TNAG-0789-FCO40-993-Development-of-social-policy-in-Hong-Kong-proposed-contribut-1978 — Page 109

(a)

(b)

(c)

the direct financial aid provided by the Social Welfare Department through the public assistance scheme;

the disability and infirmity allowance scheme;

the criminal and law enforcement injuries compensation scheme and the emergency relief scheme.

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More commonly, in other countries, "social security" refers to the provision of financial aid by a Government or through organisations approved by the Government in defined circumstances e.g. old age, death, disablement, sickness, maternity, work injury, unemployment and large families. It is in this sense that the term is used by the International Labour Office and the International Social Security Association.

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However, another way of looking at social security is to regard it as the total aid provided by, or with the encouragement of, the Government towards the costs of every day living. In this sense, it encompasses all the help that a family receives by way of housing, education, health and social welfare, as well as in the form of cash payments. Even if such help is not regarded as social security in the strict sense, it is important that any proposals for the development of social security should take into account the total aid that is received by individuals and families.

Development of social security in Hong Kong

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Social security in the form of cash payments has developed later than other social services in Hong Kong. A major reason for this (as explained in the White Paper "Social Welfare in Hong Kong: The Way Ahead"*) was that the population grew so rapidly in the 1950's and the early 1960's that it was not until the late 1960's that the increasing economic prosperity arising from rapid and successful industrialisation enabled the Government and the voluntary organisations engaged in social welfare to move on from the provision of basic relief to more comprehensive social welfare services. A further factor was that, in the 1950's and 1960's, proportionately more Government resources were put into housing, education and health.

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Consequently it was not until the 1970's that social security was properly established. In 1971 the Government assumed responsibility for helping those most in need through a system of cash payments related to a family's means and needs: this was the public assistance scheme.

It was followed in 1973 by the introduction of disability allowances and infirmity allowances, which provided flat rate, non means-tested allowances for the severely disabled and for those aged 75 and over. At the same time the Government accepted responsibility for providing emergency relief for those affected by disasters, such as typhoons, and introduced the criminal and law enforcement injuries scheme; both schemes provide lump sum compensation.

* Social Welfare in Hong Kong: The Way Ahead, June 1973

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