XN000022-1972-10-19 — Page 2

1

2

Thursday, October 19, 1972

The proposals cover a balanced social security system, community

development with emphasis on youth and the family, facilities for the dis-

abled, aid to the elderly, rehabilitation of young offenders and probationers,

and effective supporting services in training, planning, research and evalua-

tion.

On social security, the white paper recommends emergency relief to

victims of disasters, a means-teated public assistance scheme to guarantee

an acceptable level of income to those in the community who have the least

money, and in particular, an outright regular monthly payment

that is,

without a means test to assist the "most vulnerable groups" in the community.

With regard to the latter, the white paper proposes that the first

groups to be helped without a means test should be the severely disabled and

those over 75 years of age. Then, if the scheme is successful, it should be

extended to other groups, such as widowed mothers with young children and

the chronically sick.

On community development, the white paper wants facilities extended

so that they become available to the population as a whole.

To this end it recommends a comprehensive network of community

and social centres, and estate welfare buildings and community halls in all

areas in the Colony.

It proposes the appointment of community and youth officers to co-

ordinate community services in each of the 15 urban and rural districts, with

community workers employed by voluntary agencies operating at the street, or

block, level.

/Above all,