ENG-1991 — Page 202

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SOCIAL WELFARE

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THE Director of Social Welfare is responsible for carrying out government policies on social security and social welfare, based on the objectives set out in three White Papers Integrating the Disabled into the Community: A United Effort (1977), Primary Education and Pre-primary Services (1981), and Social Welfare into the 1990s and Beyond (1991).

The government is advised on social welfare policy by two committees - the Social Welfare Advisory Committee, covering the whole area of social welfare, and the Rehabilitation Development Co-ordinating Committee, on matters of rehabilitation. Members of these committees are appointed by the Governor, with non-officials as chairmen.

In the provision of welfare services, the Social Welfare Department maintains a close. working partnership with non-governmental organisations, most of which are affiliated to the Hong Kong Council of Social Service. More details about the Hong Kong Council of Social Service are given at Appendix 32A.

To ensure that social welfare policies continue to meet the needs of Hong Kong into the 1990s, the Governor announced in October 1989 a review of social welfare services, to be conducted in conjunction with the subvented welfare sector. A working party was sub- sequently set up under the chairmanship of the Secretary for Health and Welfare. It was charged with reviewing the various programme areas in the social welfare field and with drafting a White Paper to set out proposals for the way forward. The review covered those services which fall within the policy purview of the Secretary for Health and Welfare, excluding rehabilitation services which have been developed under a separate White Paper and are subject to a different consultative network.

The White Paper on Social Welfare into the 1990s and Beyond was published in March 1991. The Paper explains the various demographic, socio-economic and political factors which have a bearing on the future provision of welfare services. It describes the overall philosophy of social welfare and lays down government's policy intentions and strategies for developing and improving the various services for the family, children and youth, the elderly, and for developing social security and support services in the 1990s and beyond.

Continuing its drive to provide more and better welfare services to meet the changing needs of the community, the government increased spending on social welfare in 1991-2 by 16 per cent to $5,760 million.

At the end of 1991, the standard cost subvention system was extended to a total of 24 services.