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LCQ13: Disability Allowance
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     Following is a question by Dr Hon Fernando Cheung and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, in the Legislative Council today (January 23):

Question:

     Some persons with disabilities (PWDs) have said that the current system for processing Disability Allowance (DA) is very backward and outdated.  For example, persons with different types of disabilities are treated differently and quite a number of PWDs with genuine needs have not been granted DA.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:

(a) (i) the number of cases granted the Normal Disability Allowance (NDA), (ii) the number of cases granted the Higher Disability Allowance (HDA), (iii) the average age of those granted DA, and (iv) the number of applications not granted DA, in each of the past three years (set out in table 1);

(b) the numbers of DA cases of various validity periods approved by the Government in each of the past three years (set out in the table 2); and

(c) the numbers of cases in which changes had been made to DA received by PWDs in each of the past three years (set out in the table 3), as well as the reasons for such changes?

Reply:

President,

     My reply to the question raised by Dr Hon Fernando Cheung is as follows:

(a) The number of Normal Disability Allowance (NDA) and Higher Disability Allowance (HDA) cases in the past three years with breakdown by type of disabilities are set out in table 4.

     Since 2010, the annual number of Disability Allowance (DA) applications not approved and the reasons for it are set out in table 5.

     The Social Welfare Department (SWD) has not kept records of the number of applications not granted DA by types of disabilities, or any records of the average age of those granted DA by types of disabilities in the past three years.

(b)&(c) Statistical analysis of DA is based on the number of cases at a reference time-point.  SWD has not kept records of the number of DA cases by different validity periods or by changes made to DA received.

Ends/Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Issued at HKT 14:51

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