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Copy No.3.4.. Page 12 of 19
scheme were to be used, the scheme would have to be radically altered to follow the European system where dependents of working age are not
That would be an treated as family members.
expensive solution and would not be in keeping with the family tradition in Hong Kong.
(b) The community care allowance scheme could be
used. But this consists of non-means tested
benefits. As such, it is acceptable so long as it is needs related. But there is a limit to the extent to which vulnerable groups can be satisfactorily identified for the purpose of this scheme. So the approach cannot be relied on as an answer for difficulties that arise on an individual rather than group basis.
(c) Accident compensation is related to the vulnerable
group approach; but it is a particular set of outside circumstances (rather than individual family circumstances or income) which qualify the family for help.
As with the community care allowance scheme, however, it is necessary to be satisfied that the circumstances justify the aid. Moreover accident compensation, as a branch of social security is (in international terms) relatively undeveloped. It seems better not to go further down this road until it has been tried out more fully elsewhere.
(d) Occupational benefits have grown steadily in recent
years, partly under statutory stimulus. It is, however, doubtful whether it would be realistic to think in terms of further statutory requirements on individual employers to provide more benefits funded by them alone; or to rely on the majority of employers to do so voluntarily, particularly for blue collar workers. Nor is there any overseas precedent for employers themselves being required to provide a full range of benefits without there being any Government run equivalent as an alternative.
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C.S. 166
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