TNAG-0992-FCO40-1211-Policy-on-salaries-and-pensions-for-civil-service-in-Hong-Ko-1980 — Page 212

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8.8

However, this is an area where community attitudes are changing and a substantial proportion of private companies do now provide medical benefits for the children of married women employees. The Government is therefore now studying the implications of extending medical care to the estimated 28,000 children of its 14,000 married women officers.

I can assure Members that we are keeping this matter under close study. I might add that the fringe benefits offered by the Government to its married women officers are still thought to compare favourably with the private sector."

In addition to the study of medical benefits referred to, we have been informed that the Administration is also considering a scheme to assist eligible married women to purchase their own homes.

Recommendations

8.9

We have first considered whether or not this is a matter in which Government should continue to have regard to the practice in the private sector. A study of current private sector practice has shown that in general the benefits to married women at present provided by the Government are at least as generous as those provided in the private sector, although there are exceptions. We believe however that as was the case with equal pay for men and women, this is a social issue in which Government should take the lead.

8.10

We have also considered community views on the traditional role of women and the concept of the husband being the head of the household and therefore the principal family provider. In our view this concept does not justify reducing a married woman's eligibility for benefits, for the following reasons

(a) The notion that husbands are or should be the sole

family provider is becoming increasingly out-moded, both here and abroad.

(b)

(c)

(a)

The evidence of the private sector suggests that women holding senior positions or women who have demonstrated their ability are frequently provided with the same scale of benefits as their male counterparts.

There is no evidence that married women staff are less satisfactory as employees than single women.

Cases of hardship have been caused by husbands becoming unable to work for reasons of ill health or other reasons.