TNAG-0568-FCO40-701-Planning-paper-on-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 189

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

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Para. 33

I would suggest adding at the end of this paragraph, the following "moreover the introduction of contributory social security would provide some relief to the budgetary provision for social welfare; alternatively, it would make possible more generous provision for those who fall through the safety net of the social security system".

Para. 34

Insert at the end "the recent Cost of Living Survey showed that tenants in public housing pay only 6% of their income as rent, while those in private housing pay 20%".

Para. 36

The reference to the Labour Advisory Bpard is incorrect. The Board has powers only to consider such matters as are referred to it and its recommendations on such matters have on occasion been ignored. It is limited in its degree of representation and seriously limited in its powers. It has not. to the best of my knowledge, been the source of a single measure of legislative reform. The Labour Relations Ordinance, like the great bulk of changes in Hong Kong's labour laws, have derived from my recommendations and then much more slowly

than I would have liked.

Para. 37

I should like this paragraph rephrased as follows "A comparison between Hong Kong's labour standards and those of her Asian neighbours reveals a number of serious deficiencies. Apart from the absence of any form of contributory social security, these are :-

(a) The absence of minimum wages for low-paid occupations;

(b) The absence of limitations on the hours of work of males or

of statutory provision for proper overtime rates;

(c) Poor provision for statutory holidays with pay (6 out of 17)

as compared with, say, 11 in Singapore, 13 in Taiwan and 12 in Indonesia. There is no provision for paid vacation leave, which exists in all the countries mentioned here.

(d) Hong Kong provides 4 rest days a month to manual workers

and not, as required by the International Labour Convention, one rest day per week.

警響

4

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Para. 38

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