TNAG-0735-FCO40-939-Policy-objective-for-the-developing-of-Hong-Kong-in-the-1980-1978 — Page 243

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•34361

TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 1173 OF 6 OCTOBER 1978

FOLLOWING FOR MURRAY FROM GOVERNOR.

SPEECH TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 11 OCTOBER.

See 345

1. I AM NOT TELEGRAPHING LARGE SECTIONS OF THE TEXT THIS YEAR AS MY THEME IS THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS AS HONG KONG ENDS THE 7ØS AND ENTERS THE 80S. THESE WERE SET OUT IN THE ENCLOSURES TO MY LETTER TO MCLAREN OF 4 JULY AND WERE WELCOMED AT MY SUBSEQUENT MEETING WITH LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS. AS YOU KNOW THE FIGURES INVOLVED ARE QUITE DRAMATIC.

2. A PASSAGE ON THE POLICE IS IN MIFT. A PASSAGE ON ICAC IS IN

TELNO 1176.

3. WE HAVE NOT COMPLETED OUR STUDY OF THE CONTRIBUTORY SCHEME OR PUT PROPOSALS TO EXCO. (ENCLOSURE 5(B)(2) OF THE LETTER, AND YOUR TELNO 677 ALSO REFERS). THERE ARE COMPLICATIONS ABOUT

PROPOSALS SO FAR MADE WHICH WE HAD NOT REALISED, AND THERE MAY WELL BE SIMPLER WAYS OF COVERING THE RISKS PROPOSED THAN A CONTRIBUTORY SCHEME WHETHER COMPULSORY OR VOLUNTARY. MOREOVER IT

LOOKS LIKELY THAT THE WORKING PARTY ON REVISION OF THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE, DUE TO REPORT SHORTLY, WILL RECOMMEND LEGISLATION TO REQUIRE INSURANCE AGAINST LIABILITIES UNDER THE ORDINANCE. IF THIS MATERIALISES IT WILL BE HIGHLY RELEVANT TO HOW WE APPROACH EG EXTENSION OF SICKNESS BENEFITS. I DO NOT WANT TO MOVE ON THIS TILL I AM SURE OF MY GROUND, AND FOR THE TIME BEING AM SIMPLY INCLUDING IN MY SPEEC THE PASSAGE IN MY SECOND IFT.

ATTACH

4. WHILE I HAVE NOTED THE POLITICAL IMPORTANCE YOU ATTACH TO PROGRESS ON THIS ITEM, I THINK THERE IS SO MUCH IN THE OTHER PLANS COVERED IN THE SPEECH, INCLUDING SOCIAL WELFARE PLANS, THAT IT WILL PROVIDE PLENTY OF AMMUNITION AGAINST GENERAL CRITICS OF HONG

KONG.

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