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As part of this process, we consider carefully those departments which may have a relatively larger proportion of directorate officers approaching their retirement age. These include Education Department, Social Welfare Department, Information Services Department and the Royal Hong Kong Police Force. Retirement of officers is a natural process and offers the chance of renewal. Through proper planning, we have worked together with the Heads of Departments and have developed a pool of candidates suitable for directorate positions. The age profile and experience level of professional officers in these departments, and our succession reviews, indicate that there are suitable officers ready to rise up the directorate ranks to fill vacancies that might arise.

Figures on Supplementary Labour Scheme

Following is a question by the Hon Lee Kai-ming and a written reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph W P Wong, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Regarding the Supplementary Labour Scheme, will the Government inform this Council of:

Reply:

(a)

(b)

the total number of applications for the importation of foreign workers which have been approved, as well as the total number of workers involved, since the implementation of the Scheme in February this year; and

the total number of foreign workers who have already entered the territory to work under the Scheme during the same period, together with a breakdown of such workers by industry, type of work and post?

(a)

As at 17 December 1996, we have approved 378 applications for a total of 1,948 workers under the Supplementary Labour Scheme.