more clinics and polyclinics;
vi) regionalisation of hospital and clinic services.
Social Welfare
Thir
5. A, White Paper entitled "Social Welfare in Hong Kong: The Way Ahead" was tabled in the Legislative Council on 6 June 1973. together with a 5-year plan, set out the programme for social welfare development for the years 1973-78.
6. The 5-year plan proposes that social security will be provided in 3 separate ways:-
1) The Public Assistance Scheme will continue to
provide help on a means-tested basis to those in the community with the least money.
Flat-rate, non-contributory, non-means-tested allowances will be paid to those sections of the community who are. regarded as "vulnerable groups". The first stage of this development is the new scheme of Disability and Infirmity Allowances. If this first stage proves successful, consideration will be given to extending similar allowances to other vulnerable groups, such as the chronically sick and widowed mothers with young children.
iii) Emergency relief will continue to be under-written by
the Government as it is at present.
It is estimated that expenditure on social welfare will increase by about 83 per cent between 1973/74 and 1977/78.
Housing
8. The Government now house 1.56 million people 38 per cent of the population. They hope to eliminate squatter settlements oud all sub-standard housing and to provide, within the next 10 years, self-contained accommodation for every family in Hong Kong. The Government's 10-year housing plan involves additional housing for 1.8 million people.
UNCLASSIFIED