XN000022-1990-04-01 — Page 2

SUNDAY, APRIL 1, 1990

SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES TO EXPAND

THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S 1990/91 BUDGET HAS BEEN INCREASED BY 16 PER CENT TO $3.5 BILLION WITH SUBVENTIONS AMOUNTING TO $1.2 BILLION, AN INCREASE OF 25 PER CENT.

A SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMMES CONTINUE TO BE THE BIGGEST SPENDER, ACCOUNTING FOR MORE THAN $3 BILLION OF THE BUDGET.

"IN THE NEW FINANCIAL YEAR WHICH STARTS TODAY (SUNDAY) WE WILL SEE FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN SOCIAL SECURITY. THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE AND THE HIGHER DISABILITY ALLOWANCE, BOTH OF WHICH MEET THE VULNERABLE GROUPS, HAVE BEEN EXTENDED, HE SAID.

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NEEDS OF

"THIS MONTH, THE BASIC RATE FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE HAS BERN RAISED BY 10 PER CENT, AND SEPARATE PROVISION OF SOME $305 MILLION HAS BEEN MADE FOR THIS PURPOSE.

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EXPENDITURE ON FAMILY WELFARE SERVICES HAS GONE UP BY 25 PER CENT TO $227 MILLION WHEREAS REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS WILL RECEIVE $79 MILLION, HE SAID.

SERVICE

"WE PLAN TO EXPAND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY ORDERS SCHEME AND TO EXTEND THE YOUNG OFFENDERS ASSESSMENT PANEL TO ALL MAGISTRACIES," THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

ON ELDERLY SERVICES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, THE MAJORITY OF THE BUDGET OF $11 MILLION WOULD BE SPENT ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAMME TO MAKE FULLER USE OF PLACES IN PRIVATE HOMES AND то RAISE THEIR STANDARDS.

AS TO SERVICES FOR THE DISABLED, THERE IS A EXPENDITURE OF 20 PER CENT.

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SWD WILL ALSO SPEND $15 MILLION IN CARRYING OUT IMPROVEMENTS, PARTICULARLY IN STAFF PROVISION FOR SOCIAL SECURITY FIELD UNITS FAMILY SERVICES CENTRES, AS WELL AS IMPROVEMENTS то THE ASSISTANCE SCHEME AND DAY NURSERIES SERVICE.

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ON THE SUBVENTED SECTOR, THE SPOKESMAN SAID GOVERNMENT SUBVENTIONS ENABLED THEM TO MAKE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY'S WELFARE.

"THESE AGENCIES WILL TAKE YOUNG PEOPLE AS THEIR TOP SPENDING

PRIORITY ($330 M), CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY REHABILITATION ($261 M},

FAMILY WELFARE ($251 M) AND THE ELDERLY ($241 M).

"ON REHABILITATION SERVICES, THE TARGET FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR INCLUDES AN INCREASE OF 240 SPECIAL CHILD CARE CENTRE PLACES,

ACTIVITY 960 SHELTERED WORKSHOP PLACES; 350 DAY

CENTRE PLACES; 260 HOME FOR MODERATE GRADE MENTALLY RETARDED PLACES AND 168 SEVERE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED PLACES."

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