XN000022-1993-01-12 — Page 8

TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1993

I DO TILINK THAT THE RE-TRAINING SCHEME IS A VITAL PART OF HONG KONG'S ECONOMY. Ι AM PLEASED THAT THE COUNCIL SUPPORTED THE COMMITMENT OF AN EXTRA $300 MILLION TO RE-TRAINING, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO RE-TRAIN ABOUT 10,000 PEOPLE A YEAR. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR OVERALL NEEDS, THE COUNCIL MAY WELL REGARD THAT AS NOT BEING SUFFICIENT AND THE COUNCIL MAY ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL THINGS TIAT WE SHOULD BE DOING. THEREFORE, I HOPE THAT THE RE- TRAINING FUND BOARD AND ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN THEIR TRAINING, WILL KEEP THE GOVERNMENT AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CLOSELY INFORMED ABOUT THEIR VIEWS AS TO HOW WE CAN MAKE INCREASINGLY GOOD USE OF OUR LABOUR MARKET, OF OUR WORKFORCE MALE, FEMALE, OLDER, MIDDLE-AGED, YOUNGER -

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ΤΟ

WE NEED TO MAKE USE OF ALL OUR TALENTS IF WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE GROW AS WE HAVE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND IF WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GENERATE THE WEALTH WHICH THE COMMUNITY NEEDS IN ORDER TO MEET ITS SOCIAL ASPIRATIONS.

MR DAVID LI:

SIR.

WILL THE ADMINISTRATION INFORM THIS COUNCIL WHAT FURTHER ACTION WILL BE TAKEN TO CONTROL THE USE OF TOBACCO IN PUBLIC PLACES IN VIEW OF THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCY'S RECENT CONCLUSION THAT SECONDHAND SMOKE REPRESENTS A SERIOUS HEALTH RISK TO NON-SMOKERS, PARTICULARLY TO CHILDREN?

THH. GOVERNOR:

I COME TO THIS ISSUE, LIKE A NUMBER OF

OTHER HONOURABLE MEMBERS, WITH THE VIRTUOUS TREAD OF AN EX-SMOKER. I APOLOGISE ΤΟ ALL THOSE WHO IN THE PAST MAY HAVE HAD TO ENDURE MY SECONDARY SMOKING AND I SAY TO ALL THOSE WHOSE SMOKE I HAVE TO ENDURE TODAY, THAT I HOPE THEY WILL BE MINDFUL OF THE AMERICAN REPORT.

I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A MORE DETAILED REPLY TO THE HONOURABLE MEMBER AFTER CONSULTING THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE BUT PERHAPS I CAN MAKE ONE GENERAL POINT.

I THINK THIS IS AN AREA WHERE IT IS IMPORTANT TO BALANCE REGULATION AND PERSUASION, I THINK, FOR EXAMPLE FN THE WORKPLACE, IT IS INVARIABLY SENSIBLE TO WORK WITH THE GRAIN WHEN DEALING WITH MATTERS LIKE THIS, RATHER THAN AGAINST. IN AREAS OF WORK FOR WHICH I HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FROM TIME TO TIME IN THE PAST, LIKE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, I HAVE THEREFORE, RATHER THAN LAID DOWN INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT SMOKING IN OFFICES, GIVEN THE WORKFORCE THE ABILITY TO VOTE FROM OFFICE TO OFFICE ABOUT WHETHER THEY ALLOW SMOKING AND WHERE THEY ALLOW IT.

I THINK THAT IS SOMETIMES THE BEST WAY OF DEALING WITH THESE MATTERS. BUT OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE A NUMBER OF UTILITY PROVIDERS, FOR EXAMPLE, WHO ARE INVOLVED. WE NEED TO CONSULT PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS, WE NEED TO CONSULT THOSE WHO RUN GOVERNMENT OFFICES, WR NERD TO CONSULT OTHERS, SO THAT WE CAN LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF SECONDHAND SMOKING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THE SMOKING MAY BE SECONDHAND BUT THE DEATH IS FIRSTHAND.

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MR K.K FUNG:

MR GOVERNOR, MY QUESTION ITSELF IS VERY SIMPLE BUT BEFORE I ASK YOU A QUESTION I WILL CITE SOME DATE FOR YOUR REFERENCE AND HOPE THAT THIS CAN HELP YOU TO CONSIDER MY QUESTION. MY QUESTION IS THIS:

IS THE GOVERNMENT CONFIDENT SO THAT FOR THE LONG TERM HOUSING POLICY PROPOSED IN 1988, IT CAN BE COMPLETED 2001? NOW, I HAVE THE FOLLOWING DATA FOR YOU.

NOW,

IN

Page &

IN 1988