XN000022-1991-07-17 — Page 30

WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1991

28

ELDERLY NEEDS UNDER CONTINUOUS REVIEW

THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUOUSLY REVIEW THE NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY PEOPLE, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON ELIZABETH WONG, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON JIMMY MCGREGOR, MRS WONG SAID EVERY EFFORT WOULD BE MADE TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND THE CURRENT PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY WITHIN THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE AND GUIDED BY THE ACCEPTED PRINCIPLES DETAILED IN THE WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE INTO THE 1990'S AND BEYOND.

MRS WONG STRESSED THAT THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF SOCIAL SECURITY IN HONG KONG WAS TO PROVIDE FOR THE BASIC AND PARTICULAR NEEDS OF VULNERABLE GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE ELDERLY, WHO WERE IN NEED OF FINANCIAL OR MATERIAL ASSISTANCE.

SCHEMES WOULD BE

THEREFORE, CONTRIBUTORY OLD AGE PENSION SIMILAR TO A CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND SCHEME OR OTHER COMPULSORY RETIREMENT SCHEMES: THE MOTION FOR WHICH HAD BREN DEFEATED IN THE COUNCIL LAST WEEK.

MRS WONG EXPLAINED THAT THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE AND PUBLIC ASSISTANCE WERE NON-CONTRIBUTORY SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS.

THE FORMER PROVIDED A FLAT-RATE ALLOWANCE TO THOSE AGED 65 AND ABOVE TO MEET SPECIAL NEEDS ARISING FROM OLD AGE, WHILE THE LATTER HELPED THOSE PERSONS, INCLUDING ELDERLY PERSONS, WHO DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN A BASIC STANDARD OF LIVING.

"IN OCTOBER 1987, PROPOSALS WERE ANNOUNCED IN THIS COUNCIL FOR A PACKAGE OF IMPROVEMENTS TO THE MAIN SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEMES, INCLUDING THE PHASED EXTENSION OF THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE TO PERSONS THE 65-69 AGE GROUP.

IN

"ONE ELEMENT OF THIS PROPOSED PACKAGE WAS THAT ALL NEW APPLICANTS FOR THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE SHOULD BE REQUIRED ΤΟ DECLARE THAT THEIR INCOME AND ASSETS DID NOT EXCEED SPECIFIED LEVELS, MRS WONG SAID.

HOWEVER, MRS WONG POINTED OUT THAT FOLLOWING CONSIDERATION OF PUBLIC VIEWS, THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE TO PROCEED WITH THE INCOME AND ASSET DECLARATION FOR NEW APPLICANTS AGED OVER 70, WHILE RETAINING IT FOR THOSE BETWEEN 65 AND 69.

WHETHER ΤΟ

"AT PRESENT, THERE IS STILL AN UNRESOLVED DEBATE AS TO TO EXTEND THIS REQUIREMENT OF AN INCOME AND ASSET DECLARATION PERSONS AGED 70 AND OVER,' SHE ADDED.

++

/29

4

Page 30Page 31