XN000022-1976-02-25 — Page 18

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1976

TURNING TO THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, WHICH COSTS $207 MILLION IN 1976-77 AS COMPARED TO $174 MILLION IN THE REVISED ESTIMATE FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID HE HAD ACCEPTED SUCH AN ESTIMATE BECASUE THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE HAD ASSURED THE FINANCE BRANCH THAT THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES SUCCESSFULLY CLAIMING UNEMPLOYMENT OF THE BREADWINNER AS THE REASON FOR SEEKING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE HAD INCREASED ONLY FROM 530 AS AT APRIL 1, 1974, TO 3,240 AT NOVEMBER 30, 1975 WHEN THEY ACCOUNTED FOR UNDER SIX PER CENT OF THE CASELOAD.

+ IF WE ADD IN THOSE CLAIMING LOW EARNINGS, THE PERCENTAGE OF THE CASELOAD REPRESENTED BY THOSE CLAIMING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ON ECONOMIC GROUNDS INCREASES FROM 14 PER CENT IN 1974 TO 23 PER CENT IN 1975.

+FROM THESE PERCENTAGES, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE HAS ARGUED THAT AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE ECONOMY WILL PROBABLY RESULT IN HIS SHEDDING ONLY 5,000 CASES FROM HIS NOVEMBER 1975 CASELOAD OF 55,000.

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