XN000022-1978-11-29 — Page 11

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1978

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OLD AGE ALLOWANCE APPLICATIONS

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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, THE HON. THOMAS LEE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) HIS DEPARTMENT HAD MADE ARRANGEMENTS, INCLUDING WORK ING OVERTIME BY SOME OF THE STAFF, TO CLEAR THE BACKLOG OF APPLICATIONS FOR OLD AGE ALLOWANCES,

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR. LEE SAID THE BACKLOG WAS DUE TO THE INITIAL INFLUX OF NEW APPLICATIONS SINCE THE LOWERING OF THE QUALIFYING AGE FOR OLD AGE ALLOWANCES FROM 75 TO 70 YEARS ON OCTOBER 1.

HE SAID SOME OF THE STAFF HAD STARTED WORKING OVERTIME,

ALL NEW WELFARE ASSISTANTS WERE ASSIGNED TO PROCESS

THESE APPLICATIONS EXCLUSIVELY, AND ANOTHER RECRUITMENT EXERCISE WAS BEING CARRIED OUT TO PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL MANPOWER REQUIRED.

+ IT IS HOPED THAT THE PRESENT OUTSTANDING CASES WOULD BE DEALT WITH IN ABOUT 10 TO 12 WEEKS,+ HE SAID.

SINCE OCTOBER 1, MR. LEE SAID ABOUT 54,000 PEOPLE HAD APPLIED FOR OLD AGE ALLOWANCES, AND SO FAR 14,000 APPLICATIONS HAD BEEN INVESTIGATED.

OF THESE 14,000, HE SAID, ABOUT 8,000 CASES HAVE BEEN ASSESSED REGARDING THEIR ELIGIBILITY AND ENTITLEMENT, AND ABOUT 7,000 PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN AUTHORISED.

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