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"In drawing up the estimates of expenditure, as I explained earlier when outlining my budget strategy, our first expenditure priority has been to provide funds to meet the targets announced by the Governor in his Policy Addresses to this Council and to implement the initiatives published by Branch Secretaries in their Policy Commitments in October 1994," he said.
Sir Hamish then outlined some of the highlights of these extensive improvements.
For the elderly, the Government would implement the recommendations of the Working Group on Care for the Elderly, involving both welfare and medical services. It would provide an extra 1,489 places in care and attention homes, an additional 23 social centres, four day care centres, three multi-service centres and two elderly health centres.
For children, the Government would provide an extra 1,400 day nursery places and 250 day creche places.
For people with a disability, the Government would provide an extra 1,287 residential places, 1,008 day places and 471 pre-school places.
For children and single parents, the standard Comprehensive Social Security Assistance payments would be increased from April 1 by $205 a month for children and by $200 a month for single parents. In addition, full-time students aged 19-21 would receive the standard rate for children instead of the standard rate for adults, giving them between $420 and $555 more a month. On top of these improvements, there would be the normal increases to compensate for inflation.
For the sick, the Government would provide an extra 807 hospital beds, hospice care for an extra 400 patients a year, expanded dialysis facilities and improved care for sufferers from diabetes and heart disease.
End/Wednesday, March 1, 1995