-21The remaining places are allocated to Mainland spouses and other OWP applicants with no right of abode who generally have to wait for a longer time before they can settle in Hong Kong. Currently, spouses in Guangdong have to wait for about seven to eight years. The discrepancy in the times of arrival in Hong Kong between the CoE children51 and their Mainland parents often gives rise to separated families. Concern has been expressed in the community about the various problems that are believed to have resulted from this situation, problems such as inadequate parental care, economic hardship if the Hong Kong parent has to give up a job to look after the children, adverse impact on family relationship, etc. As the number of new arrivals from the Mainland continues to grow, the problem of split-families also grows. Many Legislative Council Members, academics and opinion leaders whom we approached have made the point strongly that the situation has to be properly addressed and that a proper balance has to be struck between orderly admission of new arrivals from the Mainland, both children and spouses, and upholding family unity.” H.2 Family reunion as the main source of population growth 56. To address this problem, the Government, in cooperation with Mainland authorities, adopted the OWP scheme. Mainland authorities issue OWPs in accordance with Mainland law, permitting the exit of Mainlanders to Hong Kong for settlement. As the Task Force Report explains: “The OWP Scheme is a scheme devised primarily to facilitate families with immediate members (spouses and children) residing in the Mainland to be reunited in Hong Kong. OWP holders can be broadly divided into two groups: children of Hong Kong permanent residents with Certificate of Entitlement (CoE); and spouses and other dependants. The CoE children are permanent residents and have right of abode in Hong Kong. Spouses and other dependants who enter Hong Kong on OWPs are non-permanent residents but may become permanent residents after having ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than seven years.”52 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 2001.53 Applying the increased daily quota of 150,54 about 55,000 Mainland 51 Children issued with a Certificate of Entitlement showing that they are in principle entitled to right of abode and the status of a Hong Kong permanent resident. 52 At §2.17. 53 Ibid.