XN000022-1979-04-25 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1979

SUPPORTING SERVICES

TO HELP MEET A SHORTFALL IN TRAINED MANPOWER, THE UNIVERSITIES AND POLYTECHNIC WILL EXPAND THE IR SOCIAL WORK DEPARTMENTS TO CATER FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10 TO 30 PER CENT OF STUDENTS.

THE GOVERNMENT WILL ALSO GIVE HIGH PRIORITY TO IN-SERVICE TRAINING, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW OF THE IDENTIFIED NEED FOR TRAINED STAFF WHO ARE NOT GRADUATES IN SOCIAL WORK.

FINANCING

IN VIEW OF THE SCALE OF DEVELOPMENTS ENVISAGED IN THE COMING DECADE, THE GOVERNMENT HOPES TO PROPOSE SHORTLY FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR AN IMPROVED SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTION SYSTEM IN ORDER TO GIVE GREATER FINANCIAL SECURITY TO AGENCIES PROVIDING SERVICES IN HIGH PRIORITY AREAS.

AS SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERABLY IMPROVED IN RECENT YEARS, IT IS CONSIDERED NOT UNREASONABLE FOR THOSE WHO RECEIVE SUCH BENEFITS TO BE ASKED TO MAKE SOME CONTRIBUTION TO THE COST OF SERVICES THEY ENJOY.

ON FEE CHARGING IN GENERAL, THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW IS THAT THE USER OF A SERVICE SHOULD PAY A REASONABLE FEE ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT INTENDED THAT THE FULL ECONOMIC COST SHOULD BE CHARGED, NOR SHOULD IT BE PITCHED SO HIGH AS TO DISCOURAGE POTENTIAL CLIENTS FROM USING THE SERVICE.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

THE

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSALS ENVISAGED IN THE WHITE PAPER WILL INVOLVE HEAVY CAPITAL AND RECURRENT EXPENDITURE. ADDITIONAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURE FOR NEW OR IMPROVED SERVICES, INCLUDING ALLOCATIONS FROM THE LOTTERIES FUND, IS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT $100 MILLION FROM 1979-80 TO 1986-87, WHILE ADDITIONAL RECURRENT EXPENDITURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE $1,953 MILLION FOR THE SAME PERIOD, INCREASING FROM $163 MILLION IN 1979-80 TO $304 MILLION IN 1986-87.

TOTAL RECURRENT EXPENDITURE IN SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE FROM $422 MILLION IN 1979-80 TO $617 MILLION BY 1986-87, WHEN SOME 108,400 PEOPLE WILL BENEFIT FROM THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, 40,000 FROM THE DISABILITY ALLOWANCE, AND 203,500 FROM THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE.

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