TNAG-0521-FCO40-616-Visit-of-Lord-Goronwy-Roberts--Parliamentary-Under-Secretary-1975 — Page 65

LORD GOLONWY-ROBERTS'S VISIT TO HONG KONG:

11-17 JANUARY

BRIEF NO. 5: HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE

Medical and Health Services

1.

In July 1974, the Government published a White Paper setting out a ten-year programme for the improvement and expansion of long Kong medical and health services. The White Paper's main propozals

are:-

(i)

(ii)

a target of 5.5 hospital beds per 1,000 population by 1983 (at present there are 1.1 beds per 1,000 population);

to help achieve this target, four new hospitals, strategically placed in areas of proving density, together with further development of existing hospitals. are to be built;

(iii) regionalisation of hospital and clinic services; new training facilities for doctors, general and psychiatric nurses;

(iv)

(v)

more clinics and polyclinics.

Social Welfare and Social Security

2.

The

A White Paper entitled "Social Welfare in Hong Kong: Way Ahead" was tabled in the Legislative Council on 6 June 1975. This, together with a five-year plan, set out the programme for social welfare development for the years 1973-78. The five-your plan proposes that social security will be provided in thre- separate ways:-

(i)

(ii)

the Public Assistance Scheme will continue to provide help on a means-tested basis to those in the community with the least money (21,595 family units were receivirg Public Assistance in January 1974);

•

flat-rate, non-contributory, non-means-tested allowances will be paid to those sections of the

community who are regarded as "vulnerable groupa" The first stage of this development is the new homo of Disability and Infirmity Allowances. If this firet