XN000022-1992-03-04 — Page 14

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1992

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID SPENDING ON SOCIAL SERVICES IN GENERAL WOULD INCREASE IN REAL TERMS NEXT YEAR.

HE SAID HONG KONG HAD AN EXCELLENT RECORD IN DEVELOPING ITS SOCIAL SERVICES AND HAD IN RECENT YEARS MADE A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN THE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THIS PURPOSE.

"WE CAN NOW MEET THE DEMAND FOR BASIC SERVICES. BUT THE PUBLIC EXPECTS HIGHER STANDARDS AND A GREATER RANGE OF FACILITIES TO MEET THE CHANGING REQUIREMENTS OF OUR RAPIDLY DEVELOPING SOCIETY.

**

"WE PLAN TO RESPOND TO THESE EXPECTATIONS, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID.

MR MACLEOD SAID LAST YEAR'S WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE AMBITIOUS GOALS FOR DEVELOPMENTS DURING THE REST OF THIS DECADE.

SET

"THE FINANCING OF THIS LONG-TERM PROGRAMME WILL REQUIRE CAREFUL MANAGEMENT.

WILL MY PROPOSALS FOR SOCIAL WELFARE SPENDING THIS YEAR LAY THE FOUNDATIONS FOR ACHIEVING OUR TARGETS, HE SAID.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS PLANNING FOR RAPID EXPANSION OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

A

DEMAND

OF

THE FOR

BY 1995-96, HONG KONG SHOULD BE ABLE TO MEET 80% OF THE FROM THE ELDERLY FOR PLACES IN CARE-AND-ATTENTION HOMES, OVER 60% THE DEMAND FOR HOSTEL PLACES FOR THE MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED AND ALL

FOR DEMAND

PLACES IN HALF-WAY HOUSES AND LONG-STAY CARE DISCHARGED MENTAL PATIENTS.

HOMES

ON HOSPITAL CARE, MR MACLEOD SAID OVER THE NEXT FOUR FUNDS WOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HOSPITAL BY 5,600 OR 25%.

YEARS, BEDS

ON PUBLIC HOUSING, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SAID THAT 39,000 NEW FLATS WOULD HAVE COME ON STREAM IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.

++

THIS SUBSTANTIAL EFFORT WILL CONTINUE, WITH 400,000 NEW PLANNED FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR OVER THE NEXT DECADE, HE SAID.

ON EDUCATION, MR MACLEOD SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD PLANS FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENT OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLING, AND THE TO EXPAND TERTIARY EDUCATION WOULD CONTINUE.

FLATS

THE

DRIVE

"WE ARE INVESTING $18 BILLION OVER THE NEXT THREE ACADEMIC YEARS, SO THAT BY 1994-95 THE NUMBER OF FIRST-YEAR, FIRST DEGREE PLACES

AVAILABLE WILL INCREASE TO 15,000, THREE TIMES THE NUMBER 1987-88," HE SAID.

IN

ON LAW

POLICE AND

THAT AND ORDER, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY STRESSED THE OTHER DISCIPLINED SERVICES HAD BEEN GIVEN THEY NEED TO DO THE JOB.

THE

THE

FUNDS

**TAKING THE POLICE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE OPERATIONAL FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THEM IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET CAME TO NEARLY $6BILLION. ONLY THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN AND THE HOSPITAL SERVICES LARGER ALLOCATIONS, HE SAID.

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RECEIVED

/MR MACLEOD