TNAG-0572-FCO40-705-Monitoring-of-progress-made-on-planning-paper-on-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 48

GR 1,089

PRIORITY

CYPHER/CAT A

FM HONG KONG 280406Z

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY NO. 51

28 SEP1976

AKCK 013/548/3

CONFIDENTIAL

23

Chien & HIR O19/525/4

TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 969 OF 28 SEPTEMBER.

YOUR TEL. 732:

LEG. CO. SPEECH.

REF

I HAVE JUST COMPLETED DRAFT AND WAS ABOUT TO TELEGRAPH. POINTS IN PARA, 23 OF ANNEX C OF PLANNING PAPER ARE COVERED AS

FOLLOWS:

1. LABOUR:

(A) TO (F) ARE COVERED IN THE TEXT OF M.1.F.T.

EXCEPT FOR (B) ON WHICH ACTION IS COMPLETED.

2. FISCAL : NO REFERENCE.

3. SOCIAL: (A) (PUBLIC ASSISTANCE): WAS AGREED BY EX. CO. TODAY. PASSAGE IN SPEECH READS AS FOLLOWS:

....A DEFECT IN OUR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME MADE ITS PRESENCE FELT DURING THE RECESSION, NAMELY THAT MANY ABLE-BODIED PERSONS BETWEEN 15 AND 55 ARE EXCLUDED. WE PROPOSE TO INCLUDE THEM NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR, SUBJECT TO SATISFACTORY ARRANGEMENTS BEING MADE TO PREVENT ABUSE. THESE WOULD HAVE TO INCLUDE A RESIDENCE QUALIFICATION, A DEFINED PERIOD OF UNEMPLOYMENT, AND MACHINERY TO ASSIST APPLICANTS OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT. BUT I DO NOT THINK ATTEMPTS AT ABUSE ON A SIGNIFICANT SCALE LIKELY IN THIS HARD WORK! NG AND SELF-RELIANT COMMUNITY, AND SO FAR THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME HAS BEEN ABUSED REMARKABLY LITTLE. DURING THE RECESSION IT WAS QUITE WRONG THAT UNEMPLOYED SINGLE MEN OR COUPLE WITHOUT CHILDREN HAD TO LIVE OFF THEIR FRIENDS OR THEIR WITS, OR THAT SOME MARRIED MEN HAD TO LIVE OFF THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE GRANTED TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILY, I AM SURE THAT HON MEMBERS WILL AGREE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD PUT RIGHT.

2. SOCIAL (B): PASSAGE ON REVIEW OF SOCIAL WELFARE READS AS FOLLOWS (ANNEX D PARA 5 ALSO RELEVANT) :-

CONFIDENTI AL /WE ARE