TNAG-0579-FCO40-712-Discussions-with-Sir-Murray-MacLehose--Governor-of-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 127

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Later in the debate the Director of Social Welfare will be describing the

improvements he will be introducing in the coming year within existing principles. In addition to further community centres, these include substantial expansion of

preventive services to youth, and of services to the Elderly.

Extension of Public Assistance

While generally speaking I am sure we should await the outcome of this

review before deciding what changes are necessary in current practices there is

one exception. 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. We think these should include a residence qualification, a defined period of unemployment, as well as

services to assist applicants to find work and to check on their situation but of

course administered with humanity. I do not think attempts at abuse on a significant scale likely in this hard working 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 couples 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.

LABOUR

During the last year steady progress has again been maintained in improving terms and conditions of employment and in making the working environment safer.

The Employment Ordinance was amended to increase the number of statutory holidays from six to ten. The passage of the Apprenticeship Ordinance provides a general framework to ensure that apprentices will be properly trained and fairly treated and was supplemented by the special training schemes for the building trade and garment workers.

New Safety Regulations were introduced to cover the Guarding and Operation of Machinery, the Spraying of Flammable Liquids, work on dry batteries and work in compressed air.