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Following is a transcript of remarks (English portion) by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, on the technical adjustments to the means test limits of the Work Incentive Transport Subsidy (WITS) Scheme at a media stand-up session this afternoon (February 16):
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: Let me just very briefly explain the unique circumstances of these technical adjustments. We have taken into account of the fact that the introduction of Statutory Minimum Wage has led to a pretty notable increase of wages across the board, particularly at the low-end fraction, and also the wage movement which has been in an upward trend over the last year or so. Therefore, we have taken the initiatives of updating the benchmark of the income limits and, at the same time, increase the asset limits to maximise the flexibility of enhancing the scheme. It is an updating exercise with the benchmark of income limits coming up by at least 10 per cent. As for the asset limits, in some cases particularly those single to four persons households, it has gone up now by 65 per cent. In the end, more low-income workers would benefit.
Reporter: What is the difficulty with the dual-track system, and would it be considered in the review in October?
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: In fact, when we designed the scheme, our policy objective is to assist those low-income households with employed family members, so the premise is low-income households and it has to be household-based. But I promised today that despite this policy consideration, we will consider the possibility of whether a dual-track approach is feasible in the long term. I promise to look into it in the mid-term review which will take place in October this year.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Thursday, February 16, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:56
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