SOCIAL WELFARE
The Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme provides cash assistance to people who are injured in crimes of violence or while helping to prevent crime in Hong Kong. It also extends compensation to those injured by law enforcement officers using weapons in the execution of their duties. Payments are made to their surviving dependent family members in the case of persons killed in any one of these circumstances.
This scheme, which is non-means-tested, is administered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board and the Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Board. Both boards consist of the same chairman and members, who are appointed by the Governor, from outside the civil service. The secretariat to the board is provided by the Social Welfare Department, which is also responsible for the assessment and payment of compensation.
During the year, total payments amounted to $9.3 million, compared with $9.0 million in the preceding year.
The Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme is a no-fault and non-means-tested scheme. It provides cash payments to victims of traffic accidents or their dependants. It is administered by the Director of Social Welfare in consultation with an advisory committee. For a person to be eligible, the accident must be within the definition of the Traffic Accident Victims (Assistance Fund) Ordinance and must have been reported to the police. The application must be lodged within six months of the date of the accident. For an injury case, the victim must be medically certified to require at least three days' sick leave. Payments cover personal injury and death but not damage to property.
Under the scheme, an applicant retains his right to claim legal damages or compensation from other sources for the same accident. In case of a successful claim, he is required to refund either the payment received from the scheme or the amount of damages or compensation, whichever is the less.
During the year, 5 850 applications were received and 5 270 were approved for assistance, with payments totalling $89 million compared with $69 million in 1992.
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.
During the year, emergency relief was given to 1 721 registered victims on 83 occasions. The Social Welfare Department also assisted in providing hot meals to refugees and boat people from Vietnam.
Aside from burial grants, the rates of grants payable under the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme, the Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme and the Emergency Relief Fund were increased in September 1993 to cover the rise in living costs.
To prevent abuse of the various schemes, a special team investigates cases of suspected fraud or difficulties encountered in recovery of overpayment. During the year, the team completed investigations into 74 cases.
Social Security Appeal Board
The Social Security Appeal Board is an independent body comprising non-official members appointed by the Governor. It considers appeals from individuals against decisions by the Social Welfare Department concerning comprehensive social security assistance, social security allowance and traffic accident victims assistance payments. During the year, 145
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