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47.
The Government ip also conscious of and understands the concern which has been expressed about the desirability of further improving our social security system. The issues are large ones, and the financial resources which would be required to support the more ambitious schemes are huge. We must beware of accepting recurrent commitments on public sector funds which we could not sustain. Nevertheless, we shall study the issues with great care. In the meantime we shall continue to do what
can to ameliorate the lot of those in need.
48.
(ii) Housing for the elderly
One area in which we can take some action now is in accommodation for the elderly in institutione ranging from care and attention homes, to hostola and to ordinary housing.
49,
a
There is. in our · community
traditional and
commendable respect for the old: and we should not forget that Rong Kong today owes much to their hard work in past decades, They deserve a dignified old
old age. We shall continue to increase. the amount of accommodation of all types available to them. For instance, this year the special annual quota for elderly persons applying in groupe for public housing has been increased from 300 to 400 £lats; and the Housing Authority is. about to introduce a priority allocation scheme for public housing applicants with parents or grandparents living with them, which will reduce the time such applicants remain on the
waiting list by up to one year.
50.
Whilst such measures in hand go some way to meet their
housing needs, we must do more, and we can take account of the fact that some are in good physical and mental health. They can and wish to fend for themselves on a day to day basis, without the need of close supervision
in an
institutional
environment. To supplemont the accommodation needs of this group, (already, provided for in part through the public housing system), the Government proposes to purchase flats in private
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