TNAG-0646-FCO40-794-Application-of-international-labour-conventions-to-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 57

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CONFIDENTIAL

布政司署

香港下亞

畢道

* OUR REF.: CR 7/5683/74 II

* YOUR Ref.:

Dear John,

w Qvey

45)

GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT

LOWER ALBERT ROAD

HONG KONG

4 November 1977

Overdrill 12157/11 Thongsen

Application of ILO Conventions

RAR

Sept

As requested in Tom Duffy's letter of 7 April, 1977, I am sending a further progress report on the application of International Labour Conventions. The position is as follows.

1977 Programme

a.

No. 17

Workmen's Compensation (Accidents) (Revised)

I expect that a Bill, which will require employers to meet the costs of repairs and renewals of prostheses and surgical appliances and for the reimbursement of medical charges incurred by injured workers, will be enacted by the end of this year.

b. No. 42 Workmen's Compensation (Occupational Diseases)

Revised)

1

Revised principles for the compensation scheme have been approved by the Executive Council. A Bill to include silicosis and asbestosis in the schedule of prescribed occupational diseases in the Workmen's Compensation Or- dinance, to introduce compulsory insurance of all workmen employed in specified industries and to provide generally for the compensation scheme has been forwarded to the Accident Insurance Association for comments. We hope to introduce the Bill into the Legislative Council before the end of this year.

Although we have made good progress since the Governor's last report, the legislation may not be enact- ed by the end of the year, since we have still to reach agreement with the Accident Insurance Association on several complex issues. It will be necessary to make subsidiary legislation at a later stage, governing the operation of the insurance pool; this is not urgent since the pool will not come into effect until all existing Cases have been identified and compensated under arrange- ments agreed previously with the Accident Insurance Association. A programme of medical examinations will be put into effect as soon as the Bill is enacted.

J.A.B. Stewart, Esq., OBE,

Hong Kong & General Department, Foreign & Commonwealth Office,

London SW1A 2AH,

U.K.

CONFIDENTIAL!

HICK 4 628/11

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