Motion debate on "disparity of wealth"
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in the motion debate on "Disparity of Wealth in Hong Kong" moved by the Hon Fung Kin-kee in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Mr President,
I have taken part in many motion debates on disparity of wealth or poverty in this Council in the last two years, but this is the first time I have ever heard members accusing the Government of turning a blind eye to the plight of those in need. I think this is extremely unfair to the Government. In supporting this Motion, Members would, in effect, be concluding that most of what we do to relieve the plight of the vulnerable in our society through the Social Welfare Department and through the 174 non-governmental organisations we subvent is regarded as worthless by this Council. I suggest this conclusion would be viewed with considerable dismay by the thousands of social workers and other professionals funded by Government who work with great dedication to help those in need.
Of course, we do not turn a blind eye to the plight of those in need. I would not dare to claim that we are doing enough or that we could not do more. But our eyes are firmly on the vulnerable and the weak. We are not blind nor are our eyes turned away.
The policy commitments we have just issued contain many services which are provided to ensure the vulnerable elderly and those on public assistance get more help. Indeed, as pointed out by the Governor in last week's address, there are even those who are beginning to express concern that we may be on the slippery road to welfarism as a result of the new higher CSSA payments introduced this year.
We are currently providing CSSA support to about 200 000 financially vulnerable people at a cost of $6.3 billion a year. This means CSSA expenditure has more than quadrupled in four years. 560 000 people over 65 years of age or 92% of the population of Hong Kong in this age group are now receiving some form of financial public assistance.
Mr President, a Government that spends over $10 billion a year from its General Revenue to provide direct financial assistance to over 690 000 persons, or more than one in every ten members of its society; a Government that has increased its recurrent spending on social welfare for those most in need by 65% over and above inflation in the last four years alone cannot be said to have turned a blind eye to the plight of those in need.