1969 — Page 191

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indicate the priorities which I consider must be followed, and to express my doubts as to the suitability of a provident fund scheme in preference to other possible measures. What those other possible measures might be, and the question of the priorities in dealing with them, and the details of the Singapore provident fund scheme, are fully described in the Report of the Government Working Party on Social Security which was published in April 1967. Mr. Wu does not appear to have read this document.

Mrs. SYMONS suggests that the time is ripe to appoint a committee to draw up a youth policy, though she makes it clear that she is not asking for a separate Youth Secretariat or for a Youth Department. She refers to the work which is now being done in this field by the Social Services Branch of the Colonial Secretariat, which was set up one year ago. The function of this branch of the Secretariat is to assist departments in the formulation and execution of policies and to co-ordinate Government's activities in the social services field. Youth and Recreation are two of the more important subjects with which the branch is directly concerned, and a great deal of constructive and forward-looking thinking is now being devoted to them.

A significant development has been the coming together of officers of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and of six Government Departments to form an ad hoc Co-ordinating Committee for Youth and Recreation under the chairmanship of the Principal Assistant Colonial Secretary (Social Services). This Committee is meeting reg- ularly twice a month and has been doing some basic thinking about the future of the Colony's programmes of recreational and related activities for young people, particularly those which take place during the schools' summer vacation. While recognizing the purely recrea- tional value of these programmes, the Committee is concerning itself with their value as a purposeful means of developing qualities of character, service and leadership in our young people: in other words with the development of a stronger Hong Kong community.

The Committee is also tackling the need for still greater involve- ment in youth and recreation work by all sections of the community, not least by young people themselves. This undoubtedly requires decentralization and I can tell the Council that a considerable measure of agreement has now been reached with the voluntary agencies and Government departments concerned on the setting up of simple and flexible machinery for co-ordinating programmes at the district level. It is hoped that it will be possible to bring this machinery into operation in time for the 1970 summer activity programmes.

I hope that I have succeeded in reassuring Mrs. SYMONS that she need have no fear that this co-ordination is either a token gesture or that it ends within the Secretariat. It is in fact outward-looking and it

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will undoubtedly evolve further during the coming year, possibly in the direction of an overall policy making committee along the lines envisaged by Mrs. SYMONS.

I appreciate the direct interest which this Council has in these matters, particularly with regard to the provision of recreational facilities, and I will therefore endeavour to see that it is kept informed of future progress. (Applause).

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: -Mr. Chairman, Mr. FORSGATE in- troduced an international flavour into this year's Debate when, for the benefit of the Sassenachs on this Council he reminded us of the words which he claims Burns addressed not to a mouse but to a louse. I hope Mr. Chairman and Mr. FORSGATE will forgive me, but on the assumption that Burns was a true Scot I have reason to doubt that he would waste his time in this way as even a Sassenach knows there is no profit in talking to a Nit. However, be that as it may I think it is timely once a year to take a cold hard look at ourselves and review progress in the light of facts.

Mr. FORSGATE feels that Government sponsored housing has reached a plateau. I wonder if this is what he meant and whether he changed his mind when he heard Mr. Raymond KAN give the 1973 target figures for the construction of Government Low Cost Housing, Resettlement Housing and Housing Authority flats? Not less than 310,000 units of Government Housing are now under construction. Sites for a further 230,000 are under formation and planning is in hand for the construction of a further 240,000 units in the next few years. This is some plateau. But numbers alone do not tell the full story as much of the new accommodation has been designed on the basis of a nett 35 sq. ft. per person as opposed to the old 24 sq. ft. and each room will be complete with running water and a flush toilet.

With respect, therefore, to Mr. FORSGATE and the other members who have expressed concern over Government's Housing Programme, I suggest that rather than a plateau we have now reached and established the final camp from which we can see the summit, and with an established base and ample supplies we have time to choose the best method for the final assault.

In its approach to housing Government has consistently taken bold decisions and backed these decisions with staff, land and money. If therefore the Housing Board considered that there should be one Authority only for all Government Housing, then I think Government would not be afraid to grasp that nettle. Any such authority must however have the knowledge and experience of Hong Kong problems which is necessary before any overall solution can be formulated, and in this field, even if it was just a simple matter of planning, the experts