XN000022-1985-11-06 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1985

MR THOMAS SAID HE HAD INDICATED IN A DEBATE JUST ONE YEAR AGO IN THE COUNCIL THAT IT WAS DESIRABLE THAT A COURT OF FINAL APPEAL SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG WELL BEFORE 1997 IN ORDER TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION.

+AS I SAID THEN, THE COURT OUGHT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, WELL BEFORE 1997. TO BUILD A REPUTATION FOR AUTHORITATIVE JUDGMENTS AND EARN THE CONFIDENCE OF HONG KONG PEOPLE AND THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, HE SAID.

FUNDS ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN SERVICES

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THE PROVISION OF $420 MILLION IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTIONS HEAD FOR THE PRESENT FINANCIAL YEAR IS SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING SERVICES OPERATED BY THE SUBVENTED WELFARE AGENCIES,THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HUI YIN-FAT, MR CHAMBERS SAID SUFFICIENT FUNDS WERE ALSO AVAILABLE TO MEET THE SALARY ADJUSTMENT FOR SUBVENTED WELFARE AGENCIES STAFF, ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT BE NECESSARY TO SEEK SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISION TO COVER THIS REQUIREMENT AT A LATER STAGE IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR.

MR CHAMBERS SAID THE FIVE YEAR PLAN FOR SOCIAL WELFARE DEVELOPMENT IDENTIFIED 64 NEW PROJECTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION THIS YEAR AND FUNDS WERE AVAILABLE FOR ALLOCATION TO 51 OF THESE PROJECTS, AND THIS REPRESENTED ALL THE PROJECTS WHICH WERE LIKELY TO BE READY TO COME INTO OPERATION BEFORE THE END OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR.

+THE FIVE YEAR PLAN REVIEW ALSO IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE QUALITY OF EXISTING SERVICES.

→IN VIEW OF THE LIMITED FUNDS AVAILABLE IT WAS DECIDED, ON THE ADVICE OF THE SUBVENTIONS AND LOTTERIES FUND ADVISORY COMMITTEE, TO ACCORD PRIORITY TO THE NEW PROJECTS I HAVE MENTIONED, AND I FEAR THAT IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO IMPLEMENT THESE IMPROVEMENTS THIS YEAR, HE SAID.

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