FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 1993
ACCOUNTING ARRANGEMENT FOR LOTTERIES FUND INJECTION
THE
THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR IAN STRACHAN,
THAT (FRIDAY)
THE INJECTION OF THE $2.3 BILLION INTO FUND HAD NO IMPLICATION FOR THE PROGRAMME ANNOUNCED IN THE POLICY ADDRESS FOR IMPLEMENTATION BY 1996/97.
IT WAS PURELY AN ACCOUNTING ARRANGEMENT.
SAID TODAY LOTTERIES GOVERNOR'S
"THE SECRETARY FOR THE TREASURY HAD REAFFIRMED AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE ON MARCH 17 THAT THE CURRENT FINANCIAL FORECASTS SHOWED THAT
GENERAL REVENUE ALLOCATION (GRA) WOULD BE ABLE RECURRENT
OF SERVICES FUNDED BY THE LOTTERIES COST CAPITAL INJECTION WAS EXHAUSTED AFTER 1996/97," HE ADDED.
THE
ΤΟ FUND
ABSORB THE WHEN THE
HE NOTED THAT LAST OCTOBER THE GOVERNOR HAD PLEDGED TO
AND THE KEY TARGETS IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE WHITE PAPER IMPLEMENT
THE
GREEN REHABILITATION
THE PAPER, AS WELL AS TO IMPROVE
MEANS-TESTED BENEFITS UNDER THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE SCHEME.
"BY USING THE LOTTERIES FUND TO FUND EXISTING NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS SERVICES, IT WILL
ΤΟ BE POSSIBLE
FUND ALL SOCIAL SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS PROM THE GRA THEREBY AVOIDING EXCESSIVELY COMPLICATED DUAL PAYMENT SYSTEMS WHICH WOULD HAVE DELAYED COMPUTERISATION, HE ADDED.
"
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S ALLOCATION PACKAGE ON SOCIAL WELFARE BUT WAS A BALANCED ONE WITH IMPROVEMENTS NOT ONLY ON SOCIAL SECURITY ALSO ON DIRECT SERVICES.
HE NOTED THAT BETWEEN NOW AND 1996/97, RECURRENT SPENDING ON SOCIAL WELFARE WOULD INCREASE BY 26 PER CENT IN REAL TERMS.
WOULD
HE ADDED THAT THE $7,633 MILLION OF THE 1993/94 DRAFT ESTIMATES CAPITAL BE SPENT ON THE DEPARTMENT'S ADMINISTRATION, RECURRENT EXPENDITURE FOR NON-GOVERNMENT RUN SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES AND RECURRENT EXPENDITURE ON GOVERNMENT-RUN WELFARE SERVICES.
HE
REITERATED THAT ALTHOUGH THE THRUST OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROVISIONS WOULD AIM TO MEET KEY TARGETS, THE QUALITY OF SERVICE WOULD ALSO BE IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY.
"THE GOVERNOR SAID IN HIS POLICY ADDRESS THAT HONG KONG TOOK PRIDE IN THE WAY THE TERRITORY HAD IMPROVED ITS WELFARE SERVICES IN SOCIAL BOTH SCOPE AND QUALITY OVER THE LAST DECADE, THE PROVISION FOR WELFARE UNDER THE DRAFT ESTIMATES WILL ENABLE US TO CONTINUE TO FOR THAT DIRECTION, HE ADDED.
THE
"
HEAD
BE
NEW COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE SCHEME TO IMPLEMENTED ON JULY 1 WILL BRING REAL IMPROVEMENTS TO CUSTOMERS OF BETWEEN FOUR AND 37 PER CENT IN MONTHLY PAYMENT.
IN ADDITION TO THE SCHEME, HE SAID ADDITIONAL MEDICAL SOCIAL
PROBATION WORKERS,
OFFICERS, FAMILY CASE WORKERS AND SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS WERE AREAS TO BE IMPROVED.
/MR STRACHAN