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HKK 234.11.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office MI London SW1A 2AH
Telephone 01-23-1069.
LAD 1978
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L V Martin Esq
Government' Actuary's Department
Steel House"
Tothill Street
London SW1H 9LS
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Your reference
Our reference
Date
15 March 1978
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1. You recently sent us a copy of your comments on Hong Kong's proposed Sickness, Injury, and Death Benefit Scheme. We take a very close interest in the proposed Scheme and are anxious that it be extended as fully and rapidly as possible. We therefore found your Department's comments very interesting and I wonder if we might impose on you for your comments on two hypothetical points.
2.
The first touches on the future extension of the Scheme. Our view is that Hong Kong could include non-means tested unemploy- ment benefit and retirement benefit and I would welcome your opinion on a compulsory contributory scheme providing for such benefits. I say compulsory largely because of your comments on
the dang the existing proposals of allowing both parties to contract out.
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3. In addition we would appreciate an estimate of the scale of benefits which would be possible with a contribution of HK350 per month, shared equally by employer and employee. This would represent a 5.6% contribution at the average industrial wage in 1977 of HK$910.
4. I should explain that the purpose of my request is to establish before approaching the Hong Kong Government the validity of any suggestion we might wish to make. There is no question of our holding up your views as proof of the rightness of our ideas.
J Thompson
Hong Kong and General Department
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.