XN000022-1987-05-11 — Page 2

MONDAY, MAY 11, 1987

NO PLAN TO CHANGE THREE-TIER SYSTEM

*****

THERE IS AT PRESENT NO CONSIDERATION OF CHANGING THE GENERAL STRUCTURE OF THE THREE-TIER SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT UNDER WHICH HONG KONG OPERATES, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).

HE ADDED THAT THE INTER-RELATIONSHIP OF THIS STRUCTURE WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WHICH WOULD COME UP IN THE GREEN PAPER ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT LATER THIS YEAR.

THE GOVERNOR, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER A FAMILIARISATION VISIT TO THE URBAN COUNCIL, DESCRIBED THE VISIT AS VERY USEFUL.

+1 MUST SAY I AM ENORMOUSLY IMPRESSED BY HOW MUCH THE URBAN COUNCIL DOES, HOW ITS ROLE HAS BEEN DEVELOPING, AND HOW VERY EFFICIENT THE SERVICES IT PROVIDES ARE, SIR DAVID SAID.

THE GOVERNOR ADDED THAT NOT ONLY WAS HE STRUCK BY THE COUNCIL'S WIDE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES SUCH AS PARKS AND OTHER RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, BUT ALSO BY HOW MUCH THAT WENT ON BEHIND THE SCENE.

STANDARD COST SUBVENTION OF WELFARE AGENCIES EXTENDED *****

A GOVERNMENT WORK ING GROUP HAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PRESENT STANDARD COST SUBVENTION SYSTEM FOR SUBVENTED WELFARE AGENCIES SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO MORE WELFARE SERVICES.

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (MONDAY), THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE AND CHAIRMAN OF THE WORKING GROUP, MISS ELAINE CHUNG, SAID THAT THE SOCIAL WELFARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAD CALLED FOR A REVIEW OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE STANDARD COST SUBVENTION SYSTEM IN MARCH 1986.

THE PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW WAS TO IDENTIFY ANY SHORTCOMINGS IN THE SYSTEM, WHICH WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 1982-83, AND ADVISE ON FUTURE METHODS OF SUBVENTION TO WELFARE AGENCIES.

THE WORKING GROUP CONCLUDED THAT THE AIM OF ESTABLISHING A SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTION SYSTEM BASED SUBSTANTIALLY UPON STANDARD COSTS HAS YET TO BE ACHIEVED AS ONLY EIGHT WELFARE SERVICES ARE PRESENTLY SUBVENTED ON THE BASIS OF STANDARD COSTS.

THOSE EIGHT SERVICES ARE FAMILY CASEWORK, FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION, FOSTER CARE, NEIGHBOURHOOD LEVEL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, OUTREACHING SOCIAL WORK, SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK, SMALL GROUP HOMES AND POOL BUS SERVICE FOR THE ELDERLY.

/MISS CHURG