XN000022-1985-12-11 — Page 19

NESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1985

MR CHAMBERS SAIL SPENDING ON SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES HAD GROWN FROM $365 MILLION IN 1976-77 TO $2 535 MILLION IN 1985-86, AND HAD ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE PER CENT OF TOTAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE IN EACH OF THE LAST 10 YEARS.

MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT DURING THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR, THE GOVERNMENT WAS PAYING SUBVENTIONS TOTALLING $421 MILLION TO 133 VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.

I

+BECAUSE OF THE LARGE SUMS OF MONEY INVOLVED, A FAIRLY TIGHT SYSTEM OF CONTROL OF THE USE OF SUBVENTIONS BY THE AGENCIES IS INEVITABLE - FEAR THAT THE AUDITORS, LIKE THE POOR, WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US - AND THIS IS ONLY RIGHT AND PROPER.

+ THE NEW STANDARD COST SUBVENTION SYSTEM WAS INTENDED TO ENSURE THAT AGENCIES WOULD BE ASSURED OF RECEIVING SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES UP TO AN ACCEPTABLE STANDARD, WHILE ALLOWING THEM A DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY IN THE USE OF THE MONEY PROVIDED.

+ THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PROBLEMS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SYSTEM, BUT I HOPE THAT THESE WILL SOON BE IRONED OUT TO ALLOW ITS EXTENSION TO MORE SERVICES, HE SAID.

MR CHAMBERS SAID THAT DESPITE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS IN RECENT YEARS, STEADY PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE ON THE PROGRAMMES IN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN.

+DURING 1984-85, 577 ADDITIONAL PLACES WERE PROVIDED IN HOSTELS, HOMES AND CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY, AND 983 PLACES IN AIDED DAY NURSERIES, SEVEN SOCIAL CENTREŚ FOR THE ELDERLY, SEVEN CHILDREN'S CENTRES AND 10 YOUTH CENTRES WERE OPENED.

+WE HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO REACH THE TARGETS SET IN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, BUT WE HAVE REGARD TO THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE,+ HE SAID.

MR CHAMBERS ALSO EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE INVALUABLE WORK BEING DONE BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND REITERATED THE GOVERNMENT'S VIEW THAT THERE WOULD CONTINUE TO BE AN IMPORTANT ROLE FOR A VIGOROUS. PROGRESSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE VOLUNTARY SECTOR, WHICH WAS WELL PLACED TO PIONEER NEW AND EXPERIENTAL PROJECTS, AND TO INVOLVE VOLUNTEERS IN WELFARE WORK.

REGARDING WELFARE FOR THE ELDERLY, MR CHAMBERS SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S BASIC POLICY WAS TO PROMOTE THE WELL-BEING OF THE ELDERLY BY PROVIDING SERVICES THAT WOULD ENABLE THEM TO RETAIN THEIR SELF-RESPECT AND REMAIN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.

HE ADDED THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WOULD SHORTLY BE SUBMITTING A STRATEGIC PLAN ON THE PROVISION OF HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR

CONS IDERATION.

/MR CHAMBERS