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How do we act now? What do we do about CSA's? How do we best take it forward? I find it difficult to believe that the right approach isn't to look at the household expenditure survey, at what it tells us about the real needs of people like you, about the real needs of families and individuals who are in need who may be facing up to hardship and then deal with the consequences of that review towards the end of this year. But I hope that we won't focus on one single figure, particularly if that figure is less than the average payments that people are getting. And I hope that when agencies give their examples of social need and there are examples of social need, to newspapers, I hope that when newspapers write up those examples of those in need, they won't just look at the basic welfare payments or look at the aggregate amounts that people are getting, their special grants as well as their basic level payments, because we very often find that when we read harrowing stories about people who very often are in need, reported in the newspapers, the actual figures given for what they are getting, don't take account of the grants and other help that they're supporting as well. None of that is to suggest that there aren't real pockets of need and poverty in Hong Kong that we need to address. But I hope we can address those issues in a way which takes account of the facts and doesn't simply bury them.
I'm afraid that's all I've got time for this afternoon but I hope that I'll be able to come back again.
Question (by media after the meeting): There are some people criticising that 8.5 increase on the public assistance money is too low and say Government should not give up on the elderly plan. Your reaction.
Governor: Since the Summer of 1992, since I became Governor of Hong Kong, benefit levels under the CSA have increased for a family of four by about 70%, that's 38% in real terms. They've increased for a single person by 58% since I became Governor of Hong Kong, that's 29% in real terms. So we have been increasing and increasing substantially ahead of the rate of inflation the benefits for those who are in need. This April we're giving special extra assistance to single parents and to children, We're also undertaking a comprehensive review of CSSA rates, basing that review on the household expenditure survey so that the community as a whole, not just the Government, because it's the community that will pay through it's taxes. So the community as a whole can take some rational decisions about whether we need to make further substantial increases in CSSA rates. But I do think in addressing the issue people should take account of what's been done in the last couple of years. We have responsibilities as we get better off as a community to look after more comprehensively those who are in need. I want to see us do that in a prudent and sensible and rational way.
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