TNAG-1855-FCO40-2630-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 162

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-8 March 1989 香港立法局 一九八九年三月八日

Employment of the mentally handicapped

12. DR. IP asked: Will Government inform this Council:

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(a) What is the estimated number of mildly mentally handicapped persons over the age of 18 years who wish to be employed but have not yet found jobs and what has been done successfully so far to solve the current labour shortage problem by placing this group of workers;

(b) what is the annual cost for a place in a sheltered workshop for the mentally handicapped with a breakdown to include, inter alia, the unit cost, the range of disability allowance, incentive payments and other miscellaneous items; and

(c) what is the estimated demand for sheltered workshop places for the mentally handicapped for the next five years and how much saving can be achieved annually if half of this estimated demand can be met through successful job placements?

SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE: There is no accurate information on the number of mildly mentally handicapped persons over the age of 18 years who wish to be employed but have not yet found jobs. However, the Selective Placement Division (SPD) of the Labour Department is currently assisting 171 mildly mentally handicapped persons to find suitable jobs.

In 1988, the SPD successfully placed 181 mildly mentally handicapped persons into open employment, an increase of 30% over the comparable figure for 1987. The employment of these mildly mentally handicapped persons in various trades and industries helped, to a very limited extent, to alleviate the current labour shortage.

The placements achieved by SPD are mainly the result of its promotional efforts to enhance the employment opportunities of disabled persons of various categories. In 1988 these activities included a special campaign to promote the employment of disabled persons in the hotel industry, an exhibition on employment opportunities for the disabled, two district-based exhibitions on the working abilities of the disabled and a presentation of souvenirs to outstanding employers of disabled persons. Officers of the SPD also paid regular visits to prospective employers to encourage them to employ disabled persons and gave talks to disabled students and their parents and to other interested persons in special schools and training centres with a view to providing employment market information and introducing the services available to assist them.

Sheltered employment is provided to those disabled persons who cannot enter into open employment because of their disability. The current annual cost