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Welfare payments could be trimmed,  a senior welfare official warned yesterday, as  authorities rejected demands to increase payments.
Cheung Doi-ching,  principal assistant secretary for labour and welfare, said at yesterday's  welfare services panel meeting that there was no need to increase welfare payments, and that  some  grants could  be cut.
'There is room for  special grants to move downwards,' Mr Cheung said. He said  officials felt   welfare payments covered people's basic needs.
Social workers and legislators at the meeting were shocked by his comment on cutting grants.
Lawmakers  passed a non-binding motion  requesting the government  to restore welfare payments to  1999 levels.
Mr Cheung declined to explain how  special allowances were calculated, despite repeated  requests   during the meeting.
Social workers said  inflation had caused hardship  for welfare  recipients and there  was no leeway to  cut payments.
Au Yeung Tat-chor,  a community organiser with Concerning CSSA Review Alliance,  said  Mr Cheung's comment was  a threat. 'He was  threatening us not to request too much because they  could reduce it,' Mr Au Yeung said. 'We are very angry. They have ignored  welfare  recipients'   as prices  go up.'
Sze Lai-shan, an official with the Society for Community Organisation, agreed. 'It's ridiculous and crazy,' she said. 'Rents, for example, have increased by more than 10 per cent over the past year. But the CSSA rental allowance is just HK$1,260. How can it be further reduced?'
A Labour and Welfare bureau spokeswoman later said  Mr Cheung had been referring to  school-related allowances.
She said  Mr Cheung based his comment  on the consumer price index,  which he said  showed   that the allowance could be cut by 2.1 per cent. But the spokeswoman said  detailed figures on the relevant consumer price index components  were not available.
But Ms Sze questioned Mr Cheung's  claim, citing studies that showed the cost of  uniforms and textbooks had increased 5 to 10 per cent this year.



Welfare payments could be cut, official warns lawmakers