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We have an equally strong commitment to the provision of the whole range of social services expected of a community as well off as ours. We have a duty to provide care and support for the vulnerable and the less fortunate in our society; to provide decent and affordable housing; and to ensure greater protection for everyone at work. We have done much in these and indeed every other area of public service over the last 3 years. We are proud of our record. Let me highlight some of the measures from my Policy Address today which we hope will have a significant impact on the quality of life of many of our fellow citizens.
We intend, on the basis of the preliminary findings of a review of our benefits system, to increase help for those most in need by between 12% and 54% from 1 April 1996. Some $2,000 people will benefit. It will cost $300 million. The whole review is due to be completed early next year. If it recommends additional benefits, we will wish to support that too.
* We intend to launch the final phase of the Castle Peak Hospital
redevelopment programme at a cost of $850 million.
* We've announced more help for the chronically ill.
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We'll spend 9 billion dollars this year on the elderly that's a 50 per cent increase over and above inflation compared with three years ago.
On housing, one of the community's most important priorities:
* We will cut waiting times for public housing rental flats from seven years to
under five years by 2001.
* All elderly people currently living in bedspace apartments will be provided
with decent accommodation by 1997.
* A $1 billion Special Repair Programme will be launched for about 230 older
public housing blocks.
And, at work:
* We are determined to improve Hong Kong's safety record at the workplace, which is extremely bad. A "Charter for Safety in the Workplace" will be launched next year. We simply must do more to stop the senseless loss of life and the awful accidents and injuries in our factories and, most of all, on our building sites.