registered under the Registration of Persons Ordinance (Chapter 177), i.e. excluding inter alias tourists and other visitors. However those not required to carry proof of identity should be encouraged to do so voluntarily, so as to avoid inconvenience to themselves;
Government Departments reporting to the enforcement agencies those who are unable to produce an identity card and refusing applications by them for services (housing, education, welfare etc) other than emergency services;
the obligation on employers to inspect identity documents of all persons they either already employed or proposed to employ and not to employ or continue to employ those without identity cards.
Carriage of Proof of Identity
33
Of these, the most effective measures would be (a) and (c). To implement (a) it would be necessary to make it compulsory for everyone aged 18 and over required to register for an identity card to carry it or an acceptable alternative at all times and show it on demand to any authorised public officer. The Governor in Council can provide for the compulsory carriage of identity cards under the Registration of Persons Regulations (Chapter 177) and certain areas of the New Territories have already been designated for this purpose. The new measure would however be without prejudice to these requirements, which are more restrictive and need to be maintained in these particularly vulnerable areas. The extension of the obligation to the whole of the territory would be a major step, with important implications in the spheres of enforcement and public opinion. To ease the burden on the public and the Police, the legislation would allow Hong Kong driving licences, valid travel documents, etc to be carried as alternatives to identity cards. Subject to Members advising that there should be a change of policy a draft Bill will be put before Members for their consideration.
Employment
34
Similarly, a requirement that employers inspect the identity documents of those they already employ and of those seeking employment (paragraph 32(c)) would also have extensive implications (including the effect on the labour market) and would require legislation. The identity documents to be produced would be an identity card or proof that one had been applied for or its loss reported. From those not required to obtain identity cards, a valid travel document or a Vietnamese identity document (the latter so as to enable Vietnamese refugees already in employment to continue to work) would be required. The proposed legislation would
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