XN000022-1997-03-05 — Page 40

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· 19.

(c)

(d)

(e)

Besides referrals by local groups and organisations, the social workers of the District Social Welfare Offices also contact the elderly in the districts to explain to them about the Scheme and to register those who need the service. The Social Welfare Department has also distributed posters, leaflets and press release to promote the Scheme. TV and radio API as well as programmes are produced. The Social Networking for the Elderly Ambassadors Flag Presentation Ceremony was held on 5 January 1997 to further promote the Scheme. At the same time, the Social Welfare Department and all the multi-service centres organise various activities to widely publicise the Scheme.

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As at the end of January 1997, the Social Welfare Department has received about 10,000 applications and the number of volunteer recruited is over 3,000.

An evaluation will be conducted on the Scheme at the end of the trial period. We will decide whether the Scheme should be carried out on a long-term basis after the evaluation.

Thank you, Mr President.

No plan to extend BNSS

Following is a question by the Hon Miss Emily Lau and a reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Peter Lai, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Regarding the granting of full British citizenship to Hong Kong people, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

of the number of beneficiaries of the British Nationality Selection Scheme (BNSS) who have applied to renounce their British citizenship; and whether the BNSS places arising from the renunciation of British citizenship by this group of people can be re-distributed to unsuccessful BNSS applicants;

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