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HISTORY
housing and to encourage home ownership in the community. The Hong Kong Housing Authority has primary responsibility for this programme. More than half of Hong Kong's families live in accommodation that they own.
The Government has been investing heavily in education to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness in a knowledge-based and globalised economy. Free and compulsory primary and junior secondary education is provided to every student up to the age of 15 years. Senior secondary and tertiary education is also heavily subsidised and it is a government policy that no one is deprived of education for lack of financial means. Exemplifying this, starting from the 2002-03 school year, all Secondary 3 students from public sector schools who are able and willing to continue with their study may receive subsidised Secondary 4 education or vocational training.
The Government and non-governmental organisations have made major social welfare advances in the past decade, with expenditure increasing from $7.03 billion in 1992-93 to $32.76 billion in 2003-04. At the same time, social services have developed from providing emergency relief into today's diversified and comprehensive network. Hong Kong's major health indicators such as life expectancy at birth and infant mortality rate are now among the best in the world. Important factors in this have been improvements in socio-economic conditions, education, housing, sanitation, nutrition and the introduction of a comprehensive childhood immunisation programme. With a high polio immunisation rate, coupled with a high level of vigilance, Hong Kong was certified polio-free in 2000. An effective disease surveillance system, which comprises clinics, hospitals and laboratories in public and private sectors, is in place and this is crucial to the effective prevention and control of diseases. In 2001, a new Public Health Laboratory Centre was established to enhance the provision of quality laboratory services
Medical and health services are undergoing continuous development programmes. The Government continues to invest in medical services and is aware of the international trend of developing ambulatory and community care programmes and replacing, where appropriate, in-patient treatment by ambulatory and out-patient services. In 2003, two projects were completed. The first project was the relocation of the Accident and Emergency Department of the Tang Shiu Kin Hospital to the Ruttonjee Hospital to make way for conversion of the former hospital into an ambulatory and day-care centre. The second was an improvement programme involving eight public hospitals. Construction works for other major hospital projects, at a total estimated cost of $5.9 billion, were to be completed over the next five years. In addition, all general out-patient services previously operated by the Department of Health were transferred to the Hospital Authority in 2003 to facilitate integration of the primary and secondary levels of care in the public sector.
A comprehensive system of labour legislation has been developed to provide for employees' benefits and protection, employees' compensation, occupational safety and health. Free employment services are provided to help job-seekers find work and employers to recruit staff. The Employees Retraining Board provides quality retraining courses and services to the unemployed and potentially unemployed in order to enhance their employability and meet the needs of employers and the Hong Kong economy.