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Governor: I believe very strongly, as I think you know that one of the areas in which Hong Kong was falling behind the levels of provision which one would expect in a community as wealthy as Hong Kong, was in provision for those with disability of every sort and I just perhaps should dwell on that thought for a moment.

We have a first world economy, and we have in many respects first world social provision. We've certainly got in most areas first world social indicators, better health indicators than most OECD countries, but there are some areas of second world provision and occasionally we even have, for example in the area of industrial safety, third world statistics and what I want to try to do is to concentrate on those areas where we're not doing as well as we should be and try to bring them up to the level we all want to see: one of those, is in the provision for the disabled and in providing opportunities for the disabled.

Now we have gone about that in a variety of ways. We have gone about that, I was answering a question earlier, we have gone about that by trying to provide more extensive services with some difficulties, we are attempting to address those. We have gone about that by trying to isolate particular areas where there are real problems for those with physical disability, and you have attempted and taken a leading part in three seminars that we have held on transport for the disabled and employment for the disabled, both of which I think have managed to bring this attention on important areas and begin to make progress.

I think that I would much prefer to involve the disabled in that sort of way on their own terms and on their own merits, rather than say look at every public committee, look at every area of social administration and say that there has to be in this or that area a person with a disability on the committee. I'd like people to be on committees involved in the dialogue because of what they can contribute, whether they are disabled or not. I'm happy to look at specific examples if you have them of areas where you don't think there is enough policy input from the disabled, from those representing disability organisations, but your contribution is, as good as it is because you are creative and intelligent and know what you're talking about, and you also have a disability, but yourcontribution is because of who you are and I think that is the best way of way of tapping into knowledge and expertise of people.

Question 7 (In Chinese): I think, as a colonial government, you may not be welcome, But, Governor, on the contrary, you are welcomed by the people, because many people think that you are a person of political ideals. That's why we expect a lot from you. You have submitted three policy statements since your arrival in Hong Kong. Some of them were good and some were not. But to us, there were some inadequacies in these reports.

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