SOCIAL WELFARE
(February 1978 to April 1978)
I
1. Social
Security Development
Purpose
To review existing social security schemes and to indicate developments in the coming five years.
Present Position
In the light of public comments, the following proposals were implemented in April 1978:
(a) old age supplement of $100 per month to those PA recipients aged 60
and over who are not already receiving a welfare allowance;
(b) long term supplement of $500 annually for a family and $250 for a
single person, for those who have been on Public Assistance for over a year;
(c)
(a)
income of those not expected to seek work as a condition of receiving Public Assistance, to be disregarded in assessing entitlement, up to a maximum of $150;
welfare allowance to be given to those in residential institutional accommodation; and
(e) establishment of a social security appeal board with unofficial
membership.
Comments on
Lother proposals in the Green Paper are being collated and considered in
the light of public comments and professional advice.
Timetable
To finalise proposal for implementation between October 1978 and April 1979.
2. Services for
the Elderly
To prepare a programme plan on the provision of services for the elderly.
3. Services for To prepare a programme
Youth
plan on the provision of personal social work services to young people identified to be at risk so as to prevent anti-social
or delinquent behaviour.
Public comments being collated together with advice from the voluntary sector and the Social Welfare Advisory Committee. Improved cash payments to the elderly as outlined in Item 1 were introduced in April 1978.
The public generally support the expansion of personal social work services as proposed in the Green Paper. Deliberations of unofficial members of ExCo and LegCo so far are generally favourable, and their formal response is expected in May.
To consider and finalise proposals
as the basis for drafting White Paper
To finalise proposak and to consider the best means of publi- cation of a. White Paper, either separa tely or in conjunc tion with those on social security and on the elderly.
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ידי*