Policy Address

Social Welfare Planning

Implementing the Special Scheme on Privately Owned Sites for Welfare Uses

83.         In the last Policy Address, I proposed optimising the use of land and utilising the Lotteries Fund in a flexible manner.  Over the past year, the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) and the social welfare sector have actively taken this forward.  The Special Scheme on Privately Owned Sites for Welfare Uses was formulated to encourage social welfare organisations to better use their land through in-situ expansion or redevelopment, especially to provide additional facilities for elderly and rehabilitation services.  We invited applications for the scheme last September and the response was overwhelming.  The LWB received preliminary proposals from about 40 organisations involving about 60 in-situ expansion or redevelopment projects.  Based on the rough estimates of these organisations, the scheme will provide about 17 000 additional service places for the elderly and persons with disabilities.  The Government will inject $10 billion into the Lotteries Fund and provide the necessary assistance to ensure that this major social welfare infrastructure programme will be implemented smoothly.

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