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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 Mrs Sophie Leung on the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme in the Legislative Council today (December 10):
Question:
Regarding the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance ("CSSA") Scheme, will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the number of CSSA cases at the end of each year since 2005, together with a breakdown by category (unemployment, low earnings, permanent disability, old age, health impairment, single parent family and others), and the number of relevant recipients in each category;
(b) the number of CSSA cases of the "unemployment" category over the past five years, together with a breakdown by age group (in 10-year bands from the age of 15 to 65) to which the applicants belonged;
(c) the current number of CSSA cases of the "unemployment" category also broken down by the above age groups and number of years for which the applicants have received CSSA payments; and
(d) the changes in the numbers of CSSA cases of the "unemployment" category in each of the past 10 years?
Reply :
President,
The Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme is designed to bring the income of those who cannot support themselves financially owing to various reasons such as old age, disability, ill-health, unemployment and low earnings up to a prescribed level to meet their basic needs. In general, CSSA applications have to be made on a household basis. The Social Welfare Department (SWD) will assess the circumstances of the entire household and classify the nature of cases according to the reasons that the principal applicants apply for CSSA.
My replies to the questions in seriatim are as follows :
(a) The number of CSSA cases and CSSA recipients by nature of case as at the end of each year since 2005 is at Annex 1.
(b) The number of CSSA unemployment cases over the past five years is at Annex 2. The number of unemployed CSSA recipients by age groups over the past five years is at Annex 3.
(c) As at end-October 2008, the number of unemployed CSSA recipients by age groups between 15 and 59 and by duration of stay on CSSA is at Annex 4. However, their duration of stay on CSSA as shown in the table might include the period of time which they had received CSSA under other categories. For instance, the number may include an 18-year-old CSSA recipient who has yet to find a job after graduation from secondary school several months ago and continues to receive CSSA as an "unemployed" CSSA recipient. If the recipient in question has been on CSSA since 12 years old owing to other reasons, his/her duration of stay on CSSA shown in Annex 4 would be "over five years".
(d) The changes in the number of CSSA unemployment cases over the past 10 years are at Annex 5.
Ends/Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Issued at HKT 15:15
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