WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1982
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MR BREMRIDGE NOTED THAT IN OCTOBER 1981 A REVISED SUBVENTION SYSTEM WAS APPROVED UNDER WHICH THE SOCIAL SERVICES AND FACILITIES PROVIDED BY ORGANISATIONS AND TRUSTS WILL BE CLASSIFIED AS CATEGORY I OR CATEGORY | DEPENDENT ON THEIR NATURE (MOST SERVICES WILL BE IN CATEGORY 1).
+IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO SET STANDARD COSTS AND, IN THE MEANTIME WITH EFFECT FROM APRIL 1982, CATEGORY SERVICES WILL RECEIVE ŠUBVENTION AT 100 PER CENT OF THEIR EXISTING RECOGNISED EXPENDITURE, ADJUSTED FOR PRICE INCREASES BUT DISREGARDING ALL THEIR INCOME EXCEPT FEES.+
+CATEGORY II SERVICES WILL RECEIVE EITHER A FIXED PERCENTAGE DETERMINED ON THE AVERAGE LEVEL OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT GIVEN TO A PARTICULAR SERVICE (ADJUSTED FOR PRICE INCREASES BUT DISREGARDING ALL INCOME EXCEPT FEES) OR AN APPROPRIATE ARBITRARY LUMP SUM, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID.
HE ESTIMATED THE ADDITIONAL COST IN 1982 OF INTRODUCING THE NEW SYSTEM AT $31.33 MILLION. +AFTER ALLOWING FOR THIS AND THE EXPANSION OF SUCH SERVICES, PROVISION OF $289 MILLION IS INCLUDED IN THE DRAFT ESTIMATES (INCLUDING $38 MILLION FOR REHABILITATION SERVICES) COMPARED WITH $192 MILLION IN 1981-82 (OF WHICH $26 MILLION WAS FOR REHABILITATION SERVICES).+
MR BREMRIDGE ALSO REVEALED THE INTRODUCTION OF A NON-MEANS- TESTED DEATH GRANT. +THE DRAFT ESTIMATES INCLUDE PROVISION OF $309 MILLION FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (COMPARED WITH $303.5 MILLION IN 1981-82) AND $468 MILLION FOR SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCES (COMPARED WITH $416 MILLION IN 1981-82). INCLUDED IN THIS LATTER FIGURE IS $5 MILLION FOR A NON-MEANS-TESTED DEATH GRANT WHICH WILL BE INTRODUCED WITH EFFECT FROM APRIL 1, 1982.+
THIS WILL BE PAYABLE TO THE DEPENDENT SURVIVORS OF PERSONS WHO DIE IN EMPLOYMENT IF THE DECEASED ARE NOT COVERED BY THE TERMS OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE OR IF THE SURVIVORS ARE NOT IN RECEIPT OF ANY OTHER FORM OF COMPENSATION OF EX-GRATIA ASSISTANCE.
THE BUDGET ALSO PROVIDES FOR 19 FULL-TIME AND 19 PART-TIME CENTRES +AS PART OF A CONCERTED PROGRAMME TO PREVENT SERIOUS DISABILITY BY THE DETECTION OF ABNORMALITIES AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, MR BREMRIDGE SAID.
THE RECURRENT EXPENDITURE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION IS ESTIMATED AT $166 MILLION COMPARED WITH THE REVISED ESTIMATE FOR 1981-82 OF $129 MILLION.
ON MEDICAL REHABILITATION, PRIORITIES ARE THE IMPROVEMENT OF SERVICES FOR THE MENTALLY ILL, MORE HOSPITAL BEDS FOR THE MENTALLY RETARDED AND THE SETTING UP OF MEDICAL REHABILITATION CENTRES DESIGNED TO PROVIDE INTENSIVE IN-PATIENT SERVICES. THE FIRST OF THREE GOVERNMENT MEDICAL REHABILITATION CENTRES WILL BE LOCATED IN THE PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL.
AN ESTIMATED $120 MILLION IS BEING PROVIDED FOR THE MEDICAL REHABILITATION SERVICES OPERATED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, COMPARED WITH A REVISED ESTIMATE FOR 1981-82 OF $107 MILLIÓN.
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