XN000022-1978-04-26 — Page 12

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1978

WHILE COMMENTING ON THIS ALLOWANCE, MR. CHEONG-LEEN THOUGHT TH, THE GENERAL QUESTION OF RETIREMENT AGE AND THE RANGE OF BENEFITS AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE AS THEY GROW OLD SHOULD BE REVIEWED.

FOR EXAMPLE THERE IS THE QUESTION OF THE EXTENT AND PACE GOVERNMENT WILL ENCOURAGE OR LEGISLATE FOR NARROWING. THE GAP IN RETIREMENT BENEFITS AS BETWEEN CIVIL SERVANTS WHICH ARE REASONABLY GOOD AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WITHOUT DETRIMENT TO CONTINUE ECONOMIG GROWTH.

PROTECTING THE VALUE OF BENEF ITS

THE AD HOC GROUP AGREED THAT THE INDEX WEIGHTINGS PRESENTLY ADOPTED FOR DETERMINING THE LEVEL OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ARE UNSATISFACTORY.

FATHER MCGOVERN HOPED THE NEW INDEX WHICH IS BEING PREPARED WILL REFLECT REALISTICALLY THE IMPROVED LIVING STANDARDS OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

MRS. KWAN KO STU-WAH POINTED OUT THAT THE PRESENT WEIGHTING SYSTEM IS UNSATISFACTORY DESPITE THE GRANTING OF LONG-TERM SUPPLEMENTS BECAUSE IT ALLOCATES AS MUCH AS 79 PER CENT OF THE WEIGHTINGS TO FOOD, LEAVING LITTLE FOR OTHER ITEMS TO ENABLE A RECIPIENT TO LEAD A DIGNIFIED LIFE.

MISS BENNETT URGED THAT THE METHOD OF MONITORING PRICE FLUCTUATIONS AND ADJUSTING THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BE RE-EXAMINED. SHE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S LOWLY PAID WORKERS HAD AS FROM APRIL LAST YEAR A SALARY REVISION WHICH INCORPORATED THE PREVIOUS COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE. HOWEVER THE PRESENT COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE FOR THESE WORKERS IS NOW $15 A MONTH.

SHE REALISED THAT PUBLIC ASSISTANCE CANNOT BE EQUATED WITH THE GOVERNMENT PAY SCALE BUT SHE SUGGESTED THAT CROSS- REFERENCE MIGHT BE MADE TO IT FROM TIME TO TIME.

OCCUPATIONAL BENEFITS

THE AD HOC GROUP EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE POSSIBLE MEANING OF A PART OF THE GREEN PAPER WHICH SAYS +............. THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT EXPECT OCCUPATIONAL BENEFITS TO PLAY AN ENLARGED ROLE IN THE FORMAL STRUCTURE OF SOCIAL SECURITY NOR THAT EMPLOYERS WILL BE REQUIRED, BY LAW, TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER TYPE OF BENEFIT.+

FATHER MCGOVERN SAID THE GROUP TOOK IT THAT THE SENTENCE IS STRICTLY IN THE CONTEXT OF FUTURE SOCIAL SECURITY LAWS AND WOULD LIKE AN ASSURANCE THAT IT WILL IN NO WAY INTERFERE WITH BENEFITS WHICH MAY ARISE FROM FUTURE LABOUR LAW.

SOCIAL SECURITY APPEAL BOARD

DR. FANG ASKED THAT THE PANEL OF MEMBERS SERVING THE BOARD SHOULD INCLUDE AN APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION WITH SUCH QUALIFICATIONS AS TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH ALL KINDS OF DISABILITY.