XN000022-1977-03-02 — Page 12

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 1977

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PROPOSAL TO LOWER AGE LIMIT OF ELIGIBILITY FOR

INFIRMITY ALLOWANCE

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THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, TODAY SUGGESTED THAT SOME PRIORITY SHOULD BE GIVEN TO LOWERING THE AGE LIMIT OF ELIGIBILITY FOR INFIRMITY ALLOWANCE.

IN HIS BUDGET SPEECH, HE RECALLED THAT HE HAD SUGGESTED LAST YEAR THAT A REVIEW SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT TO ESTABLISH WHERE THE NEED FOR CONTINUING TO EXPAND SOCIAL SERVICES, APART FROM CASH PAYMENTS TRULY LIES+.

SUCH A REVIEW, HE SAID, WAS BEING CONDUCTED IN RESPECT OF PROPOSALS FOR THE ELDERLY AND FOR PREVENTIVE SOCIAL WORK AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE.

+A REVIEW OF OUR SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMMES IS ALSO TO BE CARRIED OUT AND WILL COVER NOT ONLY ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONS, BUT ALSO THE EXTENT TO WHICH VULNERABLE GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY SHOULD BE FURTHER ASSISTED WITH CASH PAYMENTS.+

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID: THE DRAFT ESTIMATES PROVIDE FOR EXPENDITURE OF $433 MILLION ON SOCIAL WELFARE IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR, COMPARED WITH THE REVISED ESTIMATE FOR 1976-77 OF $368 MILLION.+

THE FIGURE, HE SAID, WAS 5.2 PER CENT OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE IN 1977-78.

HE INDICATED THAT THE PROVISION FOR RECURRENT EXPENDITURE FOR THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR WAS $425 MILLION, WHILE ESTIMATED RECURRENT EXPENDITURE ON SOCIAL SECURITY AT $280 MILLION, ACCOUNTED FOR NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF THIS PROVISION. THIS REPRESENTED AN

INCREASE OF $39 MILLION OVER THE REVISED ESTIMATE FOR 1976-77.

THIS PROVISION, HE WENT ON, ALSO INCLUDED THE $68 MILLION FOR SUBVENTIONS, AN INCREASE OF 22 PER CENT ON THE 1976-77 REVISED ESTIMATÉ.

REFERRING TO THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID THAT IN THE 12 MONTHS ENDING ON NOVEMBER 30, LAST YEAR, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CASES DECLINED BY A NET 10 PER CENT, FROM 55,500 TO 50,100.

+ I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED A FURTHER NET DECLINE IN PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CASES DURING 1977-78, BUT FOR THE EXTENSION OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ELIGIBILITY TO YOUNG PERSONS AGED 15 TO 17 WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED FAMILY MEMBERS, AND TO ABLE-BODIED UNEMPLOYED ADULTS BETWEEN 18 AND 55 WHO, HAVING RESIDED IN HONG KONG FOR OVER TWO YEARS, HAVE BEEN OUT OF WORK FOR A MONTH, HE SAID, THIS EXTENSION WILL COME INTO EFFECT ON APRIL 1, THIS YEAR.+

ON THE