XN000022-1991-12-11 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1991

IS

"FOR THE PURPOSE OF CALCULATING COMPENSATION, THE AMOUNT THAT DEEMED TO BE MINIMUM EARNINGS PER MONTH WILL ALSO BE RAISED FROM $1,040 TO $1,450," THE SECRETARY SAID.

IN

ADDITION, THE CEILING FOR ADVANCE PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION WILL BF REVISED FROM $20,000 TO $28,000, THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF SURCHARGE IMPOSED UPON EXPIRY OF THE PAYMENT PERIOD BE INCREASED FROM $200 то $300, AND THE MINIMUM ADDITIONAL SURCHARGE IMPOSED THREE MONTHS LATER BE INCREASED FROM $400 TO $600.

MR CHAN ALSO MOVED A RESOLUTION UNDER THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS (COMPENSATION) ORDINANCE TO REVISE THE LEVELS OF COMPENSATION FOR CERTAIN AWARDS TO PERSONS WHO ARE INCAPACITATED BY, OR DIE AS A RESULT OF, PNEUMOCONIOSIS.

THESE AWARDS ARE IN RESPECT OF DEATH, PERMANENT TOTAL INCAPACITY, CONSTANT ATTENTION AND BURIAL AND MEDICAL EXPENSES.

"THE LEVELS OF THESE AWARDS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IDENTICAL TO THOSE SPECIFIED IN THE EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ORDINANCE,' MR CHAN EXPLAINED.

"AS

THE LATTER HAVE JUST BEEN RAISED BY A RESOLUTION OF THIS COUNCIL, I PROPOSE THAT THE FORMER BE SIMILARLY RAISED.'

THE PROPOSED INCREASES HAVE BEEN ENDORSED BY THE LABOUR

ADVISORY BOARD.

CS OUTLINES LEGISLATION DRAFTING PROGRAMME

*

THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES COMMITTEE WILL MONITOR THE DRAFTING PROGRAMME AND WILL ADJUST IT WHERE NECESSARY TO ENSURE AN EVEN FLOW OF LEGISLATION INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON SIR DAVID FORD, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MARTIN BARROW, THE CHIEF SECRETARY POINTED OUT THAT 31 NEW LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS (THAT IS NEW ORDINANCES) WERE AT VARIOUS STAGES OF DRAFTING WITH THE MAJORITY OF THEM INTENDED TO BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGCO DURING THE

1991-92 SESSION.

THE

SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO GIVE A PRECISE NUMBER OF EXISTING ORDINANCES UNDER REVIEW FOR POSSIBLE AMENDMENT BECAUSE THE PROPOSALS WERE AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF PROCESSING AND SOME OF THEM HAD YET TO BE GIVEN POLICY CLEARANCE.

**HOWEVER, A USEFUL INDICATIVE FIGURE WOULD BE THE NUMBER OF AMENDMENT BILLS BEING DRAFTED AND THE FIGURE IS 142," HE SAID.

/SIR DAVID

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