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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, on the Old Age Living Allowance (motion of adjournment) before attending the Legislative Council Finance Committee meeting this afternoon (October 26):
Reporter: Does the Government have a plan B? What will happen if the meeting is adjourned?
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: We don't have a plan B. That is why I am making a very sincere appeal to all LegCo Members ¡ª do not put forward the motion or do not support the motion. Once the adjournment is passed, the meeting earmarked for next Tuesday night cannot be held because the meeting next Tuesday is part of the current meeting. It is a sequel, part two of today's meeting. This point has to be driven home to everybody. Do not have a misunderstanding that the meeting next Tuesday can still go ahead. We have to go through the normal process in order to have another meeting. Once we cannot seek the approval of the Finance Committee for our funding proposal by the end of this month (October), the timetable will slip in terms of implementation. We can only implement the scheme by March next year on the proviso that approval is given by the Finance Committee before the end of this month. This timetable is very important. The downside is 290,000 senior citizens would be affected. The payment will be late. All these are important consequences arising from any adjournment today. So I appeal to everybody, every LegCo Member ¡ª don't put forward the motion and do not support the motion. Let's make use of the next six hours to have a very in-depth dialogue with all Members. I stand ready to answer all questions, to clear their doubts and also to satisfy any queries they may have.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, October 26, 2012
Issued at HKT 18:47
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