WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1989
18
OLD AGE ALLOWANCE DECLARATION CONSIDERED REASONABLE
FOR
AN
INCOME
AND
ASSET
THE REQUIREMENT APPLICANTS FOR THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE FOR PEOPLE AGED FROM
ELIGIBLE, WHO WERE NOT PREVIOUSLY
SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
BY
DECLARATION
65 TO 69, THE REASONABLE, HON T.H. CHAU, INFORMED THE
IS
CONSIDERED
JAMES MCGREGOR, IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON
WITH WAS
THE CONSISTENT THE THAT EXPLAINED MR CHAU
REQUIREMENT
ΤΟ THOSE GOVERNMENT'S OVERALL WELFARE POLICY OF PROVIDING ASSISTANCE MOST IN NEED.
POINTED OUT THAT
WERE 1987 PROPOSALS IN OCTOBER MR CHAU
TO ANNOUNCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR A PACKAGE OF IMPROVEMENTS
PHASED EXTENSION OF THE MAIN SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEMES, INCLUDING THE THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE TO PERSONS IN THE 65-69 AGE GROUP.
-
PROPOSED THIS
PACKAGE
WAS
ALL THAT
NEW BE REQUIRED ΤΟ DECLARE HE SPECIFIED LEVELS,
M
'ONE ELEMENT OF APPLICANTS FOR THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE SHOULD
NOT EXCEED THAT THEIR INCOME AND ASSETS DID SAID.
BY MEMBERS OF THIS
"THESE PROPOSALS WERE GENERALLY WELCOMED COUNCIL AND BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AMONGST OTHERS.'
MR CHAU ADDED THE GOVERNMENT
10
DECIDED HAD
THAT IT WOULD BE DECLARATION FOR NEW APPLICANTS APPROPRIATE NOT TO PROCEED WITH THE AGED OVER 70, WHILST RETAINING IT FOR THOSE BETWEEN 65 AND 69.
DECISION THIS
WAS
AGAINST
THE
MADE FOLLOWING PROPOSED
OF VIEWS CONSIDERATION INCOME AND ASSET DECLARATION, EXPRESSED PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE OVER 70 YEARS OLD, MR CHAU EXPLAINED.
THE FIRST PHASE OF THE EXTENSION OF THE ALLOWANCE TO THE AGE GROUP WAS IMPLEMENTED ON SEPTEMBER 1 LAST YEAR.
65-69
THE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE ALLOWANCE, PERSONS AGED 68 AND 69 WERE NOW SUBJECT TO A DECLARATION THAT THEIR MONTHLY INCOME DID NOT EXCEED LEVELS OF $1,700 FOR A SINGLE PERSON AND $2,800 FOR A MARRIED COUPLE.
THEIR ASSETS LEVELS HAD ALSO BEEN SET AT $100,000 FOR A PERSON AND $150,000 FOR A MARRIED COUPLE.
SINGLE
MR CHAU POINTED OUT THAT WITH EFFECT FROM ELIGIBILITY WOULD BE EXTENDED TO THOSE AGED 67 WHILST FROM APRIL AND 65 WOULD BECOME ELIGIBLE WITH EFFECT RESPECTIVELY.
APRIL 1 THIS YEAR THOSE AGED 66 1990 AND 1991
**THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO PLANS TO DISPENSE WITH THE
DECLARATION
FOR THIS AGE GROUP, HE ADDED.
11
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