WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1979
WHITE PAPER MAPS OUT EXPANSION PLANS
FOR SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES *****
A PROGRAMME OF IMPROVEMENTS AND EXPANSION IN SOCIAL SECURITY AND DIRECT WELFARE SERVICES, COSTING AN ESTIMATED $2,000 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL CAPITAL AND RECURRENT EXPENDITURE OVER THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS, IS OUTLINED IN A WHITE PAPER PUBLISHED TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE COMPREHENSIVE WHITE PAPER, ENTITLED +SOCIAL WELFARE INTO THE 1980'S,+ SETS OUT THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS TO IMPROVE SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS, TO INTRODUCE AN ASSISTANCE SCHEME FOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT VICTIMS, AND TO EXPAND DIRECT WELFARE SERVICES, PARTICULARLY FOR THE ELDERLY AND YOUNG PEOPLE.
THE DISABILITY ALLOWANCE WILL BE EXTENDED TO COVER THE PROFOUNDLY DEAF, AND A DISABILITY SUPPLEMENT WILL BE INTRODUCED WITHIN THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME.
SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY WILL BE IMPROVED ON A WIDE FRONT AND WILL INCLUDE INSTITUTIONAL AND HEALTH CARE, COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ACCOMMODATION IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES.
SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK, FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION AND OUTREACHING SOCIAL WORK WILL BE EXPANDED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO HELP PREVENT ANTI-SOCIAL AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR.
THE WHITE PAPER IS THE CULMINATION OF WIDE PUBLIC
CONSULTATION ON THE THREE GREEN PAPERS ON SOCIAL SECURITY DEVELOPMENT, SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY AND PERSONAL SOCIAL WORK AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, AND IT COVERS OTHER WELFARE SERVICES AS WELL. IT EXCLUDES REHABILITATION SERVICES WHICH ARE COVERED BY A SEPARATE WHITE PAPER PUBLISHED IN 1977.
THE PLANS ENVISAGED IN THE PAPER REPRESENT REALISTIC GOALS BUT WILL BE REVIEWED AND ADJUSTED ANNUALLY AGAINST CHANGING NEEDS.
THE PRINCIPAL MEASURES ARE:
SOCIAL SECURITY
A DISABILITY SUPPLEMENT WITHIN THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME WILL BE INTRODUCED NEXT YEAR TO PROVIDE IMPROVED SUPPORT FOR THE PARTIALLY DISABLED AND THEIR FAMILIES.
THIS SUPPLEMENT WILL BE HALF THE BASIC PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RATE FOR A SINGLE PERSON AND WILL BE ADDED TO THE SCALE OF ALLOWANCE FOR ANYONE WITH A 50 PER CENT OR MORE LOSS OF EARNING CAPACITY AS DEFINED IN THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ORDINANCE, OR WHO IS SUFFERING FROM A MENTAL OR PHYSICAL CONDITION MEDICALLY CERTIFIED AS BEING BROADLY EQUIVALENT.
IN VIEW OF PUBLIC SUPPORT, THE GOVERNMENT WILL EXTEND NEXT YEAR THE NON-MEANS TESTED DISABILITY ALLOWANCE TO COVER THE PROFOUNDLY DEAF WHO ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ANOTHER +VULNERABLE GROUP IN NEED OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
AN ASSISTANCE