ENG-1981 — Page 177

SOCIAL WELFARE

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fund-raising activities for its member agencies. The Community Chest raised $21.79 million in its 13th annual fund-raising campaign in 1980-1, compared with $19 million in 1979–80. Responsibility for carrying out government policy on social security and social welfare rests with the Director of Social Welfare, who heads the Social Welfare Department. The department is organised into four regions which are divided into 11 districts. The district social welfare officers are the main contacts with the public and voluntary welfare organisations and are responsible for co-ordinating the provision of all social welfare services in their district. The department includes development and social security branches which are responsible for the central planning and development of new policy in social welfare and social security, and a subventions branch which deals with the central administration of subventions to voluntary organisations and evaluation of services provided by them.

On all matters of social welfare policy, except rehabilitation, the government is advised by the Social Welfare Advisory Committee, whose members are appointed by the Governor and which is chaired by the Director of Social Welfare. The Rehabilitation Development Co-ordinating Committee advises on the policy and principles governing the development of rehabilitation services and is chaired by an unofficial member.

In the day-to-day administration, planning and development of services, the Social Welfare Department works closely with voluntary agencies which play a major role in the provision of many welfare services. The majority of voluntary agencies are affiliated to the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and are involved, together with the council and Social Welfare Department, in the annual review of the Five-Year Plan for Social Welfare Development.

The shortage of trained social workers continues to be reflected in recruitment problems to certain ranks in the Social Welfare Department and voluntary agencies. This problem has been studied in-depth by a working party set up by the Secretary for Social Services, and it will make recommendations on the ways and means to meet the demand.

Social Security

Social security is provided through the Public Assistance Scheme, the Special Needs Allowance Scheme, the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme, the Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme and Emergency Relief, all of which are administered by the Social Welfare Department.

Public assistance, which is means-tested and non-contributory, is designed to help needy individuals and families by bringing their income up to a prescribed level. To be eligible for public assistance, applicants must have resided in Hong Kong for at least one year. Able-bodied unemployed applicants aged between 15 and 59 are required to register with the Local Employment Services of the Labour Department for employment. The residen- tial criterion can be waived at the discretion of the Director of Social Welfare for those who are medically unfit for work, those who have to look after young dependent relatives, or those in extreme financial hardship. Except for orphans or unrelated people, applicants aged 15 to 17 must apply with their families and not independently.

The scales of assistance are regularly reviewed to maintain their purchasing power and an increase of 25 per cent was made, in July, to lift the standard of living of public assistance recipients. The monthly basic scale rate of assistance is $350 for a single person; $250 for each of the first three eligible members of a family; $215 for each of the succeeding three; and $165 each eligible member thereafter. Old age supplement, disability supplement and long-term supplement are payable as additions to the basic scale rates. An old age