******************************************
VI. Optimising Our Population for the Future
135. Adequate and quality manpower resources are the key to our sustainable socio-economic development. Our labour force is expected to decline from around 2018.
136. The Steering Committee on Population Policy (SCPP) put forward the policy objective of "developing and nurturing a population that will continuously support and drive Hong Kong's socio-economic development as Asia's world city, and engendering a socially inclusive and cohesive society that allows individuals to realise their potential, with a view to attaining quality life for all residents and families". The SCPP decided to deploy a five-pronged strategy to address the new challenges brought by demographic changes. The relevant bureaux have formulated comprehensive policy responses, and the details are as follows.
Unleashing the Potential of Local Labour Force
137. First, unleash the potential of local labour force. We will:
(i) encourage the extension of retirement age. The Government has decided to extend the service of civil servants, and will encourage other employers to implement appropriate measures according to the circumstances to extend the working life of their employees. We will also review the existing welfare arrangements to see if they have the effect of serving as a disincentive for older persons to continue working, and strengthen the employment support and training services for the elderly;
(ii) enhance child care services to provide better support for women who wish to join the job market. Apart from increasing full-day child care places for children aged below three, the Government will, from 2015-16 onwards, gradually increase the subsidised places of extended hours service provided by child care centres and kindergarten-cum-child care centres to some 6 200, which represents a fourfold increase. The Committee on Free Kindergarten Education is actively considering encouraging kindergartens to offer more full-day services and providing additional subsidies for families in need; and
(iii) promote employment for the underprivileged.
Nurturing Local Manpower
138. Second, nurture local manpower. We need to create diversified job opportunities with promising prospects for the younger generation on the one hand, and provide them with varied learning, training and development opportunities on the other hand. The Task Force on Promotion of Vocational Education under the EDB is vigorously identifying ways to further promote the attractiveness of vocational education as one of the multiple pathways. Proposals will be put forward in mid-2015.
Attracting Talent from Outside Hong Kong
139. Third, take a more proactive approach to recruiting talent and professionals from outside Hong Kong by introducing the following enhancement measures:
(i) Implement a pilot scheme to attract the second generation of Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents who have emigrated overseas to return to Hong Kong;
(ii) Encourage talent and entrepreneurs to come and stay in Hong Kong by relaxing the stay arrangements under the General Employment Policy, the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals and the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme;
(iii) Adjust the General Points Test under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme to attract a larger pool of young talent with excellent educational background or international work experience to come to Hong Kong;
(iv) List clearly the factors to be considered when processing applications to enter Hong Kong for investment under the General Employment Policy to attract more entrepreneurs from overseas to develop their business in Hong Kong, and suspend the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme from tomorrow; and
(v) Study, with regard to overseas experience, the feasibility of drawing up a talent list to attract, in a more effective and focused manner, high-quality talent to support Hong Kong's development as a diversified and high value-added economy.
140. To address population ageing, we are actively examining the option of increasing the number of publicly-funded degree places in medicine, dentistry and other healthcare specialties in the next funding cycle for universities. We will continue to discuss with the Medical Council of Hong Kong ways to refine arrangements for the licensing examination for medical practitioners. The Hospital Authority (HA) will also continue to recruit overseas doctors by way of limited registration to practise in Hong Kong.
Fostering a Supportive Environment for Forming and Raising Families
141. Fourth, foster a supportive environment. We will implement measures, which include the child care services and family-friendly practices just mentioned, to help our people realise their aspirations to form and raise families.
142. The Government will consider providing appropriate financial support. We will review the child allowance under salaries tax in the coming Budget. Implementing 15-year free education can also help lessen the financial burden on young parents. The Committee on Free Kindergarten Education will submit its report to the Government in the middle of this year.
Active Ageing
143. Our last strategy is to vigorously promote active ageing. The Government will help the elderly enjoy their retirement life through the Elder Academy Scheme and some 200 elderly centres in the territory. We will encourage them to actively take part in community activities by promoting senior volunteerism and other programmes.
144. To create an elderly-friendly environment, the Government is pressing ahead with the extension of the $2 public transport fare concession scheme to green minibuses in phases starting from the end of March this year. The Universal Accessibility Programme that I mentioned earlier on will also help elderly people move around the community.
145. We will provide choices of service for the elderly through the Senior Citizen Residences Scheme and the Reverse Mortgage Programme operated by the HKHS and the Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Limited respectively.
146. The SCPP will monitor the implementation of the initiatives, and report their effectiveness and seek stakeholders' comments as appropriate.
Labour
147. We will continue to keep abreast of labour issues. Subject to this Council's approval, the Statutory Minimum Wage rate will be increased to $32.5 per hour, which will benefit tens of thousands of low-income employees and encourage more people to join the labour market.
148. The Standard Working Hours Committee is promoting informed and in-depth discussion on the issue of working hours in the community with a view to helping the Government map out the way forward for the working hours policy.
Women
149. The Gender Mainstreaming Checklist developed by the Women's Commission has been applied to over 50 different policy and programme areas. I have accepted the recommendations of the Commission that, starting from 2015-16, all bureaux and departments should be required to refer to the checklist and apply gender mainstreaming to formulating major government policies and initiatives, and the appointment rate of women to government advisory and statutory bodies should be raised from 30% to 35%. At the same time, the Government will continue to consolidate the efforts of all parties, and encourage employers to offer part-time jobs which are more popular with women to promote their employment.
(To be continued)
Ends/Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Issued at HKT 12:38
NNNN