XN000022-1983-11-23 — Page 6

NESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1983

5

HE AGREED WITH DR HO THAT A BALANCED DEVELOPMENT CE TECHNICAL MANPOWER WAS IMPORTANT AND SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CERTAINLY AIM TO ACHIEVE THIS IN PLANNING TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.

IT HAD GIVEN HIM PARTICULARLY PERSONAL PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE THE BILL AFTER HIS CLOSE ASSOCIATION WITH THE EARLY STAGES OF THE PROJECT, HE SAID.

+AND I CAN READILY CONFIRM MR S.L. CHEN'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE VERY GREAT CONTRIBUTION MADE BY THE STAFF OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC,

+SIR, TO-DAY A NEW EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION WILL HAVE BEEN FORMALLY LAUNCHED, MAY EVERY SUCCESS ATTEND ALL THOSE WHO SAIL IN HER', HE CONCLUDED.

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROVIDES BASIC NEEDS

*****

THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PAID IN ANY PARTICULAR CASE IS CALCULATED ON THE BASIS OF APPROVED RATES AND HAS REGARD TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE RECIPIENT AND HIS FAMILY, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON HENRY CHING SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

PUBLIC ASSISTANCE IS INTENDED TO BRING A FAMILY'S INCOME TO A LEVEL WHERE BASIC NEEDS, SUCH AS FOOD AND CLOTHING, CAN BE MET, HE EXPLAINED.

THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE THEREFORE TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE SIZE OF THE FAMILY AND THE FAMILY'S INCOME, HE ADDED.

THE COST OF ACCOMMODATION IS COVERED SEPARATELY BY A RENTAL ALLOWANCE, AND OTHER ALLOWANCES ARE PAID FOR SPECIAL EXPENSES.

SUPPLEMENTARY PAYMENTS ARE ALSO MADE FOR LONG TERM AND OLD AGE RECIPIENTS.

MR CHING PROVIDED THIS INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG,

+THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PAID IN ANY PARTICULAR CASE WILL THUS VARY FROM TIME TO TIME, DEPENDING UPON THE FAMILY'S CIRCUMSTANCES AS THEY CHANGE.

+REVIEWS OF THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PAID ARE CONDUCTED IN ALL CASES. AND THE FREQUENCY OF THESE REVIEWS DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF THE CASE.

+FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE BREADWINNER HAS LOW EARNINGS OR IS UNEMPLOYED, THE CASE MAY BE REVIEWED MONTHLY IN CERTAIN FAMILY CASES, THE REVIEW MAY BE CONDUCTED EVERY THREE TO FOUR MONTHS- AND IN CASES WHERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES TEND TO BE MORE STABLE, SUCH AS THOSE INVOLVING ELDERLY PERSONS, A REVIEW MAY BE CONDUCTED EVERY TWO YEARS, HE EXPLAINED.

ICTED

/AS A