XN000022-1995-06-21 — Page 66

Reply:

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48

Mr President,

(a)

:

The total expenditure on retraining allowance was $21 million in 1993/94 and $51 million in 1994/95. The estimated expenditure on retraining allowance for 1995/96 is $62 million.

(b) The training allowances are reviewed annually and will be considered by the Employees Retraining Board (ERB) at its next meeting. In its review, the ERB will take into account the purpose of the allowances. In the case of full-time day courses, the amount per month for each retrainee is pitched at one-half of the overall median monthly employment earnings of Hong Kong's local labour force computed by the Census & Statistics Department. The retraining allowance for part- time evening courses was designed specifically for the purpose of covering the costs of meal and transportation incurred by retrainees who attend these courses. The result of this year's review on the amounts of retraining allowance is expected to be announced by the ERB after its Board meeting later this month.

(c)

(d)

(e)

The duration of the 144 retraining courses currently offered by the ERB is summarised at Appendix I. The duration of the courses offered throughout the past two years has remained generally unchanged.

The number of applicants waiting to attend full-time and part-time (both evening and half-day) retraining courses are 4,033 and 8,301 respectively. The waiting time for attending the Job Search Skills Course is one week. For Job-Specific Skills Courses and the General Skills Courses, the average waiting time ranges from 2 weeks to 4 months depending on the popularity of the courses and the places available.

The training period required for each retraining course varies according to the course content and the level of skills of the retrainees. The duration of the retraining courses is regularly reviewed by ERB. It has no plans to shorten the training period of any retraining courses for the time being.

End/Wednesday, June 21, 1995