32. The Government attaches importance to protecting our citizens' right to employment. We will step up publicity and law enforcement to resolutely clamp down on illegal workers. The number of joint operations staged by law enforcement agencies in 2004 went up by 30% over 2003. More than 5 000 suspected illegal workers and over 1 300 employers suspected of employing illegal workers were arrested. More than 200 of these employers were sentenced to immediate imprisonment on conviction, more than double the number in 2003. We will continue strict law enforcement. We will also study ways to strengthen measures to eliminate illegal workers in the construction, renovation and associated trades.

Wages and Working Hours

33. Persistently high unemployment has led to intensified competition for jobs, driving down wages and lengthening working hours for some workers. Members have therefore debated the issues of "maximum working hours" and "minimum wage" on several occasions. Public views are also divided. We have to build a consensus through objective analysis and rational discussion. We also have to fully evaluate whether implementing various measures will bring real benefits to workers, and not the opposite effect. The Government will keep an open mind and listen to views from various sectors in the community. The Labour Advisory Board, as the recognised and proven tripartite consultative mechanism for labour matters, has already commenced discussion on the issues and will study them in detail.