CE's speech in delivering "The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address" to LegCo (11)
(F)Strengthen Labour Support
Reform the Employees Retraining Board and Vigorously Strengthen the Training of Local Workers
208. In the last Policy Address, I announced a comprehensive review on the Employees Retraining Board (ERB), which has been completed. I accept the recommendations on reforming the ERB, enhancing its role and positioning, from providing employment‑related training targeted at low‑skilled workers to devising skills‑based training programmes and strategies for the entire workforce. In face of intense market competition, rapid industry development and widespread use of technology application, it is particularly important for the workforce to engage in life‑time learning and acquire new skills. Near‑term reform measures include, from early next year, removing from the eligibility criteria the cap on education level of service recipients, and increasing the annual number of training places by at least 15 000, targeting at the entire workforce; strengthening collaboration with higher education institutions and leading enterprises; as well as enhancing the ERB's career planning and job‑matching services for service recipients. In addition, the ERB will map out other medium to long‑term measures, such as how it could gauge and anticipate future skill requirements, how to reposition itself and build a new branding, how its structure and staff should be adjusted, and how the Employees Retraining Ordinance should be amended. The ERB will work out the details and timetable, with proposals expected by the end of next year.
209. To support vocational training for local workers, the Government will put up two vacant school premises for application by established and experienced trade unions for providing training courses for different industries (particularly construction industry).
Implement Full Portability of the Mandatory Provident Fund
210. The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority will work out the details for implementing the "Full Portability" proposal, under which employees will be able to, making use of the eMPF Platform launched in June, transfer the accrued benefits derived from their employers' mandatory contributions to a scheme at their choice. This will help encourage the employees to proactively manage their Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) investments, promote market competition, and create room for fee reductions.
Enhance the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund and Protect Employees
211. The Government will take forward various measures to enhance employee protection, including:
(i) abolishing the arrangement of using the accrued benefits of employers' mandatory contributions under the MPF System to offset severance payment and long service payment on 1 May next year. The Government will launch a 25‑year subsidy scheme exceeding $33billion to share out employers' expenses upon the abolition of the offsetting arrangement;
(ii) reviewing the coverage of ex‑gratia severance payments under the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund, and exploring an increase in the ceiling of ex‑gratia payments to enhance employee protection;
(iii) implementing the new annual review mechanism of the Statutory Minimum Wage; and
(iv) amending the continuous contract requirement under the Employment Ordinance by relaxing the threshold from working 18 hours in a week for four consecutive weeks (i.e. 72 hours in total) to an aggregate of 68 hours in four weeks, making it easier for employees to enjoy comprehensive employment rights.
Encourage Employment among Middle-aged and Elderly Persons
212. The three‑year Re‑employment Allowance Pilot Scheme was launched in July, with more than 20 000 participants to date. The Labour Department will continue the scheme and, through the Good Employer Charter 2024, encourage employers to adopt family‑friendly employment practices such as flexible work arrangements.
Promote Occupational Safety and Health
213. The Government has been encouraging the industry to provide a safer working environment. Among other things, it mandated, in July, the adoption of the Smart Site Safety System (4S) for mobile plants in designated private‑building works, and issued the first batch of 4S labelling. We will strengthen the protection of workers' safety under a three‑pronged approach, formulating safety guidelines, promoting optimal use of robotic technology and enhancing industry training.
(G) Promote a Green and Low‑carbon Lifestyle
Continue to Promote Waste Reduction and Recycling
214. The Government will continue to promote waste reduction and recycling. Initiatives include reinforcing publicity and education on waste reduction and recycling in the community and schools; expanding the community recycling network by increasing public collection points from about 500 at present to 800; optimising service hours of the GREEN@COMMUNITY recycling facilities to provide better service; setting up self‑service recycling stores or smart recycling facilities in PRH estates; doubling the number of residential food waste collection facilities across the city; as well as reviewing the tender arrangements and requirements for GREEN@COMMUNITY facilities to enhance cost‑effectiveness and improve service quality. I·PARK1, the first waste‑to‑energy facility for treating municipal solid waste, is expected to begin operation next year. We will also take forward the construction of I·PARK2, working towards the goal of "zero landfill". The Government will continue to assess public views on, and participation in, waste reduction, and report to the LegCo by mid‑2025.
215. The Government will establish a common legislative framework for the producer responsibility schemes applicable to different products, facilitating the future inclusion of such products as plastic beverage containers and beverage cartons progressively, expanding our waste‑to‑resources capacities.
