XN000022-1995-02-25 — Page 2

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Commitment to care for people of HK reaffirmed

The year ahead for health and welfare promises to be an active and challenging one, the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, said.

Speaking at a press conference today (Saturday), Mrs Fok said the Government would spend $37 billion on health and welfare in 1995/96, representing 18.2 per cent of the Government's total expenditure (the figure was 15.8 per cent in 1991/92).

"This shows the increasingly high priority within Government spending placed on my policy areas," she stated.

Out of the $37 billion, $22.1 billion will be spent on health and $14.9 billion on welfare. These figures represent a substantial real growth of 7.7 and 24.1 per cent respectively over last year's total.

Mrs Fok noted that the extra money would enable her to implement a package of policies that demonstrate integration, improvement and initiative in the Government's commitment to care for the people of Hong Kong.

On the welfare side, the largest share $7.7 billion -

This compares with $3.7 billion in 1991/92.

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goes to social security.

Of the total, almost $100 million will be spent on a package of improvements to the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme as from April this

year.

The package includes the following improvements:

give each single parent family a supplement of $200 a month;

increase the standard rates for children by $205 a month; and

grant $420-$555 more a month to full time students aged 19-21.

"And all these figures will be increased by 8.5 per cent to cover inflation when they come into effect in April," Mrs Fok said.

"But we recognise the need to ensure that CSSA support for all those in need is adequate. The current scheme had developed over more than two decades.