TNAG-0876-FCO40-1086-Development-of-social-welfare-policy-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 256

CONFIDENTIAL

FS 200

CANFIDENTIAL

DE BY 250940Z

FM HONG KONG 250915Z JAN 79

TO IMMEDIATE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELNO.173 OF 25 JANUARY.

HKK 234/!..

13.

*→*

mw CE

IN.

2

YOUR TELNO.78: P.Q.

1. THE FOLLOWING TABLE SHOWS PUBLIC SECTION EXPENDITURE ON ALL

SOCIAL SERVICES IN HONG KONG (EDUCATION, MEDICAL AND HEALTH, HOUSING, SOCIAL WELFARE AND LABOUR) TOGETHER WITH ESTIMATES OF

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT FOR EACH YEAR SINCE 1974/75 (GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT FIGURES ARE NOT COMPILED): (READ IN FIVE COLUMNS: 1974/75: 1975/76 1976/77 1977/78 1978/79) (DOLLARS H.K MILLION, CURRENT PRICES):

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT: 35,252 : 37,268: 47,226: 54,599, 63,389.

EXPENDITURE ON SOCIAL SERVICES: 2,697.8 : 2,894.9 : 3,084.5 : 4,348.9: 5,198.7 (ESTIMATE).

PERCENTAGE OF G.D.P: 7.65 : 7.77 : 6.53: 7.97 : 8.20.

EXPENDITURE ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND SOCIAL WELFARE IN THE NARROW .

SENSE IS GIVEN BELOW, WITH AN INDICATION OF THE PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL SOCIAL SERVICES SPENDING AND OF G.D.P THAT IT REPRESENTS:

EXPENDITURE ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND SOCIAL WELFARE: 275.5 359.2:

365.1: 398.7: 542.2.

PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL SOCIAL SERVICES EXPENDITURE: 10.21 12.41 :

11.84 : 9.17 : 10.43.

PERCENTAGE OF G.D.P: 0.78 : 0.96: 0.77 : 0.73: 0.36.

I SUGGEST THAT THE REPLY SHOULD GIVE BOTH THE SOCIAL WELFARE

AND SOCIAL SECURITY FICURES AND THOSE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES

OVERALL, AND INDICATE THAT EXPENDITURE IN THESE AREAS HAS MORE THAN KEPT UP WITH THE RAPID INCREASE IN G.D.F OVER THE

LAST FIVE YEARS.

CONFIDENTE

LIN THE SHORT