TNAG-0789-FCO40-993-Development-of-social-policy-in-Hong-Kong-proposed-contribut-1978 — Page 71

C.S. 166

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مه

Ahhix A

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CONFIDENTIAL ##

For discussion

on 30th August 1977

XCC(77)65

Copy No 4 of 80

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MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

PROGRAMME FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DEVELOPMENT

Introduction

The most recent occasion on which the Council reviewed the whole field of social security was in 1973, when the White Paper "Social Welfare in Hong Kong: The Way Ahead" and the Five Year Plan for social welfare development in Hong Kong for the years 1973-78 were approved and subsequently published and tabled in the Legislative Council (XCC(73)110).

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This memorandum reviews progress in the social security field in the 5 years following the White Paper and goes on to make proposals for the further development of social security in the next 5 years, 1978-82.

Review of Social Security 1972-77

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The White Paper summarised the proposed development of social security as follows:

"5.2. Social security will be provided in 3 separate ways. Firstly, the public assistance scheme will continue to provide help on a means tested basis to those in the community with the least money. Secondly flat rate, non-contributory, non-means tested allowances will be paid to those sections of the community who are regarded as 'vulnerable groups'. The first stage of this development is the new scheme of disability and infirmity allowances. Should this first stage prove successful, consi- deration will be given to extending similar allowances to other vulnerable groups such as the chronically sick, and widowed mothers with young children. Finally, emergency relief will continue to be underwritten by the Government as it is at present."

The White Paper also noted (paragraph 6. 10) that:

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the Government concluded that, if social security in Hong Kong were to be extended beyond public assistance, the right answer at the present time, and as a first stage, would be to press ahead with the development of non-contributory schemes, rather than to delay the extension of social security by attempting to develop a form of contributory social insurance, although the Government retains an open mind as to whether or not such a scheme might ultimately be appropriate for Hong Kong's needs,

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