Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ3: Revised proposals for single parent CSSA recipients

Following is a question by the Hon Alan Leong and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (October 26):

Question:

The revised proposals for single parent recipients under the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) Scheme made by the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau in July this year require that single parents and other child carers on CSSA with the youngest child aged 12 to 14 must actively participate in the Mandatory Employment Assistance Programme or Intensive Employment Assistance Projects. Non-active participation and failure to meet the requirement of seeking at least part-time employment will result in a deduction of $200 from the CSSA payment. The authorities intend to implement the proposals on April 1, 2006. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether :

(a) it has clearly defined the criterion of "to seek at least" stated in the requirement; if it has, of the details of this criterion, if not, the reasons for that;

(b) any mechanism is in place to ensure that the remuneration (in terms of wages and working hours) of the jobs allocated to the above CSSA recipients is at a reasonable level; if so, of the details of the mechanism; and

(c) it has assessed the impact of the proposals to compel as many as 18,000 such CSSA recipients to join the job market on the existing workforce; if it has, of the details and outcome of the assessment?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) In order to help single parents and other child carers on CSSA to move towards self-reliance and reduce the risk of social exclusion through engagement in work as early as possible, those with the youngest child aged 12 to 14 will be required to seek employment. In fulfilling the requirement, besides full-time job, these single parents/child carers could also seek and engage in part-time employment which is defined as a paid job entailing not less than 32 work hours per month. Exemptions will be allowed where justified. For example, the recently bereaved, those who have recently been victims of domestic violence and those having to care for an elderly or disabled member will be exempted from job search. Other recipients, who have made a reasonable effort to seek employment, including part-time job, would not be regarded as breaching the requirement. 'A reasonable effort' means fulfilling the job search requirement through making genuine job search effort and reporting to SWD's Employment Assistance Coordinators on such efforts made during the period on a monthly basis. In implementing the new arrangement, we will provide assistance to the single parents or child carers on CSSA concerned including :

- conducting advice-focus interviews and offering employment assistance by the Social Welfare Department; and

- providing intensive employment assistance and basic skills and skills upgrading training in the form of Intensive Employment Assistance Projects run by NGOs for those single parents and child carers with no or limited working experience (the "New Dawn" project).

(b) The main purpose of the arrangement is to help these CSSA recipients build up early their capacity for self-reliance through engagement in work as soon as their family circumstances permit. Participation in employment, including part-time employment will provide the recipients not only with additional income on top of the original CSSA payments, through the provision of disregarded earnings but also a wider social network, first hand knowledge on the labour market and bring their skills into full play. We do not intend to impose rigid criteria on the remuneration levels but will keep close watch of the discussions on minimum wages.

(c) According to statistics compiled by the Census and Statistics Department, the estimated labour force stood at 3,596,000 during the 3-month period July - September 2005. If 18 000 CSSA single parents/child carers whose youngest child is aged 12 - 14 were to join the labour market, the total labour force would increase by about 0.5%. It is difficult to assess precisely their impact on the employment market, bearing in mind that these CSSA recipients are only required to seek part-time employment and exemptions from the requirement will be allowed where justified.


Ends/Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Issued at HKT 15:51

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