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End

(b)

- 15

Under the provisions of the Government Lotteries Ordinance, only projects to provide welfare services as listed under Section 6(4) of the Ordinance can be granted support from the Lotteries Fund. Since health services for the elderly are not under this list, Lotteries Fund support cannot be granted to non-governmental organisations for the provision of such services. As regards the Elderly Services Development Fund, this was set up based on the recommendations of the Working Group on Care for the Elderly. Its main purpose is to assist private and voluntary organisations to introduce self-financing, non-profit making welfare services. It is not intended for use in developing health services.

Immigration status of British citizens in Hong Kong

Following is a question by the Hon Mrs Chan Yuen-han and a reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Peter Lai, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

At present, British citizens are free to stay and work in Hong Kong without a visa. The number of British citizens in the territory at the end of 1994 and 1995 stood at 23,700 and 26,700 respectively but surged to 34,500 at the end of February this year. Will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

(b)

(c)

of the reasons for the big increase in the number of British citizens in the territory during the first two months of this year;

how it will prevent a large number of British citizens coming to stay in the territory before July 1, 1997 with a view to becoming eligible eventually to apply to become permanent residents of the territory at a later date;

whether it will consider requiring employers to comply with the conditions for importing foreign workers under the General Importation of Labour Scheme when they employ British citizens to work in the territory; and