XN000022-1996-12-04 — Page 11

The Administration will develop, in consultation with the Occupational Safety and Health Council (OSHC), proposals for promoting general awareness of occupational safety and health among employers and employees in the non-industrial sectors. The Labour Department will also advise employers and employees about the new legislation, enforcement and compliance standards, approved codes of practice, etc. Additional staff will be provided to the Department for the implementation of the new legislation.

The enforcement of the new legislation, together with the enhanced publicity and promotional activities by Government and bodies like the OSHC should, in the long run, raise the safety and health awareness of employers and employees in all sectors. This should help to reduce the number of occupational injuries and diseases in the non-industrial sectors in Hong Kong.

The Manpower Panel of this Council was briefed on the Occupational Safety and Health Bill on 25 November and Panel Members expressed their strong support for it. I would therefore urge Members to accord high priority to the Bill so that it could be enacted as soon as possible.

Thank you Mr President.

End

Law Reform Bill introduced into LegCo

Following is a speech by the Attorney General, the Hon Jeremy Mathews, in moving the second reading of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions and Minor Amendments) Bill 1996 in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday);

I move that the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions and Minor Amendments) Bill 1996 be read a second time.

The Bill is part of the on-going process of law reform directed at repealing obsolete statutory provisions, removing anomalies and inconsistencies in legislation and making a variety of improvements which do not justify the introduction of separate bills. This Bill proposes to devolve some of the less important powers to make subsidiary legislation from the Governor in Council to more appropriate authorities; to effect certain reforms in the law relating to marriage and children; and to modernise the law governing the keeping of records of births, deaths and marriages. It also proposes a large number of miscellaneous minor amendments to our laws.