XN000022-1981-06-24 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1981

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AGENCIES WILL BE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES REQUIRED WITHIN THE SUMS ALLOCATED. THERE WILL BE NO +TOPPING UP+ OR +CLAWING BACK+ OF SAVINGS. HOWEVER, ANY SAVINGS THAT MIGHT ACCRUE FOR WHATEVER REASON MUST BE KEPT IN A SEPARATE ACCOUNT AND SUCH FUNDS MAY NOT BE USED WITHOUT THE SPECIFIC APPROVAL OF THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE.

MR HO SAID THE NEW SYSTEM WAS A ROUGH AND READY MEASURE NOT SUSCEPTIBLE TO FINE-TUNING WITHOUT THE INTRODUCTION OF RIGID CONTROLS.

+THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT SUCH CONTROLS ARE IN THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY OR THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES PROVIDING THE SERVICES.

+! MUST, HOWEVER, STRESS THAT VERY CLOSE MONITORING OF THE SERVICES SO FUNDED AND PROVIDED BY THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES WILL BE REQUIRED AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WILL NEED TO BE STRENGTHENED TO ACHIEVE THIS AIM.+

MR HO HAD EARLIER GIVEN A CATEGORICAL ASSURANCE THAT SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMMES WERE NOT BEING AFFECTED BY ANY ALLEGED FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES FACED BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES+, AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT ALLOW SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMMES TO BE UNDERMINED IN THIS MANNER.

HE SAID A FEW AGENCIES HAD SUBMITTED REQUESTS TO THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE FOR SUPPLEMENTARY GRANTS AND THESE WOULD BE PUT TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THEIR ADVICE.

+THIS AVENUE OF APPEAL IS WELL KNOWN TO AGENCIES AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THEY WILL USE IT IF THEY FEEL THE NEED, HE ADDED.

MR HO ALSO OUTLINED THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES AND THE SUBVENTION SYSTEM.

OVER THE YEARS, HE SAID, THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS COME TO ACCEPT, IN THE MAIN, AGENCIES' OWN DECLARATION OF WHAT INCOME IS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT APPROVED SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES AND HAS ENTIRELY DISCOUNTED GRANTS DESIGNATED BY DONORS FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES.

THERE IS ALSO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY CHEST TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ONLY THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S ALLOCATIONS SO THAT AGENCIES CAN KEEP A PORTION OF THE GRANTS TO SPEND AS THEY SEE FIT.

THESE ARRANGEMENTS HAVE ALLOWED AGENCIES SCOPE TO PIONEER AND TO FINANCE NEW SERVICES, MANY OF WHICH HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT.

/+UNDOUBTEDLY