Policy Address

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:

1. 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;
   
2. 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
   
3. promote employment for the underprivileged.

Contents | Next