The Government has refuted a claim that retirement protection discussions were blocked at yesterday's Commission on Poverty meeting.
In a statement today, it said the commission fully deliberated on the matter of whether Hong Kong should have cash assistance for all elderly, regardless of rich or poor, in 2015 when it was preparing for the consultation document.
It was very clear from those discussions that individual commission members have different views and a consensus could not be reached.
When one member suggested at the meeting yesterday the subject be reconsidered in the context of the independent consultant's report, other members disagreed.
The statement said the allegation the chairman blocked such discussion or did not allow members to vote on the matter is groundless.
It also noted the independent consultant explained to members the merits of a qualitative data analysis of the views expressed through written submissions, focus groups and public forums.
When some members asked for quantitative assessment on the opinions expressed in support of the various retirement protection options, the chairman and other members said the independent consultant’s professionalism should be respected.
All submissions received will be disclosed for public inspection as soon as the independent consultant has completed the preparatory work.
The only textual amendment made to the report was to state the 16,830 written submissions received in seven standard pro-formas were in support of universal retirement protection as suggested by the chairman and endorsed by the meeting.
The Government expressed deep regret at the misleading way one commission member chose to disclose discussions at the meeting.
