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Following is the transcript (English portion) of a media session by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, after speaking on radio programmes concerning the Policy Address today (January 13):

Reporter: Dr Chow, can I ask why can't we have a straight poverty line?

Dr Chow: You look at the national definition of poverty line. In many countries, it is only an academic value; it is not really tied to services. It is very important for Hong Kong to define what are the needy level of families and what are the individual families' special needs. That is the reason why we, instead of just looking at the poverty line, want to look at a zone of community that actually needs us to give special help. In our policy, we want to address particularly some special groups, like children in poverty, elderly people, as well as disabled people.

Reporter: What can the Government do?

Dr Chow: We need to assess their specific needs. As far as the Government knows, the poverty line is very much equivalent to our Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) level. Looking at the basic needs of the individual families, we identify that some of them might be short of some needs and some might be adequate. So on top of that, we have other allowances and other services (to provide). Instead of giving them additional cash across the board, we would rather focus on giving them services in kind.

Reporter: I'd like to ask something about the poverty commission. There were criticisms that the Financial Secretary should not head the commission and it should be headed by the Chief Executive. Do you agree with that?

Dr Chow: I think the Chief Executive has empowered the Financial Secretary to chair the commission on behalf of the Government. It is also a multi-bureau, multi-disciplinary commission. I think it is appropriate for the Financial Secretary to chair it.

Reporter: What will you be doing regarding the financial deficit of the Hospital Authority?

Dr Chow: I think it is better for the Hospital Authority to respond. We are concerned about the long-term financial arrangement for the Hospital Authority, particularly with the deficit they faced since five years ago. It is my responsibility to ensure that the dialogue of getting a long-term financial arrangement for the hospitals will start this year.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Thursday, January 13, 2005

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