4
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1992
27
THE
OF
THE
PER
IN FACT, SINCE THE SCHEME WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1971, RATES HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED 14 TIMES ACCORDING TO THE MOVEMENT PUBLIC ASSISTANCE INDEX OF PRICES (PAIP) FROM $70 PER PERSON MONTH IN THAT YEAR TO $825 THIS YEAR.
WITH
THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 1,079 PER CENT AS COMPARED
WHICH HAS INCREASED ONLY BY 508 PER CENT BETWEEN 1971 AND
THE PAIP 1992.
"IN OTHER WORDS, THE REAL INCREASE IN THE RATES EXCEEDS INFLATION RATE FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS,' SHE SAID.
++
TO FURTHER IMPROVE THE LEVEL OF BENEFITS, A COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE SCHEME CONSISTING OF STANDARD RATES AND SPECIAL SUBSIDIES TO MEET INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF RECIPIENTS WILL BE INTRODUCED ON JULY 1 NEXT YEAR.
MRS WONG TOLD THE COUNCIL THAT THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RATES WOULD BE ADJUSTED TWICE NEXT YEAR FIRST, AN INCREASE IN APRIL UNDER PAIP FOR INFLATION AND SECONDLY, IN JULY TO IMPLEMENT REAL IMPROVEMENTS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE SCHEME ON TOP OF THE APRIL ADJUSTMENT.
THEY
WAS
AS REGARDS CALLS TO PERMIT OLD AGE ALLOWANCE AND DISABILITY ALLOWANCE RECIPIENTS TO CONTINUE RECEIVING THE ALLOWANCE WHILST ARE ABSENT FROM HONG KONG, MRS WONG REITERATED THAT THE ALLOWANCE MEANT FOR PERSONS ORDINARILY RESIDENT IN HONG KONG AND NOT HONG PEOPLE WHO RESIDE PERMANENTLY OUTSIDE OF HONG KONG.
KONG
SHE SAID: "WE ARE NOW RELAXING THE ABSENCE RULE TO 180 THIS IS A RATIONAL CUT-OFF POINT.
DAYS.
**IF WE ARE TO ABOLISH THE ABSENCE RULE COMPLETELY, ANY PERSON WHO FULFILS THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA WOULD RECEIVE THE ALLOWANCE FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE EVEN IF HE IS SETTLED PERMANENTLY ELSEWHERE.
"THIS WOULD BE AN OPEN-ENDED COMMITMENT AND OPEN AT BOTH THAT IS TO SAY BOTH IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF FUTURE APPLICATIONS THE DURATION OF INDIVIDUAL PAYMENT.
ENDS,
AND
"THIS WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS BURDEN ON THOSE WHO REMAIN IN
HONG
KONG."
SHE ADDED THAT TO COMPLETELY RELAX THE ABSENCE RULE WOULD COST AT LEAST AN ADDITIONAL $300 MILLION A YEAR AT 1992-93 PRICES BASED ON PRESENT QUALIFYING RESIDENCE REQUIREMENTS.
ON THE PROVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES, MRS WONG SAID THE REAL GROWTH IN THIS AREA WOULD BE INCREASED BY 10 PER CENT FROM THE PRESENT $477 MILLION TO $527 MILLION NEXT YEAR.
THERE WILL BE 18 ADDITIONAL SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS AND FOUR ADDITIONAL OUTREACHING SOCIAL WORK TEAMS IN 1993-94 ALONE. THE WHITE PAPER TARGET OF ONE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER TO 2,000 STUDENTS WILL BE ACHIEVED BY 1995-96 AND THE FULL WHITE PAPER TARGET OF 30 SOCIAL WORK TEAMS BY 1994-95.
OUTREACHING
/AGREEING THAT