13
-
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1982
+I SHALL SHORTLY BE WRITING TO OVER 400 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS SEEKING THEIR PARTICIPATION IN PROVIDING THE 1.4 BILLION DOLLARS REQUIRED, HE DISCLOSED.
+MY SIMILAR INVITATION IN RESPECT OF PHASES IIB, HA AND LIB OF THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME AND THE SECOND STAGE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION SCHEME HAS RAISED 1.2 BILLION FROM 46 BANKS AND DEPOSIT-TAKING COMPANIES.
+NEW MORTGAGE TERMS HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATED WHICH SHOULD PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR EVEN WIDER PARTICIPATION IN THE COMING PHASES WHILE PRESERVING A PREFERENTIAL ELEMENT FOR HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME PURCHASERS, HE SAID.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY ALSO SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE ANNUAL PUBLIC HOUSING TARGET OF PRODUCTION OF 35 000 FLATS HAS NOW BEEN ACHIEVED, AND WILL AT LEAST BE MAINTAINED, THE LENGTH OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY'S WAITING LIST HAS REMAINED DISAPPOINTINGLY STATIC IN RECENT YEARS.
+ IT IS LIKELY TO REMAIN SO FOR SOME TIME IN VIEW OF CONTINUING CLEARANCE, THE INCREASING NUMBERS OF ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS, AND OTHER FACTORS, HE SAID.
BETTER CARE FOR AGED, HANDICAPPED AND YOUNG
****
THE GOVERNMENT IS TO SPEND $1 317.3 MILLION FOR SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMMES IN 1982-83, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF $170.6 MILLION OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON JOHN BREMRIDGE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
OVER HALF OF THE INCREASE $95.4 MILLION - WILL GO TOWARDS SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTION, BRINGING SUBVENTION FOR 1982-83 TO THE 300-MILLION-DOLLAR MARK FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT WAS $204.6 MILLION IN 1981-82.
THE AGED, HANDICAPPED AND YOUNG HAVE BEEN SINGLED OUT TO RECEIVE BETTER CARE THAN EVER UNDER THE NEW BUDGET WHICH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, PROVIDES FOR A TOTAL OF 13 766 PLACES IN DAY CARE CENTRES, 2 470 MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR- 690 PLACES FOR THE ELDERLY IN CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES, OR 315 MORE THAN IN 1981-82- AND 528 PLACES FOR SPECIAL CHILD CARE (RENABILITATION) CENTRES AN INCREASE OF 108 PLACES.
MR BREMRIDGE SAID +A LARGE PROPORTION OF RECURRENT EXPENDITURE WILL CONTINUE TO BE CHANNELLED THROUGH SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTION TO VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.+
TOWARDS
FOR EXAMPLE, REHABILITATION SERVICES PROVIDED THROUGH THE SUBVENTED VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WILL BE EXPANDED AND IMPROVED. THIS END, A TOTAL PROVISION OF $38 MILLION IS MADE, COMPARED WITH 26 MILLION DOLLARS IN 1981-82, TO INCREASE SPECIAL CHILD CARE CENTRE PLACES FOR DISABLED PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN, SHELTERED WORKSHOP PLACES FOR DISABLED ADULTS, AND FOR MILDLY DISABLED PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN IN ORDINARY CHILD CARE CENTRES.
/MR BREMRIDGE