XN000022-1978-06-20 — Page 6

TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 1978

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MR. LEE SAID THE PUBLICATION OF BOTH THE WHITE PAPER AND THE FIVE YEAR PLAN IN 1973, INVOLVING HEAVILY THE VOLUNTARY SERVICE ORGANISATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY IN THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS, HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE ADVANTAGE OF CLOSE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR.

HE SAID, VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSALS AND HAVE MADE USEFUL COMMENTS ON THE GREEN PAPERS ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, SOCIAL SECURITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL SOCIAL WORK AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE PUBLISHED LAST YEAR.

HE SAID THAT AGENCIES CONCERNED WITH RESPECTIVE AREAS OF SERVICES WOULD BE EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THE PROJECTS WITH THE SUPPORT FROM GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS WHEN THE GREEN PAPERS BECOME GOVERNMENT POLICY, AS IN THE CASE OF THE ONE ON REHABILITATION SERVICES WHICH TURNED INTO A WHITE PAPER IN 1977.

+ COULD ENVISAGE THAT THERE WILL BE TREMENDOUS SCOPE IN WHICH VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS CAN MAKE USEFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS THE PROVISION OF WELFARE SERVICES IN A WIDE RANGE OF AREAS, HE SAID.

BECAUSE OF THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES IN RECENT YEARS, MR. LEE SAID THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERALL COORDINATION OF WELFARE ACTIVITIES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GOVERNMENT POLICY IN THE WELFARE FIELD, IS UNDERGOING CONSIDERABLE EXPANSION.

+WITH A HISTORY OF 20 YEARS, THE DEPARTMENT HAS GROWN INTO A FAIR-SIZE ORGANISATION WITH A STAFF OF ABOUT 2,400 AND IS SPENDING AN INCREASING AMOUNT OF MONEY EACH YEAR ON SERVICES OF ALL KINDS PROVIDED THROUGH 160 CENTRES AND OFFICER, HE SAID.

MR. LEE POINTED OUT THAT THE DEPARTMENT'S PROVISION OF SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS, FAMILY AND CHILD CARE SERVICE, COMMUNITY AND YOUTH WORK, REHABILITATION AS WELL AS PROBATION AND CORRECTIONS DEMANDED SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES IN EXPENDITURE, WHICH AMOUNTED TO $415 MILLION FOR THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.

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