XN000022-1978-04-11 — Page 2

TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1978

MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY

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FIVE MAJOR SOCIAL SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED THIS MONTH AND THREE OF THEM ALONE BENEFIT AN ESTIMATED 55,000 PEOPLE, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, HR. THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY,

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON EAST, MR. LEE SAID THE RECIPIENTS BENEFIT IN THE FORM OF LONG-TERM AND OLD-AGE SUPPLEMENTS, AND EXTENSION OF THE WELFARE ALLOWANCE SCHEME TO INCLUDE THOSE LIVING IN INSTITUTIONS.

THE OTHER TWO IMPROVEMENTS, HE SAID, ARE THE DISREGARDED INCOME PROVISION IN WORKING OUT THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, AND THE SETTING UP OF AN INDEPENDENT BOARD TO HEAR APPEALS AGAINST OFFICIAL DECISIONS ON SOCIAL SECURITY APPLICATIONS.

MR. LEE DESCRIBED THESE INNOVATIONS AS +ANOTHER STRIDE FORWARD+ IN HELPING THOSE LEAST ABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES.

THEIR IMPLEMENTATION WOULD COST ABOUT $49 MILLION IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR, AND COVER MORE PEOPLE IN NEED OF WELFARE ASSISTANCE, HE SAID,

+THERE ARE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS WHICH ARE NOW UNDER STUDY, NOT ONLY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY, BUT FOR OTHER AREAS OF SOCIAL WELFARE AS WELL,+ HE SAID.

ALL THESE REPRESENT THE GOVERNMENT'S ENDEAVOUR TO SUSTAIN A VIGOROUS RATE OF PROGRESS IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL WELFARE DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG, HE ADDED.

THE DIRECTOR NOTED THAT THE NEW PROVISIONS INEVITABLY INCREASED THE WORKLOAD OF THE STAFF WHO WERE ALREADY WORKING HARD TO PROCESS ELIGIBLE CASES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

OUTLINING DETAILS OF THE IMPROVEMENTS, HE SAID THE LONG-TERM SUPPLEMENT WAS AN ANNUAL PAYMENT OF $500 FOR A FAMILY OR $250 FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAD BEEN RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR MORE THAN 12 MONTHS, IN ORDER TO HELP THEM REPLACE HOUSEHOLD AND DURABLE GOODS.

AN ESTIMATED 17,600 PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CASES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS SUPPLEMENT, HE SAID.

THE OLD-AGE SUPPLEMENT, MR. LEE EXPLAINED, AIMS AT HELPING NEEDY OLD PERSONS WHO ARE NOT YET ELIGIBLE FOR THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE, FOR WHICH THE QUALIFYING AGE IS NOW 75, TO BE REDUCED EVENTUALLY TO 70 BY APRIL NEXT YEAR IF PROPOSALS ARE IMPLEMENTED.

/+IT IS...