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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 James To Kun-sun on the Home Environment Improvement Scheme for the Elderly in the Legislative Council today (October 29):
Question :
The Government has made provisions in the Budget of this year for implementing the Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Elderly Owners and the Home Environment Improvement Scheme for the Elderly ("the Home Improvement Scheme"). It has been reported that the Home Improvement Scheme has certain implementation problems. For example, the fees charged by contractors are higher than the market prices, and as no guideline has been issued for the District Elderly Community Centres ("DECCs"), which are responsible for implementing the Home Improvement Scheme, to follow, confusion has arisen when they vet and approve the applications. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the respective numbers of applications received, approved and rejected by the authorities concerned under the above two schemes since their introduction, the total amount of subsidy or grant approved, as well as a breakdown of the number of rejected applications by the reasons of rejection (such as applicants considered not eligible and problems with the receipts submitted by applicants);
(b) of the number of complaints received by the Government about contractors charging fees higher than the market prices and, among them, the number of substantiated cases; and
(c) whether guidelines for vetting and approving applications have now been issued to DECCs in respect of the Home Improvement Scheme; if so, of the details of the guidelines; if not, whether such guidelines will be formulated?
Answer :
President,
The Government has set aside funding in the Budget of this year for implementing the Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Elderly Owners (：the Maintenance Grant Scheme；) and the Home Environment Improvement Scheme for the Elderly (：the Home Improvement Scheme；) to help needy elderly owners carry out maintenance works for their self-occupied properties and to assist elders who live in dilapidated homes with poor fittings and lack financial means to improve their home conditions. The Development Bureau launched the Maintenance Grant Scheme in May 2008 and appointed the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) to implement the Scheme. The Social Welfare Department (SWD) also launched the Home Improvement Scheme in June 2008 and engaged the 41 District Elderly Community Centres (DECCs) throughout the territory as delivery agencies of the Scheme.
My reply to the question is as follows:
(a) Regarding the Maintenance Grant Scheme, as at 30 September, HKHS received a total of 2,142 applications, of which 629 were approved in principle. There were 311 successful applications with grants released to the applicants. The total amount of grants released was $6,340,035. Altogether, 249 applications were rejected, of which 209 failed to meet the eligibility criteria while 40 failed to comply with or complete the required application procedures, including failure to produce the required documents.
As for the Home Improvement Scheme, since the DECCs responsible for implementing the Scheme will submit statistical returns for the first quarter (ending September 2008) to SWD by the end of October 2008, no detailed data are available for the time being. In response to the question, SWD has collected preliminary data on the applications from DECCs. As at the end of September 2008, the 41 DECCs have received some 5,550 applications which are now being processed and vetted. Upon receipt of the applications, DECCs will assess if applicants meet the eligibility criteria of the Scheme. After ascertaining their eligibility, DECCs will arrange for social workers to conduct home environment assessment and discuss with them details of, among others, implementing the improvement works. So far, 2,195 cases have been given approval-in-principle by DECCs, and on top of that, some 160 cases have been completed, with the necessary works and/or fittings provided to the elders concerned. The total amount granted will be shown in the statistical returns of the first quarter to be submitted by DECCs. There are some 90 applications which were found to be ineligible upon assessment. SWD has not required DECCs to submit a breakdown of rejected applications. According to the implementation guideline on the Home Improvement Scheme issued by SWD, DECCs are required to keep detailed records of all applications received including application forms, vetting results as well as confirmation of the completion of works by applicants, etc. SWD will send its staff to conduct random checks at DECCs on the records of the cases they have processed to ensure that the criteria used for vetting and approving the applications are in compliance with the requirements laid down in SWD・s guideline.
(b) Regarding the Maintenance Grant Scheme, HKHS has not received any complaint against contractors charging fees higher than the market prices. The HKHS has put in place mechanisms and procedures for processing and vetting applications to avoid unreasonable quotations of works. When processing the applications, HKHS will arrange professional surveyors to conduct on-site inspections and assessments at the applicants・premises before the commencement of the maintenance works, so as to ensure that the works concerned are covered by the Scheme and to compare the works quotations with the market prices. If the reasonableness of the quotations is in doubt, HKHS will liaise with the applicants to seek further information. If the prices quoted are higher than the evaluations of professional surveyors, HKHS will notify the applicants accordingly. Grants will in general be disbursed upon the satisfactory completion of repair and maintenance works. Before the disbursement, HKHS will send personnel to conduct another home inspection to ensure that the works concerned have been completed.
As for the Home Improvement Scheme, SWD learnt that the Secretariat of the Legislative Council (LegCo) received on 3 October 2008 a complaint against a contractor for quoting unreasonably high prices. The complaint involved one case. SWD has approached the DECC concerned to find out more information about the case and made a report to the LegCo Secretariat. According to SWD・s understanding, the DECC concerned has, in handling the relevant case, asked for quotations for the improvement works in accordance with its established procedure. Since the applicant requested for the works to be completed as soon as possible, the DECC, upon completion of the quotation procedures, arranged for the works to be carried out by the contractor who could most readily provide the service.
(c) Before rolling out the Home Improvement Scheme, SWD has set up a working group comprising representatives from the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and various welfare organisations to discuss the implementation details of the Scheme. After careful consideration of the working group・s recommendations, SWD has drawn up implementation guidelines for DECCs to follow in processing applications. As stated in the guidelines, DECCs are required to maintain a list of service suppliers approved by the Board of Directors of the non-governmental organisations concerned for the provision of home environment improvement works for elders under the Scheme. To ensure the fairness and openness of the procurement procedures, DECCs must also refer to the ：Subvented Social Welfare Non-Governmental Organisations - Procurement Procedures； issued by the Corruption Prevention Department of the Independent Commission Against Corruption in March 2001 for points to note in the procurement process.
Besides, DECCs are required to submit service statistical returns and financial reports to SWD at regular intervals and maintain all financial records for checking. SWD will also check the relevant records at DECCs to monitor the implementation situations and quality of services and take appropriate follow-up actions as necessary.
Frontline social workers often encounter various practical difficulties in vetting applications under the Home Improvement Scheme and in the course of its implementation. SWD is in close liaison with DECCs with a view to identifying areas for further improvement in the light of practical experience.
Ends/Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Issued at HKT 11:41
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