Following is a question by the Hon Shiu Ka-chun and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, in the Legislative Council today (January 23):

Question:

     At present, trainees with disabilities (trainees) who receive vocational training at sheltered workshops may receive monthly incentive payments and training allowances. On the other hand, when calculating the amount of money payable to recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA), the Social Welfare Department (SWD) makes a deduction by some of the recipients' employment earnings; for people with disabilities, the first $1,200 of monthly earnings may be totally disregarded while half of the next $5,600 may be disregarded (i.e. the maximum total amount of disregarded earnings is $4,000 per month, and all earnings beyond $6,800 per month are not disregarded). As SWD regards the training allowances received by the trainees as employment earnings, some trainees temporarily stop going to sheltered workshops for training after they have earned a training allowance of $6,800 or more in a month. Besides, sheltered workshops are not required to pay trainees training allowances at a rate not lower than the statutory minimum wage (SMW) rate. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) Of the mechanism for setting and adjusting the amount of the incentive payment; whether the amount was adjusted in the past five years; if so, of the number and magnitudes of adjustments; whether it has plans to review the amount; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) Whether it knows the maximum, minimum, average and median amounts of monthly training allowances paid to the trainees at present;

(3) Whether it has compiled statistics on the number of trainees in each of the past five years who were CSSA recipients and were paid a training allowance of over $6,800 in certain month(s) of the year; if so, of the details; if not, whether it will compile such statistics expeditiously;

(4) Why SWD, in calculating the amounts of CSSA payments payable to trainees who are CSSA recipients, regards training allowances received by them as employment earnings, and whether SWD will review and change that practice, so as to avoid trainees temporarily stopping to receive training lest their CSSA payments will be deducted; and

(5) As sheltered workshops receive purchase orders like a factory and trainees are engaged in production work like factory workers, why the trainees are not protected under the SMW regime; how the authorities tell clearly whether the trainees are engaged in production work or are receiving training in a workshop, so as to prevent persons with disabilities from being exploited?

Reply:

President,

     My consolidated reply to the Member's question is as follows:

(1) The purpose of incentive payment is mainly to encourage persons with disabilities to attend vocational rehabilitation training programmes. In 2008, the rate of incentive payment per day was $21 and has been increased to the current rate of $26.5 in November 2014. The formula for the adjustment of incentive payment endorsed by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council is at the Annex.

     Given that the service mode of sheltered workshops has been adopted for many years, the Government announced in the 2018 Policy Agenda that the need and feasibility of developing a new service mode for sheltered workshops would be explored, with a view to better addressing the vocational training needs of service users.

(2) As at the end of March 2018, the average monthly training allowance for each sheltered workshop trainee was about $850. The Social Welfare Department (SWD) does not have statistical information on the minimum, maximum and median amounts of monthly training allowance for individual trainees.

(3) The SWD does not have statistical information on the number of sheltered workshop trainees who were Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients and received a training allowance higher than $6,800 in certain month(s) of the year.

(4) The CSSA Scheme provides a safety net of last resort for those who cannot support themselves financially so as to help them to meet their basic needs. In this regard, means tests are required under the scheme to ensure the prudent use of public funds. At the same time, the scheme caters for the special needs of persons with disabilities through the provision of higher standard rates, special grants and supplements.

     Moreover, if sheltered workshop trainees are CSSA recipients, the incentive payments received can be excluded from being counted as income. However, the amount of such payments can only be up to $26.5 per trainee per day. Other than the incentive payments, other amounts received from sheltered workshops can also be disregarded under the disregarding earnings (DE) arrangement under the scheme, subject to a maximum of $2,500 per month. Furthermore, the Community Care Fund launched a three-year pilot scheme in October 2016 under which the maximum DE level for CSSA recipients with disabilities has been raised to further encourage them to secure employment. Together with the DE of $2,500 mentioned above, the maximum level of the DE for CSSA recipients with disabilities under the pilot scheme is $4,000 per month.

(5) Sheltered workshops aim to provide persons with disabilities who are not yet able to take up open employment because of their physical or mental limitations with suitable vocational rehabilitation training in a specially designed environment, in which they can learn to adjust to normal work requirements, develop social skills and interpersonal relationships, explore economic potential and get prepared for potential advancement to supported or open employment in future. The SWD allocates funding for incentive payment to service operators according to the number of service places provided by individual sheltered workshops. At present, trainees receiving training at sheltered workshops are offered an incentive payment so as to encourage their attendance and participation in training for their own benefit. Trainees receive incentive payments for attending the training at sheltered workshops. The incentive payments provided by the SWD are not salaries.

     To celebrate International Jazz Day the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will once again present the popular "Jazz Marathon" in April.
 
     Two non-stop sessions of jazz music will be staged at the Arena of Queen Elizabeth Stadium, bringing together renowned jazz players of many nationalities to jam and recreate various jazz styles including bebop, fusion and big band sounds, as well as jazz variants like ethnic, gypsy, tango and flamenco. Overseas artists will collaborate with local musicians to create a borderless soundscape through jazz. Details of the concerts are as follows:
 
April 27 (Saturday)
5pm         Patrick Lui Jazz Orchestra (special guest: RubberBand, Will Vinson)
6.30pm    Angelo Debarre Trio (special guest: Sharon Lui)
8.15pm    Doctor 3
9.45pm    Ulf Wakenius Scandinavian All-Stars Quartet     
 
April 28 (Sunday)
5pm         Ted Lo, Rhani Krija and Chinese Ensemble on Jazz
6.30pm    Quadro Nuevo       
8.15pm    Patax (special guest: Angelita Li)
9.45pm    Steve Smith and Vital Information NYC Edition
 
     Tickets priced at $180, $280, $420 and $600 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). Various demonstration workshops will be held from 3pm at the Function Room of the Queen Elizabeth Stadium prior to each performance. Admission is free for ticket holders of the corresponding date with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
     For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme and workshops enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_693.html.

     Hong Kong Customs will step up patrols at popular shopping spots in various districts and remind traders to comply with the requirements of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) starting today (January 23) and through the Lunar New Year holiday, with a view to enhancing consumer protection.

     Customs officers starting from today will step up patrols at dried seafood shops, pharmacies and jewellery shops in different tourist shopping areas such as Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, as well as at Lunar New Year fairs. Pamphlets will also be distributed to retailers and staff of the tourist industry to remind them to comply with the requirements of the TDO.

     Customs today also reminds consumers to purchase products from reputable shops. Consumers should be cautious about the unit price and retain the receipt after purchase.

     Under the TDO, any trader who engages in unfair trade practices, including making false trade descriptions in relation to goods, misleading omission, aggressive commercial practices or bait and switch, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

     A man who went missing in Tsuen Wan has been located.

     Mok Nam, aged 84, went missing after he left an elderly home in On Yat Street on January 21 night. Staff of the elderly home made a report to Police on the same day.

     The man was located on Kwai Hing Road, Kwai Chung last night (January 22).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rate of medical wards in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.