30
Much of our recent rapid expansion in services for the elderly has been funded through the Lotteries Fund and I note the concern of the Honourable Law Chi-kwong that this Fund may be depleted by 1997/98 when the $2.3 billion injected into it in 1992 has been used up. On 29 March this year, I assured this Council that the General Revenue Account will be able to absorb after 1996/97 all the recurrent welfare expenditure currently provided from the Fund. This has already been taken into account in our current financial forecasts.
I should like to conclude by referring to another important point raised by Members which is the need for us to continue to nurture with care the co-operation and partnership between the Government and the non-government sector which is critical to the successful provision of services to meet the welfare needs of our community.
To nurture is not, however, to freeze that relationship. It must be allowed to grow and respond to changing times. A constructive dialogue is currently in hand regarding how we might modernise our subvention systems to allow our partnership with the NGO sector to grow stronger and flourish well into the next century. The
Consultancy Study
some will, I hope, make Subvention
fundamental recommendations for change. Those changes are likely to give the NGO's much greater freedom to deploy resources provided by Government in a more effective way to meet the standards of performance required in all service areas. If, working together, we achieve this goal we shall have made a significant change for the better in the provision of welfare services in Hong Kong.
On that point of hope for the future, Mr President, I should like once again to thank Members for their support and for their comments. I look forward to working with them in this session to improve the provision of health and welfare services for the community.
Thank you.
End/Thursday, November 2, 1995
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.