SOCIAL WELFARE
168
On June 1, the payment rates were increased by 11 per cent to offset inflation. This scheme, operated on a non-means-tested and non-contributory basis, is ad- ministered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Board. Both boards consist of unofficial members who are appointed by the Governor.
During the year, total payments amounted to $5.7 million, compared with $5.9 million in the preceding year.
The Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme provides cash payments to victims of traffic accidents or, in the case of death, their dependants. It is a no-fault, non-means-tested scheme. For a person to be eligible, the traffic accident must be one as defined under the Traffic Accident Victims (Assistance Fund) Ordinance (Cap 229) and must have been reported to the police. The application must be lodged within six months of the accident. In the case of injury not causing death, the victim must have required no less than three days' sick leave supported by a medical certificate. Payments are not made for damage to property. The scheme does not affect the applicant's right to claim legal damages or compensation from other sources in respect of the same accident. In the case of a successful claim, the applicant is required to refund either the payment he has received from the scheme or the amount of damages or compensation received, whichever is the less.
In May, the Traffic Accident Victims (Assistance Fund) Ordinance was amended to extend the scheme to cover victims of all traffic accidents involving light rail vehicles operated by the North-west Railway. The ordinance was also amended to enable victims of accidents occurring on private roads to which public access is restricted to be eligible for assistance under the scheme, with effect from July 1, 1989.
The rates of assistance were revised upwards by 11 per cent in June 1989 to offset the rise in the cost of living.
During the year, 6350 applications were received and 5 870 were approved for assistance, with payments amounting to $48.0 million compared with $42.6 million in the previous year.
Emergency relief is provided to victims of natural or other disasters in the form of material aid, such as hot meals, eating utensils and other essential articles. Grants from the Emergency Relief Fund are also paid to disaster victims or their dependants to relieve hardship arising from personal injury or death. The payment rates under this fund were also increased by 11 per cent in June. On October 1, 1989, emergency relief services were extended to the Island District and remote parts of the New Territories.
During the year, emergency relief was given to 3 310 registered victims on 170 occasions. The Social Welfare Department also assisted in providing hot meals to refugees and boat people from Vietnam.
To prevent abuse of the various schemes, a special team conducts in-depth investigation in cases of suspected fraud or difficulties encountered in recovery of overpayment. During the year, the team completed investigations into 344 cases.
Social Security Appeal Board
The Social Security Appeal Board is an independent body comprising unofficial members appointed by the Governor. It provides a system of redress for those who are not satisfied with the decisions made by the Social Welfare Department concerning public assistance, special needs allowances and traffic accident victims assistance payments. A total of 45