULD BE TACKLED.

IN THIS REGARD, HE WAS PLEASED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEGUN CONSULTATIONS ON A POSSIBLE WIDENING OF THE SCOPE OF THE FUND TO COVER EDUCATION, PUBLICITY AND RESEARCH.

TURNING TO THE RATE OF LEVY, MR HO NOTED THAT UP TO NOVEMBER LAST YEAR THE FUND HAD A SURPLUS OF $72 MILLION.

+ IT IS THEREFORE MOST REASONABLE AND REALISTIC TO REDUCE THE RATE OF LEVY FROM 0.15 PER CENT TO 0.05 PER CENT AND I AM SURE THIS REDUCTION WILL BE EXTENSIVELY SUPPORTED, HE SAID.

MINOR AMENDMENTS MADE TO PUBLIC HEALTH BILL

*****

TWO MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES (AMENDMENT)(NO. 3) BILL 1986 WERE REQUIRED TO REFLECT ITS ENACTMENT THIS YEAR RATHER THAN LAST YEAR AS INTENDED, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS,

FOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THE COMMITTEE STAGE OF THE BILL, MR CHAMBERS SAID IT WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE COUNCIL IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR TO MAKE MINOR TEXTUAL ALTERATIONS TO SECTION 2 OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1986, WHICH CONCERNED THE DEFINITION OF +FOOD+.

+AT THAT TIME IT WAS EXPECTED THAT THE PRESENT BILL WOULD BE ENACTED BEFORE JANUARY 1 1987, THE DATE ON WHICH THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1986 CAME INTO OPERATION,+ HE EXPLAINED.

/+HOWEVER, CIRCUMSTANCES