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NO CHANGE PLANNED FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME

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NO CHANGE IS PROPOSED IN THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME UNDER WHICH PEOPLE ARE GIVEN FINANCIAL HELP TO MEET THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE IF THEY HAVE SAVINGS OF LESS THAN $4 500 IN THE CASE OF

INDIVIDUALS AND $3 000 IN THE CASE OF FAMILY MEMBERS, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS ANSON CHAN, SAID AT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MRS CHAN WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON THE REV JOYCE BENNETT, WHO ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ADOPT THE SAME METHOD OF PAYMENT OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS AS WAS BEING ADOPTED FOR VOLUNTARY SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES.

THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, WAS NOT ANALOGOUS TO THE SUBVENTION SYSTEM FOR VOLUNTARY WELFARE AGENCIES+, AND WAS AN +INCOME MAINTENANCE SCHEME DESIGNED TO ASSIST THOSE WITH INADEQUATE MEANS TO MEET THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE+, SHE SAID.

SMALL DONATIONS UNDER $100 AND DESIGNATED DONATIONS GIVEN TO THESE PEOPLE ARE DISREGARDED, BUT UNDESIGNATED PUBLIC DONATIONS RECEIVED AFTER A NATURAL DISASTER ARE TREATED AS +SAVINGS,+ FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME.

+SAVINGS UNDER $4 500 FOR A SINGLE PERSON OR $3 000 FOR EACH FAMILY MEMBER ARE NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. FOR EXAMPLE, A FOUR-MEMBER FAMILY MAY HAVE SAVINGS OF $12 000 AND STILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE IF THE MONTHLY INCOME IS CONSIDERED INADEQUATE BY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE STANDARDS, SHE SAID.

HOWEVER, A LARGE DONATION COULD RENDER A FAMILY INELIGIBLE FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FROM THE MONTH FOLLOWING RECEIPT UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE SAVINGS FALL BELOW THE PERMITTED LEVEL.

+THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENT IS IN KEEPING WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME AND NO CHANGE IS PROPOSED,+ SHE SAID.

ID CARD FORGERS NOW FACE 14 YEARS' JAIL

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PEOPLE FORGING IDENTITY CARDS NOW RISK GOING TO JAIL FOR UP TO 14 YEARS.

THIS IS PROVIDED UNDER NEW LEGISLATION - THE CRIMES (AMENDMENT)

PASSED TODAY BILL AND THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) (NO. 3) BILL BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE NEW MEASURES COME CLOSE ON THE HEEL OF STIFF PENALTIES WHICH CAME INTO EFFECT LAST WEEK, PROVIDING FOR A FINE OF $50 000 AND SEVEN YEARS' IMPRISONMENT FOR POSSESSION OF A FORGED INDENT ITY CARD.

THE NEW MEASURES ARE DESIGNED TO DETER POSSIBLE ABUSE OF DOCUMENTS OF PROOF OF IDENTITY AND AS A FURTHER DETERRENT TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

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