向誰爭取審批權？

向誰爭取審批權？

 

在終審法院判決綜援七年期違憲後，社會上有一股聲音，要求港府取回單程證的審批權。乍看來，這似乎與「港人優先」的理念相通。

 

終院大法官在審理這宗案件時，對單程證政策做了一個獨立的研究，當中揭示了一些被人忽視的問題。

 

57. The OWP scheme has become “the single most important immigration policy that shapes Hong Kong’s demographic growth and composition”， accounting for some 93% of population growth from 1997 to 2001.

------In a press release issued upon publication of the Task Force Report on 26 March 2003， the then Chief Secretary stated:

“we have concluded that the present daily allocation of 60 within the 150 quota for children with right of abode in Hong Kong is appropriate--- For the time being， the total daily quota of 150 will remain unchanged. The SAR Government will liaise closely with the Mainland authorities with regard to the numbers and the allocation among the categories. If there is evidence that the demand falls， we will discuss with the Mainland authorities to reduce the quota.”

判詞的第57段，指出單程證政策是港府解決其人口增長的最有效手段，香港人口的新力軍有九成以上依賴新移民。大陸的審批是配合港府的要求，港府可以隨時提出，削減每日150個的配額。

 

58. About half of the children tend to be under 18. 

The adult OWP holders are usually wives of Hong Kong residents. 

第58段指出，來港新移民的主要部份是照顧這批兒童的家庭主婦。

 

59. It is the Government’s policy to facilitate the integration of new arrivals in the community and the Task Force Report points out that:

“Mainlanders who came to Hong Kong before the age of nine.”

第59段指出，若要這批兒童容易融入香港社會，最好讓他們在九歲前來港。

 

60. The OWP scheme therefore favours younger children as immigrants and they are given the largest sub-quota (60) of the 150 daily quota. 

However， younger children obviously need parental care.

第六十段指出，四成以上的單程証配額分給這類兒童。

 

從這些文件，我們看到單程證制度是港府從自己的利益出發而向大陸提出的，大陸的一方只是配合，若香港要截停，它隨時可以。這也是說：主導權在港府這一方。從邏輯上看，爭取審批權的政客，需要從人口政策推翻政府的說法，才能為自己的訴求自圓其說。

劉山青