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Like all other members of our society, new arrivals are entitled to the same full range of general services provided by the Social Welfare Department and Labour Department. Both departments do not keep separate statistics on the proportion of their resources which have been allocated for the provision of general services to new arrivals. Nevertheless, we are aware that some of them may encounter adaptation difficulties and need special assistance. Government is therefore working closely with other voluntary agencies to provide a host of dedicated services to new arrivals to facilitate their smooth integration into our society as quickly as possible. The Social Welfare Department has been subventing the Hong Kong Branch of the International Social Services (ISS-HK) to provide a wide range of post-migration services. Programmes to help new arrivals begin at the moment they arrive. These include the provision of general enquiry services and assistance at the Hung Hom Railway Station, special orientation programmes, counselling and referral services. In 1997-98, Social Welfare Department will allocate a total of $3.53 million to ISS-HK, representing about 0.02% of the total welfare expenditure, $19 500 million, for 1997-
98.
As regards the Labour Department, it has in 1997/98 sought new provision of $1.66 million ($2.13 million for full year annual recurrent) for setting up a one-stop Employment Service Centre for New Arrivals. The Centre will provide a comprehensive range of employment service for new arrivals including the provision of labour market information, counselling on practices and conditions of work in Hong Kong, careers guidance, intensive job matching and job referrals. The new provision, if approved, represents 0.28% of the department's total estimated expenditure for 1997/98.