XN000022-1980-11-19 — Page 18

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1980

+ IT WILL, OF COURSE, BE OPEN TO THE REVIEW COMMITTEE TO INCREASE OR MODIFY THIS GROWTH RATE FOR THE 1984/87 TRIENNIUM BUT PRELIMINARY PLANNING TO PROVIDE FOR THESE EXTRA NUMBERS NEED NOT BE DELAYED, HE SAID.

ON THE HON S.L. CHEN'S SUGGESTION THAT TUITION FEES AT THE UNIVERSITIES AND THE POLYTECHNIC SHOULD REFLECT THE FULL COSTS, PROVIDED THAT THE NEEDY WERE SUBSIDISED UNDER AN ADJUSTED STUDENT FINANCE SCHEME, MR HO EXPRESSED DOUBT OVER ITS PRACTICABILITY.

HOWEVER, HE SAID, ON THE ADVICE OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IT HAD BEEN DECIDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD REVIEW EACH YEAR THE LEVEL OF FEES TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BY THE UPGC FOR GRANT PURPOSES IN FOUR YEARS TIME.

ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, MR HO SAID THE QUALIFYING AGE FOR THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE, NOW AT 70, COULD WELL BE LOWERED AS OUR SOCIETY BECAME MORE AFFLUENT AND OUR SOCIAL SERVICES MORE DEVELOPED.

HE POINTED OUT THAT AT PRESENT THE ELDERLY WHO ARE IN FINANCIAL NEED ALREADY QUALIFY FOR AN EQUIVALENT OLD AGE SUPPLEMENT FROM THE AGE OF 60 THROUGH THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME.

HE AGREED WITH DR THE HON HARRY FANG THAT THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO BUILD MORE CARE AND ATTENTION FACILITIES OR INF IRMAR IES FOR THE ELDERLY.

MR HO SAID AT PRESENT 11 SITES HAD ALREADY BEEN IDENTIFIED, AND AN ADDITIONAL 1 400 SUCH PLACES WERE EXPECTED TO BECOME AVAILABLE BY 1982. HE ALSO ASSURED THAT EFFORTS AT LOCATING SUITABLE SITES WOULD BE SUSTAINED IN ORDER THAT THE TARGET OF MEETING FULL DEMAND MIGHT BE ACHIEVED BY ABOUT 1983.

ON DR FANG'S PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE HOUSING FOR THE MIDDLE- INCOME ELDERLY, MR HO AGREED THAT THIS RELATIVELY LESS VULNERABLE GROUP SHOULD ALSO DESERVE SOME ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT, BUT UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THERE WERE ENOUGH SITES TO MEET THE ESSENTIAL DEMAND OF OTHER TYPES OF WELFARE AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS UNDER PLANNING, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO JUSTIFY THE GRANT OF LAND TO THEM ON CONCESSIONARY TERMS.

+HOWEVER, I CAN SEE NO REASON WHY A PUBLIC CHARITY SPONSORING

A PROJECT FOR THE ELDERLY OF MIDDLE-INCOME BACKGROUND WHO HAVE A CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED SOCIAL NEED FOR THESE FACILITIES SHOULD NOT APPLY TO THE LOTTERIES FUND FOR A BUILDING LOAN, PROVIDED THEY OBTAIN THE NECESSARY LAND ON WHICH TO BUILD SUCH HOMES THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS,+ HE SAID.

IN REPLY TO OTHER SUGGESTIONS BY DR FANG, MR HO SAID WORK ON PROVIDING MORE DROPPED KERBS ALONG THE PAVEMENTS IN CENTRAL DISTRICT FOR THE CROSSING OF PERSONS IN WHEELCHAIRS WAS SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH.

FURTHER CONSIDERATION WOULD ALSO BE GIVEN TO HIS PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE BUILDING ORDINANCE TO ALLOW BUILDERS AN INCREASE IN BUILDING VOLUME TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR WHEELCHAIRS, WHEN THE FINAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT'S REVIEW COMMITTEE ON THE CODE OF PRACTICE FOR THE ACCESS FOR THE DISABLED TO BUILDINGS WAS SUBMITTED.

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