XN000022-1995-05-17 — Page 63

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The Development Fund is a liability of the relevant company and does not accrue to the benefit of shareholders. This is illustrated by the fact that the power companies are required to pay interest at a rate of 8% per annum on the average balance of the Fund. The interest income accrues to consumers through a Rate Reduction Rebate and is used to offset tariff increases.

Under the terms of the SCAs, certain information is provided by the companies to Government in confidence, because it is commercially sensitive. For this reason it is not possible to disclose a forecast of CLP's annual net fixed assets over the next five years, nor the projected annual permitted return.

Over the next five years CLP expect local sales to grow by approximately 5% per annum. The Company's capital expenditure on fixed assets, tariff levels and management of the Development Fund will be in accordance with the approved Financing Plan for the period 1992 to 1999.

End/Wednesday, May 17, 1995

Nurses for care and attention homes

Following is a question by the Hon Fred Li Wah-ming and a written reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Care and Attention Homes may employ non-Commonwealth enrolled nurses trained and qualified at the Hong Kong College of Nursing to work as health workers as an interim measure to alleviate the manpower shortage problem. However, unlike Commonwealth enrolled nurses who come under the supervision of the Nursing Board of Hong Kong which is empowered to deal with any professional misconduct, such health workers are not subject to supervision by any monitoring body. In view of this, will the Government inform this Council whether it will consider setting up a similar monitoring body for non-Commonwealth enrolled nurses so as to ensure that the quality of services provided by these health workers can be maintained at an acceptable level; if so, what the detailed plan is; if not, why not?