TNAG-0572-FCO40-705-Monitoring-of-progress-made-on-planning-paper-on-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 16

CONFIDENTIAL

MMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT/A

GPS 1500

FM HONG KONG 040335%

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 0409 ØØZ

51

4 CCT 1976

TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELEGRAM NO 1002 OF 4 OCTOBER.

FOR H.K.D.

Chun 6 HULK 013/548/4

Submiffent

#mi.

NEXT

REF.

draft Velegen.

Brau

3)

37

YOUR TELEGRAM NO 894: LEG.CO. SPEECH.

YOUR PARA 4: AGREED. SENTENCE NOW READS 'WE THINK THESE SHOULD INCLUDE A RESIDENCE QUALIFICATION, A DEFINED PERIOD OF UN EMPLOYMENT, AS WELL AS SERVICES TO ASSIST APPLICANTS TO FIND WORK AND CHECK ON THEIR SITUATION BUT OF COURSE ADMINISTERED WITH HUMANITY'

2. WE PROPOSE RESIDENCE QUALIFICATION TO BE 3 YEARS, AND THE UN EMPLOYED PERIOD 2 MONTHS. IN VIEW OF IMMIGRATION PROBLEMS FORMER NEEDS NO EXPLANATION. 2 MONTH PERIOD SHOULD BE SEEN AGAINST THE VERY RAPID TURN-OVER OF WORK-FORCE AT LATTER'S CHOICE, AND ALSO OF OUR CONCERN TO GET THIS SCHEME STARTED WITH THE NECESSARY BACK-UP OF LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICES RUN BY THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND OF SOCIAL WELFARE WORKERS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT THAT WILL ENSURE IT WORKS PROPERLY: ALSO THAT UNEMPLOYMENT WILL BE CONFIRMED ONLY ONCE MONTHLY. THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE HAS DISCRETION AS ALWAYS, TO MAKE PAYMENTS OUTSIDE THE NORMAL CRITERIA IN CASE OF EVIDENT NEED.

3. YOUR PARA 5. POINT TAKEN (THOUGH I AM SURPRISED THE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT APPEAR TO REALISE THAT PENSIONS FOR DISABILITY AND OLD AGE ARE ALREADY PAID AS OF RIGHT WITHOUT REFERENCE TO NEED).

(1) - (111) AGREED

(IV) AMENDED TO READ ONE SHOULD LOOK CLOSELY AT HOW WELL IT REALLY WORKS: AT WHETHER METHODS OF PROVING NEED FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ARE REASONABLE: AT WHETHER THE LEVELS OF

/PAYMENTS

CONFIDENTIAL