XN000022-1993-06-10 — Page 5

THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1993

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID AMENDMENTS TO THE EXISTING SCHEME WERE PROPOSED IN THE LIGHT OF COMMENTS RECEIVED AND EXPERIENCE GAINED IN THE FIRST PHASE OF THE SCHEME.

"THEY ARE INTENDED TO FACILITATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OP THE SECOND PHASE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REMAINING QUOTA WILL BR FULLY UTILISED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE BEFORE THE RELEVANT LEGISLATION EXPIRES IN 1997," HE SAID.

THE

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE BASIC FEATURES OF EXISTING SCHEME, SUCH AS THE FOUR CLASSES UNDER WHICH APPLICATIONS MIGHT BE MADE AND THE POINTS SYSTEM FOR ASSESSING APPLICATIONS UNDER THE GENERAL OCCUPATIONAL CLASS AND THE DISCIPLINED ARRVICES CLASS, REMAINED LARGELY UNCHANGED.

"THE MAIN CHANGES ARE THE METHOD FOR ALLOCATING THE QUOTA FOR DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS AND THE FLEXIBILITY TO TRANSFER UNUSED QUOTAS BETWEEN OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS AND CLASSES.

"UNDER THE DRAFT ORDER, THE QUOTA FOR VARIOUS OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS IN THE GENERAL OCCUPATIONAL CLASS WILL BE DETERMINED HAVING REGARD TO THEIR EMIGRATION RATE IN THE PAST FEW YEARЯ AND TO THEIR APPLICATION RATE IN THE FIRST PHASE OF THE SCHEME. SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE A BETTER BALANCE BETWEEN BUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR PLACES.

"THE PROVISION FOR THE TRANSFER OF UNUSED QUOTAS WILL ENABLE THE UTILISATION OF THE QUOTA TO BE MAXIMISED," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE ORDER WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE HOUSE OF COMMONB AND THE HOUSE OF LORDS WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, SUBJECT TO THEIR APPROVAL, IT WILL BE SUBMITTED FOR ROYAL ASSENT SHORTLY AFTERWARDS.

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BNO PASSPORT ARRANGEMENT WELCOMED

A HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY (THURSDAY) WELCOMED THE HOME SECRETARY'S DECISION ΤΟ ALLOW BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS (BDTCa) TO RETAIN THEIR CURRENT PASSPORTS TN ADDITION TO BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) (BN{0}} PASSPORTS.

'WE ARE VERY PLEASED THAT THE HOME SECRETARY HAS BEEN ABLE TO TAKE THESE EXCEPTIONAL STEPS TO MRBT THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS," HE SAID.

THE PHASED CONVERSION PROGRAMME

SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED,

WILL NOW GO AHEAD, THE

PEOPLE WILL STILL BE ASKED TO COMK FORWARD TO APPLY FOR A BN(0) PASSPORT ACCORDING TO THEIR AGE GROUP.

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