XN000022-1978-04-12 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1978

+FURTHERMORE, THE $7 MILLION IS LIKELY TO BE REQUIRED FOR NEW PROJECTS FOR THE ELDERLY AND YOUNG PEOPLE, HE ADDED.

TURNING TO MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS IN RELATION TO THE EXPANSION OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. LEE SAID AN ASSESSMENT OF THE FORESEEABLE DEMAND FOR SOCIAL WORKERS, BOTH WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT AND IN THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR, WAS BEING PURSUED WITH URGENCY AND WOULD BE COMPLETED SOON.

+WE WILL THEN HAVE A FIRM BASIS TO APPROACH THE VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS CONCERNED FOR AN INCREASED INTAKE OF SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS, HE SAID.

WHILE ENDORSING THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY DR. THE HON, RAYSON HUANG AND HON. MRS. KWAN KO STU-WAH ON THE NEED FOR INCREASED CAPACITY IN SOCIAL WORK TRAINING, MR. LEE NOTED THAT THE EXPANSION, IF CARRIED OUT TOO DRAMATICALLY, WOULD INVOLVE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES ESPECIALLY IN THE PROVISION OF FIELDWORK PLACEMENT FOR THE STUDENTS.

IN VIEW OF THIS, HE ADVOCATED THE ADOPTION OF A REALISTIC TARGET AND SAID PLANS WERE IN HAND TO ENSURE OPTIMUM USE OF TRAINED PERSONNEL WITHIN THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

REFERRING TO THE PROPOSED SETTING UP OF A SUB-COMMITTEE UNDER THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO PLAN AND INITIATE RESEARCH WORK, MR. LEE SAID THIS ELEMENT HAD ALREADY BEEN INCLUDED IN THE OVERÁLL PLANNING, WITH A COMMITTEE COMPRISING REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR TO SUGGEST RESEARCH PROJECTS DURING THE ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE FIVE- YEAR PLAN.

IN ADDITION, HE SAID, THE PLANNING AND EVALUATION SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE CAN ALSO PROPOSE OTHER RESEARCH PROJECTS IN CONNECTION WITH ANY PLANNING BEING CONSIDERED.

+FUNDS COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FROM THE LOTTERIES FUND, WHERE NECESSARY, FOR INDEPENDENT BODIES TO UNDERTAKE SUCH PROJECTS,+ HE ADDED.

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