XN000022-1995-11-02 — Page 99

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86.

Accommodation for the elderly

Following is a question by the Hon Fung Kin-kee and a written reply by the Secretary for Housing, Mr Dominic Wong, in the Legislative Council today (Thursday):

Question:

With regard to its commitment of providing decent accommodation for all elderly people currently living in bedspace apartments by the end of 1997, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the respective numbers of elderly people currently living in bedspace

apartment and cubicles;

(b) of the types of resettlement housing for the elderly currently living in bedspace apartments, what is the breakdown by types of housing units expected to be set aside for rehousing these elderly people in each of the next two years;

(c) whether there is any plan to rehouse the elderly living in cubicles; if so, what is the breakdown by types of housing units expected to be set aside for rehousing these elderly people in each of the next two years; if not, why not; and

(d) what is the definition of "decent accommodation" mentioned by the

Government?

Reply:

Mr President,

Under the Bedspace Apartment Ordinance, bedspace apartments (BSAs) are defined as premises which comprise 12 or more bedspaces under rental agreements. There are now some 150 BSAs with about 3,200 lodgers. Based on a survey conducted by the Home Affairs Department in late 1993, about 38% of the lodgers were over 60 years old. Thus, the existing elderly population living in BSAs is estimated at about 1,200.

We do not have the elderly population figure for those residing in cubicle-type apartments as the scope of the Bedspace Apartments Ordinance does not cover this type of accommodation.