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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1985
+ IT IS NOT FAIR THAT THE GENERAL TAXPAYER SHOULD SUBSIDISE THOSE WHO VISIT MACAU.+
+ IF WE SOUGHT TO REDRESS THE SITUATION IN ONE STEP, THE INCREASES WOULD NEED TO BE VERY STEEP INDEED. THIS IS A FINE ILLUSTRATION OF THE NEED FOR MORE FREQUENT ADJUSTMENTS.+
ASSUMING 10 MONTHS' YIELD, SIR JOHN ESTIMATED THAT THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR 1985-86 SHOULD AMOUNT TO $30 MILLION.
RISE IN MEDICAL, WELFARE SPENDING
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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT $4 BILLION WOULD BE SPENT ON GOVERNMENT AND SUBVENTED MEDICAL SERVICES IN 1985-86.
+THIS REPRESENTS A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE OF 20 PER CENT ON THE REVISED ESTIMATE OF EXPENDITURE FOR 1984-85, + SIR JOHN TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
THE PROVISION COVERS VARIOUS HOSPITAL PROGRAMMES INCLUDING THE TUEN MUN HOSPITAL, THE QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL EXTENSION, AS WELL AS A MAJOR NEW HOSPITAL IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF HONG KONG ISLAND.
IN ADDITION, THE $645 MILLION PRINCE OF WALES HOSPITAL COMMENCED OPERATIONS IN MAY LAST YEAR AND IS EXPECTED TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL BY APRIL NEXT YEAR, IT WILL HAVE 1 446 BEDS AND SERVE AS THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL FOR THE EASTERN NEW TERRITORIES AS WELL AS THE TEACHING HOSPITAL FOR THE MEDICAL FACULTY OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG,
IN THE SUBVENTED SECTOR. DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES ARE UNDER WAY TO EXPAND AND UPGRADE FACILITIES. APPROVAL HAS ALSO BEEN OBTAINED FOR A MAJOR EXTENSION OF 760 BEDS TO THE UNITED CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL.
FOR SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES SUBVENTIONS TO VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, ABOUT $2.53 BILLION HAS BEEN EARMARKED FOR 1985-86, AN INCREASE OF OVER 11 PER CENT ON THE REVISED ESTIMATE OF EXPENDITURE FOR 1984-85.
THE ESTIMATES INCLUDE PROVISION OF $576.6 MILLION FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, COMPARED WITH THE REVISED ESTIMATE OF $575.5 MILLION FOR 1984-85. AT THE END OF 1984, THERE WERE 59 100 HOUSEHOLDS ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE.
AS REGARDS SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCES, THE PROVISION IN THE DRAFT ESTIMATES IS $906.6 MILLION, COMPARED WITH THE REVISED ESTIMATE OF $838.7 MILLION FOR 1983-84.
THIS ALLOWS FOR AN ESTIMATED AVERAGE MONTHLY CASELOAD OF ABOUT 217 800 FOR OLD AGE ALLOWANCE AND 46 600 FOR DISABILITY ALLOWANCE COMPARED WITH 211 600 AND 43 900 RESPECTIVELY AT THE END OF 1984.
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