XN000022-1977-11-09 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1977

THE NEXT STEP TO FOLLOW, HE SAID, WOULD BE TO EXTEND THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE SCHEME TO COVER THOSE AGED 70 - 75.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THIS WOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN TWO STAGES ONE IN OCTOBER 1978 AND THE OTHER IN APRIL 1979. IN OCTOBER, THE AGE LIMIT WOULD BE LOWERED TC 73 AND IN APRIL 1979 TO 70.

+ IT WOULD NOT BE PRACTICABLE TO AIM TO EXTEND THE SCHEME TO COVER THE LARGE NUMBER ELIGIBLE IN ONE STAGE THERE ARE ALMOST 150,000 AGED BETWEEN 70 - 75. TO DO SO WOULD BE TO INVITE PRECISELY THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTIES WE ARE TRYING TO AVOID, HE EXPLAINED.

AS REGARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, MR. LEE SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TWO MULTI-SERVICE CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY, A MODEST INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HOME HELPERS, NINE MORE SOCIAL CENTRES AND UP TO 500 MORE PLACES IN HOMES FOR THE AGED INCLUDING CARE AND ATTENTION HOMES AND ANOTHER 500 PLACES IN HOSTELS FOR OLD PEOPLE.

+1 ALSO HOPE TO PROVIDE FOR A MODEST MEASURE OF SPECIAL TRANSPORT FOR OLD PEOPLE AND FOR TWO DAY-CARE CENTRES AND TWO HANDICRAFT CENTRES ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS, + HE ADDED.

ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL SOCIAL WORK AMONG YOUTH, MR. LEE SAID THAT THE MAIN THRUST WOULD BE IN THREE AREAS, NAMELY THE EXPANSION IN PLAY LEADERSHIP SCHEMES AND YOUTH GUIDANCE ON A DISTRICT BAS IS AN EXPANSION IN FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK.

=

TURNING TO SPECIFIC POINTS RAISED BY THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, MR. LEE SAID THAT HE WAS PARTICULAR ENCOURAGED BY THE WELCOME THAT HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THE SICKNESS, INJURY AND DEATH BENEFIT SCHEME AND DISCLOSED THAT AN ACTUARIAL STUDY OF THE SCHEME WAS BEING PUT IN HAND SO THAT MORE DETAILED INFORMATION WOULD BE AVAILABLE WHEN THE GOVERNMENT ASSESSED THE RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER ON SOCIAL SECURITY.

+ IF IN THE LIGHT OF THE RESPONSE AND THE STUDY, THE DECISION IS TO GO AHEAD WITH THE SCHEME, A DETAILED DRAFT SCHEME WILL BE PREPARED FOR CONSULTATION WITH EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATIONS, HE SAID.

ON CONTRACTING-OUT ARRANGEMENTS, MR. LEE SAID, IT WOULD BE SIMPLER NOT TO HAVE ANY CONTRACTING-OUT ARRANGEMENTS. BUT I DOUBT WHETHER THAT WOULD BE FAIR TO THOSE FORWARD LOOK ING EMPLOYERS, WHO HAVE INTRODUCED THEIR OWN SCHEMES, WHICH MAY BE VALUED BY EMPLOYEES. EMPLOYERS DO NOT HAVE TO CONTRACT-OUT I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD HAVE THE OPTION.+

BUT

HE ALSO SAID THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE ARRANGEMENTS TO SAFEGUARD THE POSITION OF AN EMPLOYEE WHO CHANGED JOBS, AND THAT PROPOSALS WERE MADE IN THE GREEN PAPER TO DEAL WITH THIS ASPECT,

ON THE PROPOSAL TO INCORPORATE A SAVINGS ELEMENT IN THE SCHEME, MR. LEE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD LOOK INTO THIS, BUT HE FEARED THAT IT MIGHT MAKE THE SCHEME UNDULY COMPLEX.

/AS TO CONTRIBUTIONS