$260m shelled out for care-fund schemes

There'll be 3 community care fund programmes.

According to a release, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam says the Commission on Poverty has agreed to allocate $260 million for three Community Care Fund programmes, to help low-income families.

Speaking to the media after the commission's meeting, Mrs Lam said the programmes include a school lunch subsidy, an after-school care pilot scheme and a medical assistance programme.

Mrs Lam said the commission was not ready to announce the setting of a poverty line, as members discussed other matters, but she hopes the work can be finished within this year.

She said members agreed that a poverty line would make future efforts more effective, and would help the Government to quantify those living in poverty and assess policy effectiveness.

Mrs Lam said the Government will continue dialogue with legislators, adding she hopes to have broad community consensus on the issue.

She welcomed the Financial Secretary's decision to inject an additional $15 billion into the fund, together with the original $5 billion injection.

The members hoped proven programmes could be incorporated into the Government’s regular recurrent expenditure, she said.