- 31 -
Applications for Senior Citizen Cards on the rise
Following is a question by the Hon Law Chi-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
I have received a number of complaints concerning the long time taken in processing applications for Senior Citizen Cards. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of
Reply:
(a) the respective average number of applications received and cases
processed each month during the past year;
(b)
(c)
(a)
(b)
the current number of Social Welfare Department staff who are responsible for processing applications for Senior Citizen Cards, and the average number of applications which they have to handle each month; and
the vetting procedure for the issue of a Senior Citizen Card as well as the average time an applicant has to wait before being issued with the card after filling an application, and whether the Government has considered increasing the number of staff handling the applications or streamlining the application procedure in order to expedite the process?
During the past year, the average number of applications received each month is 4,588 (including both new applications and applications for replacement cards). The average number of cards issued each month is 3,981.
The current number of Social Welfare Department staff who are responsible for processing applications for Senior Citizen Cards is 5. As mentioned in part (a) of the answer, the average number of applications received (including new applications and applications for replacement cards) is 4,588. Due to a marked increase in the number of applications received in the second half of 1996, the Senior Citizen Card Office has to deal with an average of 3,881 accumulated applications each month.