XN000022-1994-10-05 — Page 29

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1994

INCREASE THE STANDARD RATES FOR CHILDREN BY $205 A MONTH, ON TOP OF THE $100 INCREASE IMPLEMENTED FROM APRIL 1 THIS YEAR. THIS WILL GIVE THEM MORE MONEY TO TAKE PART IN THE SOCIAL AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ESSENTIAL TO THEIR HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT. IT ALSO MEANS THAT CHILDREN WILL RECEIVE THE SAME STANDARD RATES AS THE ELDERLY.

EXTEND THE AGE AT WHICH THE STANDARD RATES FOR CHILDREN ARE PAID TO FULL-TIME STUDENTS FROM 18 TO 21. AS A RESULT, THEIR MONTHLY BENEFITS WILL INCREASE BY BETWEEN $420 AND $555 A

MONTH.

THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT THE LEVEL OF BENEFIT OFFERED BY THE SCHEME HAD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED OVER THE YEAR BUT THERE WERE PARTICULAR CONCERN IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE SPECIAL DIFFICULTIES OF SINGLE PARENTS AND CHILDREN WHO DEPENDED ON THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM.

HE ALSO NOTED THAT SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS HAD GONE UP IN REAL TERMS BY 62 PER CENT FOR A SINGLE PERSON AND BY 104 PER CENT FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR SINCE 1985.

SCHEME TODAY PROVIDED AN AVERAGE MONTHLY PAYMENT EQUAL TO 30 PER CENT OF THE MEDIAN WAGE FOR A SINGLE PERSON AND 83 PER CENT OF THE MEDIAN WAGE FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR.

THE GOVERNOR SAID A COMMUNITY AS PROSPEROUS AND SUCCESSFUL AS HONG KONG HAD TO REGULARLY REVIEW THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ITS SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

HE HAD ASKED THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE TO MAKE A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE CURRENT SOCIAL SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS WHICH HAD BEEN DEVELOPED OVER MORE THAN TWO DECADES.

THESE ARRANGEMENTS HAD EVOLVED FROM PROVIDING FOR BASIC SUBSISTENCE TO A SCHEME WHICH MET NOT ONLY THE NEEDS OF THE AVERAGE CLIENT BUT THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF INDIVIDUALS AS WELL, HE ADDED.

HE NOTED THAT 90 PER CENT OF THE CLIENTS RECEIVED SPECIAL GRANTS UNDER THE 24 BROAD CATEGORIES.

"WB OBVIOUSLY NEED TO LOOK AGAIN, VERY CAREFULLY, AT BOTH THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM AND THE BENEFITS IT PROVIDES, TO ASSESS HOW WELL THEY ARE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THEIR CLIENTS.

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"I EXPECT TO START TO RECEIVE PROPOSALS RESULTING EXERCISE BY THE END OF 1995,' HE SAID.

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