XN000022-1995-04-26 — Page 49

c)

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Operators and sub-tenants of single-operator markets in public housing estates are given a free hand to make their own commercial decisions. In the case of Kwong Tin Estate, which houses a supermarket-cum- market run by a single operator, the recent temporary closure of the wet market was decided on by stallholders during negotiations over the terms of renewal of their tenancies. Notwithstanding the temporary closure of the wet market, the operator has been able to maintain service in the supermarket section.

d)

While the Housing Authority does not exercise direct control over the contractual terms and conditions under which individual stalls are sub- let by the operator, the Authority always encourages dialogue between the operator and sub-tenants to resolve disputes and to maintain harmonious relationships. In the event of a serious service disruption, the Authority will intervene with a view to restoring service to the public as soon as possible.

End/Wednesday, April 26, 1995

Social security assistance payments

The following is a question by the Hon Christine Loh and a written reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

In his reply to a written question which I asked concerning the Programme Area on Social Security in the context of the examination of Draft Estimates of Expenditure 1995-96, the Director of Social Welfare has stated that the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) rates have increased by about 15 times over the last two decades while the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (A) has gone up only six times. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council how it has calculated this increase in CSSA payments and, in particular, how it can demonstrate the real increase in the last ten years?