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LCQ16: Elders resided on the Mainland
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    Following is a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, to a question by the Hon Lau Kong-wah on elderly people residing on the Mainland in the Legislative Council today (April 30):

Question:

    Regarding the assistance to elderly people residing on the Mainland and those who have returned to settle in Hong Kong, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the number of cases received in the past two years by the authorities in which elderly people residing on the Mainland sought assistance because they had got into straitened circumstances, as well as the causes of their hardship;

(b) given that there has been continuous inflation on the Mainland in recent months, whether the Government will reconsider further relaxing the current period of absence from Hong Kong for recipients of Old Age Allowance, so as to lessen the burden of living for elderly people residing on the Mainland; and

(c) whether it knows the number of elderly people who returned in the past two years from the Mainland to settle in Hong Kong for economic or health reasons; and the assistance provided by the authorities to them?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) The Social Welfare Department (SWD) does not maintain statistics on the number of cases concerning elderly people residing on the Mainland and in straitened circumstances seeking assistance.  Generally speaking, Hong Kong residents (including the elderly) who find themselves in need of assistance owing to emergencies on the Mainland can contact the respective offices of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on the Mainland for assistance.  These offices will offer assistance having regard to the nature and circumstances of the cases.  The residents concerned can also seek assistance from the District Elderly Community Centres or Integrated Family Service Centres/Integrated Services Centres in Hong Kong on return to the territory.

(b) The Old Age Allowance (OAA) under the Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme is designed to provide cash allowance for senior Hong Kong residents to meet their special needs arising from old age, rather than helping them to resolve their financial difficulties.  The SSA Scheme is a non-contributory social security scheme funded entirely by general revenue.  As such, the recipients must have regarded Hong Kong as a place of residence, and they are subject to a permissible limit of absence from Hong Kong.  Since 1 October 2005, the permissible limit of absence from Hong Kong under the SSA Scheme has been relaxed from 180 days to 240 days in a year.  Recipients are eligible for the permissible limit of absence on condition that they have resided in Hong Kong for not less than 90 days in the year.  This measure has taken into account the preference of some elderly people who would like to spend more time to travel or visit their relatives or take up short-term residence outside Hong Kong, while on the other hand ensures that public funds are spent on Hong Kong residents who consider Hong Kong as a place of permanent residence.  We believe that the measure has struck a reasonable balance.  As far as we understand, elderly people who wish to retire permanently on the Mainland have to consider a number of factors, such as their connections with relatives and friends in Hong Kong when residing on the Mainland and whether they can accustom themselves to the lifestyle and afford their medical expenses on the Mainland.  The Labour and Welfare Bureau is carrying out a comprehensive and in-depth review on OAA and will examine the related permissible limit of absence as part of the exercise.

(c) The SWD does not have any information on the number of elderly people who returned from the Mainland to settle in Hong Kong.  If they are in straitened circumstances after returning to Hong Kong, they may seek assistance from SWD.  Social workers will conduct comprehensive assessment on their welfare needs and, having regard to the actual circumstances of individual cases, provide them with appropriate services, such as counselling services and referrals for applying for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance, home care services and residential care services, etc.

Ends/Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:16

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