TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 1993
GOVT AIMS TO IMPROVE SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES
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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR IAN STRACHAN, TODAY (TUESDAY) GAVE AN ASSURANCE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO IMPROVE BOTH THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES.
THE
SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON OF THE DEPARTMENT, HE SAID IT WAS ENCOURAGING THAT THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, IN HIS BUDGET SPEECH, HAD PROPOSED TO ALLOCATE $7.63 BILLION, INCLUDING $224 MILLION FROM LOTTERIES FUND, FOR SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES FOR THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR.
IMPROVEMENTS
OF THE COMPREHENSIVE
MR STRACHAN NOTED THAT THERE WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT ON THE WELFARE FRONT WITH THE INTRODUCTION SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE SCHEME ON JULY 1.
HE SAID THE SCHEME WAS DEVISED TO HELP THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO MEET THE BASIC NEEDS OF THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE.
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SCHEME IS LEVEL OF SUPPORT
'THE UNDERLYING PHILOSOPHY OF THIS NON-CONTRIBUTORY THAT THE GREATER THE NEED, THE GREATER WILL BE THE FROM GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.
...
HE STRESSED AGAIN THAT ONLY ONE PER CENT UNDER THE NEW SCHEME WOULD BE GETTING THE STANDARD EXTRA PAYMENT.
OF ALL RECIPIENTS RATE WITHOUT ANY
"THIS REPRESENTS ABOUT 1,000 PEOPLE OUT OF A TOTAL OF 100,000 WHO WILL BENEFIT UNDER THE NEW SCHEME.
"THEY ARE MAINLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE LESS NEEDS SUCH AS THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE TO PAY RENTS.
"IT IS THEREFORE NOT MEANINGFUL TO CONCENTRATE ON THE LEVEL ALLOWANCE FOR THIS SMALL GROUP, HE SAID.
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OF
MR STRACHAN SAID THE AVERAGE MONTHLY ASSISTANCE FOR A SINGLE PERSON UNDER THE NEW SCHEME WOULD BE $2,000 A MONTH, AN INCREASE OF 19 PER CENT.
SCHOOL-RELATED
"THIS INCLUDES A STANDARD RATE PLUS A COMBINATION OF OTHER ALLOWANCES SUCH AS RENT ALLOWANCE,
ALLOWANCE, TRAVELLING EXPENSES ALLOWANCE AND EXTRA DIET ALLOWANCE.
"THIS $2,000 A MONTH ALLOWANCE IS THE AVERAGE FOR A SINGLE PERSON, ABOUT 37 PER CENT OF THIS GROUP WILL BE GETTING BETWEEN $2,000 AND $3,000 A MONTH, WHILE ABOUT FIVE PER CENT WILL BE GETTING MORE THAN $3,000 A MONTH, HE SAID.
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HE ADDED THAT THE SAME ARRANGEMENTS OF PAYMENT APPLIED TO FAMILY CASES UNDER THE NEW SCHEME.
"THE AVERAGE PAYMENT FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR MONTH, AN INCREASE OF 22 PER CENT.
WILL
BE $5,880 A
"OF THIS