XN000022-1981-10-07 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1981

IMPROVEMENTS IN SOCIAL SECURITY AND SERVICES

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ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS HAVE NOW BEEN FORMULATED TO REPLACE THE SEMI-VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTORY SICKNESS, INJURY AND DEATH BENEFIT SCHEME ADVOCATED IN THE 1977 GREEN PAPER +HELP FOR THOSE LEAST ABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES+, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE SAID TODAY.

THE PROPOSALS, AGREED BY THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD AND BOTH SIDES OF INDUSTRY, WILL COVER TE SAME RISKS WITHOUT EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.

SIR MURRAY SAID THE PROPOSALS ENVISAGE

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ENTITLEMENT TO SICK LEAVE WITH PAY UNDER THE ORDINA..CE

BE ING EXTENDED UP TO AN ACCUMULATED MAXIMUM OF 120 DAYS.

A DEATH GRANT BEING PAYABLE TO FAMILY OF A WAGE-EARNER AT A FLAT RATE OF $3 000 IF DEATH OCCURS DURING EMPLOYMENT, AND SUBJECT TO A QUALIFYING PERIOD OF SERVICE-

WHERE THIS DEATH GRANT IS NOT PAYABLE BY THE EMPLOYER, AN EQUIVALENT GRANT, SUBJECT TO CERTAIN CONDITIONS, WOULD BE PAYABLE WITHOUT MEANS-TEST UNDER THE SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE SCHEME ADMINISTERED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT.

AMENDMENTS TO THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE DEALING WITH THESE MATTERS WILL BE INTRODUCED DURING THE CURRENT SESSION OF THE COUNCIL AND ARRANGEMENTS TO INTRODUCE THE DEATH GRANT UNDER THE SPECIAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE SCHEME ARE BEING MADE.

ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME AS A WHOLE, SIR MURRAY SAID THE PAST YEAR HAD SEEN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN BENEFITS PAYABLE UNDER THE SCHEME.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL SOCIAL WORK IN THIS CROWDED CITY+ IS OBVIOUS, AND HAS BEEN UNDERLINED BY THE WORK ING GROUP ON JUVENILE CRIME.

ON CHANGES IN THE SUBVENTION SYSTEM, SIR MURRAY SAID THAT, SUBJECT TO THE NECESSARY FUNDS BEING VOTED BY FINANCE COMMITTEE, WITH EFFECT FROM 1982, PRIORITY I SERVICES WILL BE SUBVENTED ON FULL ASSESSED COSTS, WHILE PRIORITY | SERVICES WILL BE SUBVENTED IN A SUM BASED ON A DEFINED PERCENTAGE OF ASSESSED COSTS.

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