ENG-1995 — Page 216

SOCIAL WELFARE

approved for assistance amounting to $11.1 million, compared with $12.5 million in the preceding year.

The non-means-tested Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme provides cash payments to victims of traffic accidents or their dependants, regardless of fault. Payments cover personal injury and death, but not damage to property.

An applicant may claim damages or compensation from other sources for the same accident. Successful claimants are required to refund either the payment received from the scheme or the amount of damages or compensation, whichever is the less. During the year, 5 263 applications were approved for assistance, with payments totalling $110.4 million, compared with $97.3 million in 1994.

Emergency relief, in the form of material assistance such as hot meals and other essential relief articles, is provided to victims of natural or other disasters. Grants from the Emergency Relief Fund are also paid to victims or their dependants to relieve hardship caused by disasters.

During the year, emergency relief was given to 1 955 people on 63 occasions. The Social Welfare Department also assisted in providing hot meals to refugees and boat people from Vietnam.

The rates of grants payable under the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Scheme, the Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme and the Emergency Relief Fund were increased in April to cover the rise in living costs.

Social Security Appeal Board

The Social Security Appeal Board is an independent body of non-official members appointed by the Governor. It heard 117 appeals in 1995. Of these, 31 related to CSSA, 84 to SSA and 21 to traffic accident victims assistance.

Services for Offenders

The Social Welfare Department is responsible for statutory duties to implement the directions of the courts on the treatment of offenders through social work. The overall objective is to rehabilitate offenders through probation supervision, the Community Service Orders Scheme, residential training for young offenders, community support service scheme and after-care services with the aim of rein- tegrating the offenders into the community.

Probation service is available to offenders aged seven and above. Probation officers make inquiries into the background and home surroundings of offenders as the court may direct, and of prisoners whose sentences are being considered for reduc- tion. They also supervise the offenders in complying with the requirements of the probation order.

The Community Service Orders Scheme is a community-based initiative with punitive and rehabilitative objectives. It requires an offender who is over the age of 14 and convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment, to perform unpaid work of benefit to the community and to receive counselling and guidance from a probation officer.

A pilot community support service scheme was introduced in the latter half of 1994. It provides community service projects, job training packages and counselling groups

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