TNAG-0572-FCO40-705-Monitoring-of-progress-made-on-planning-paper-on-Hong-Kong-1976 — Page 25

CONFIDENTIAL

QUOTE

DESPITE THE CONSIDERABLE AND SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS MADE IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL REFORM DURING THE PAST 6 OR 7 YEARS, THERE IS STILL A LOT TO DO TO BRING THE STANDARDS IN HONG KONG

UP TO THOSE THAT I THINK ESSENTIAL. THE RECOVERY IN THE HONG KON

ECONOMY DURING THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND THE PROSPECT OF CONTINUED

BUOYANCY MAKES IT POSSIBLE NOW TO CONSIDER THESE IMPROVEMENTS. 1

HAVE DECIDED THAT THE TIME HAS COME TO LAUNCH A NEW PROGRAMME OF

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT TO PROVIDE A NECESSARY IMPROVEMENT IN THE

WELL-BEING OF OUR LESS FORTUNATE CITIZENS.

#

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING DETAILED AMENDMENTS: SOCIAL (A) PUBLIC ASSISTANCE

5. I DO NOT SEE ANY OBJECTION TO THE CRITERIA YOU MENTION FOR INCLUSION IN THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SCHEME, BUT I DO NOT WANT THEM

TO BE PICKED UP AS EVIDENCE THAT THE SCHEME WILL BE RESTRICTIVE. IT WOULD HELP IF YOU WOULD ADD A SENTENCE TO THE EFFECT THAT THESE CRITERIA MUST OF COURSE BE DRAFTED AND APPLIED WITH HUMANITY. I KNOW OF COURSE THAT THEY WILL BE, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL HERE IF.

IT COULD BE SAID OUTRIGHT.

(B) SOCIAL WELFARE

6. I SHOULD GREATLY WELCOME A FORTHRIGHT STATEMENT THAT THE INTENTION IS TO MAKE PROGRESS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE ACCORDING TO THE TIME-

SCALE IN THE PLANNING PAPER. I ATTACH PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHEMES WHICH WILL NOT BE MEANS TESTED, 1.E. WHERE IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES SUCH AS DISABILITY, WIDOWHOOD OR OLD AGE, PENSIONS WILL BECOME PAYABLE AS OF RIGHT (I WOULD MUCH PREFER NOT TO PREJUDGE THE METHOD TO BE ADOPTED IN ACHIEVING THESE SCHEMES. IF YOU CAN COVER THEM OUT OF REVENUE, SO MUCH THE BETTER.) I

SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENTS

4

(1) AT THE END OF THE FIRST PARAGRAPH REPLACE QUOTE WILL PROBABLY NOT BE READY BEFORE UNQUOTE WITH QUOTE SHOULD BE READY BY UNQUOTE. (11) DELETE THE FIRST THREE LINES IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH AND BEGIN THE SENTENCE WITH QUOTE ONCE WE HAVE THESE PLANS WE WILL UNDER- TAKE, AS A MATTER OF PRIORITY, A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW... UNQUOTE (111) REPLACE THE PHRASE QUOTE CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY ARE RIGHT UNQUOTE IN THE THIRD SENTENCE WITH QUOTE CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY

ARE REASONABLE UNQUOTE.

(IV) INSERT AFTER QUOTE ELIGIBILITY ARE RESONABLE UNQUOTE IN THE THIRD SENTENCE QUOTE AND WHETHER THE PRESENT METHODS OF PROVING

NEED FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ARE RIGHT UNQUOTE .

2 CONFIDENTIAL

/(V) REPLACE