XN000022-1994-09-15 — Page 5

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1994

RECOMMENDATIONS ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RATES NOT ACCEPTED

IN

RESPONSE TO PRESS ENQUIRIES, A

GOVERNMENT

TODAY (THURSDAY):

SPOKESMAN SAID

"WE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE DO NOT ACCEPT THE APPROACH AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF DR MACPHERSON'S REPORT ON PHILOSOPHICAL, ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL GROUNDS. WE SPELT OUT OUR REASONS IN CONSIDERABLE DETAIL

HAVE AND

TODAY PROVIDED FURTHER DETAILS TO MEMBERS OF THE LEGCO WELFARE PANEL IN SUPPORT OF OUR CASE.

"IN

OUR 'A

VIEW, DR MACPHERSON'S 'BUDGET STANDARD DETERMINING

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE STANDARD OF LIVING' BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF 'RELATIVE POVERTY' IS A RADICAL

FROM DEPARTURE PHILOSOPHY AND ESTABLISHED POLICY ON THE PROVISION OF WELFARE IN KONG. WE DO NOT ACCEPT HIS APPROACH.

APPROACH'

IN

THE

HONG

THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF HONG NEEDS OF KONG'S SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEME WAS TO PROVIDE FOR THE BASIC

OF AND DISADVANTAGED WHO WERE IN NEED VULNERABLE THE

FINANCIAL OR

MATERIAL ASSISTANCE.

ASSISTANCE

THE STANDARD

"WE DO SO THROUGH THE COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY

WHICH COMPRISES TWO IMPORTANT ELEMENTS: (CSSA) SCHEME RATE PLUS A RANGE OF SPECIAL GRANTS," HE SAID.

CHARGES,

OTHER INCLUDING

"THESE COVER SUCH EXPENSES AS RENT, SPECIAL DIETS, MEDICAL, DENTAL AND OPTICAL EXPENSES, TELEPHONE AND WATER

WIDE ESSENTIAL ITEMS AND A

RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL SCHOOL FEES, UNIFORMS, BOOKS AND MEALS.

NEEDS,

"THIS IS OF COURSE IN ADDITION TO THE FULL RANGE COMMUNITY FACILITIES WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO THOSE COVERED BY CSSA," HE ADDED.

HK OFFICER WORKS IN CUSTOMS COUNCIL ON ORIGIN RULES

OFFICER FROM A SENIOR

THE HONG KONG CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT WILL SOON BE SECONDED TO A PROJECT TEAM OF THE CUSTOMS CO- OPERATION COUNCIL IN BRUSSELS TO WORK ON HARMONISATION OF ORIGIN FOR GOODS.

RULES OF

THE

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT

CONCLUDED IN THE PROJECT WAS THE RESULT OF ONE OF THE AGREEMENTS URUGUAY ROUND OF MULTILATERAL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS.

THAN THOSE

THE

THE HARMONISATION PROGRAMME OF ORIGIN RULES OTHER RELATING TO THE GRANTING OF TARIFF PREFERENCES WOULD BE BASED ON PRINCIPLE THAT RULES OF ORIGIN SHOULD BE OBJECTIVE, UNDERSTANDABLE AND PREDICTABLE,

/THE WORK