XN000022-1994-11-09 — Page 21

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1994

Ι

SEM ON OLD AGE PENSION SCHEME

*

FOLLOWING IS THE SPEECH BY MR MICHAEL LEUNG, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON OLD AGE PENSION SCHEME AT THE LEGCO SITTING TODAY (WEDNESDAY):

MR PRESIDENT,

I

SHOULD

THE 29 GOVERNMENT

ALL LIKE FIRST OF ALL TO BEGIN BY THANKING WHO HAVE SPOKEN IN THE DEBATE THIS AFTERNOON.

HAVE MADE THAN SIX TO

MEMBERS

GREAT IMPORTANCE TO YOUR VIEWS. THE POINTS YOU ATTACHES WILL BE CONSIDERED VERY CAREFULLY AS WE ASSESS THE MORE THOUSAND WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED IN RESPONSE THE CONSULTATION PAPER OVER THE PAST THREE AND A HALF MONTHS.

THE SHEER VOLUME OF THESE SUBMISSIONS INDICATES THE IMPORTANCE WITH WHICH ALL SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY VIEW THE

OLD AGE PROPOSED

PENSION

NOT SCHEME. OLD AGE AFFECTS US ALL EVENTUALLY, SO IT IS

90 MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY SURPRISING THAT

HAVE TAKEN THE TROUBLE TO COMMENT ON OUR PROPOSALS. LET ME ASSURE THIS COUNCIL THESE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED WITH GREAT CARE AND WITH AN MIND. WE HAVE PLEDGED IN THIS COUNCIL THAT GOVERNMENT WOULD IMPLEMENT

SUBJECT THE SCHEME

AMONG OTHER

BY THINGS, TO,

ENDORSEMENT COMMUNITY OF OUR PROPOSALS. WE SHALL HONOUR THIS PLEDGE.

THAT

OPEN

THE

THE ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS OF THESE SUBMISSIONS HAS JUST AT BEGUN, SO IT WOULD BE PREMATURE FOR ME TO REACH ANY CONCLUSIONS

A THIS STAGE. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DISPEL NUMBER OF MISCONCEPTIONS RAISED BOTH DURING THE CONSULTATION PERIOD AND IN THIS DEBATE.

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

ΤΟ

FIRST, CONTRARY TO THE CRITICISM DEPLOYED BY SOME OPPONENTS SCHEME, THE

WITH WE HAVE NOT CONFUSED RETIREMENT PROTECTION

SOCIAL

WHAT WE WELFARE.

THE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS

PROVISION OF INCOME SECURITY FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE ELDERLY BY THE TIME THEY OR THEIR SPOUSES THE PROPOSED OLD AGE HAVE LOST THEIR EARNING CAPACITY DUE TO OLD AGE.

THE IS A FORM OF SOCIAL INSURANCE WHEREBY PENSION SCHEME

COMMUNITY

PROVIDE

ELDERLY FOR INCOME SECURITY FOR THEIR COLLECTIVELY

THROUGH

CONTRIBUTIONS.

SECURE

FOR A CONTRIBUTION. PARTICIPATED

THEIR

FAMILIES,

COUNTERPARTS.

THE

COMMUNITY, MAKING A

THEY ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE THE DEGREE OF INCOME SECURITY AT OLD AGE BY

MODEST

FOR

HAVE NOT THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO IN THE WORKFORCE,

LOOK DUE OFTEN TO THE NEED TO

AFTER

THEY

THAN DESERVE NO LESS SECURITY

THEIR WORKING THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE WORKED IN

KITCHENS AND FAMILY ROOMS INSTEAD OF IN THE EMPLOYMENT MARKET SHOULD NOT DISCRIMINATE THEM FROM BEING TREATED AS FULL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, DESERVING

SUPPORT OF CARE AND FINANCIALLY VULNERABLE DUE TO OLD AGE.

THE SAME DEGREE

WHEN THEY BECOME

/SECOND, THE