Speed up Green Transformation of Manufacturing Production
216. The Government has been supporting local development of green technology through the Green Tech Fund and the Innovation and Technology Fund, transforming R&D projects with application potential into commercially valuable technologies or products and facilitating their production locally. The Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) is assisting two local companies in setting up production lines to upcycle local waste materials into high‑value products, namely core materials for electricity‑free cooling products and acoustic metamaterial products, promoting development of Hong Kong's green industry.
217. The EEB has extended the usable area and lease terms of about 20 short‑term tenancy sites currently designated for recycling operation in Hong Kong, giving the recycling industry more room for further development and upgrading.
218. The Government will inject $100million for a new round of the Cleaner Production Partnership Programme to expedite green transformation, renovation and the upgrading of local factories and Hong Kong‑owned factories in the Guangdong Province, bringing Hong Kong closer to its carbon‑neutrality targets.
Continue to Promote Ecological Conservation
219. The Government will continue to enhance the facilities of our country parks, integrating cultural characteristics of villages, to provide better eco‑tourism experience for the public and visitors. It will also continue to develop the Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park.
Expand the Charging Network for Electric Vehicles
220. The Government has stepped up efforts to promote green transport. Through the EV‑charging at Home Subsidy Scheme and the gross floor area concession arrangement, about 200 000 EV‑charging parking spaces are expected to be available by mid‑2027. The Government will earmark $300million for a new scheme, providing subsidies to the private sector for installing quick‑charging facilities. The target is to have a total of 3 000 quick chargers installed by 2030.
221. The Government granted two vacant petrol‑filling station sites for conversion into quick‑charging stations earlier this year. It plans to invite expressions of interest from the industry next year to repurpose existing petrol‑filling station sites as charging stations, with topside development for other purposes under the "single site, multiple use" model.
IX. Closing Remarks
222. Since taking up office, I have pushed ahead with many reform measures to transform government culture, strengthen the systems and improved various regimes. Our goal is to keep Hong Kong going, and make it a city in which people live in better homes, enjoy better education and cherish their lives. We strive for this goal.
223. I always take time to reflect and listen to views of others to ensure that our policies are working and our measures are effective. I take a close look into the daily needs of our people while staying abreast from a global perspective of the world trend, our nation’s strategic outlook and the societal interests. While keeping our principles and being innovative when taking forward reforms, we have to look at the flip sides that a measure may bring other than its benefits. Reform is essential, but we should always be mindful that it is a means and not an end, that it should never undermine success factors that are well established and work effectively.
224. Having regard to various objective facts, I do believe that our overall policy directions are on the right course. Over the past two years or so, median monthly household income has risen by about $2,800, up over 10%, while over 100 000 jobs have been added. The waiting time for public housing has been shortened by six months, and the first batch of LPH will soon be completed for intake, filling the gap in the supply of public housing. District governance and Care Team services are firmly in place in all 18 districts across the territory. Outcomes of our efforts to trawl for talents and enterprises are also well‑recognised.
225. Thanks to the concerted efforts of all concerned, Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre has climbed up one place to restore the global third position, putting an end to the negative narratives of our city's future. We moved up two places to rank fifth in world competitiveness, and rose seven places in talent competitiveness, to stand among the world's top 10 once again. Hong Kong also retains the top spots in global ranking in investment environment, international trade, business legislation, air‑cargo throughput, etc.
226. That said, past performance is no guarantee of future success. We must not be complacent, but keep up our momentum for advancement and reforms. We must remain confident in ourselves and uphold our morale, standing firm against any efforts to downplay our success story.
227. This Policy Address deepens the reforms that I have introduced since I became Chief Executive. It presents enhanced measures to boost the economy and improve people's livelihood. It seeks to address the prevailing needs of our people, while mapping our vision and long‑term goals for building a brighter future for Hong Kong.
228. Amid the accelerating global changes not seen in a century and complex geopolitics, the uncertainties surrounding the Sino‑United States relations have exposed Hong Kong to frontline external political forces. But while we are facing many challenges, they are outweighed by the opportunities available to us. Global economic gravity continues to shift eastward and investment is also shifting the same direction to balance geopolitical risks. Hong Kong boasts a secure and stable investment environment, enjoys a favourable location at the heart of Asia, and is the only city in the world where China's advantages and international advantages converge. Blessed with our linkage with our motherland and close connection to the world, as well as the solid backing of our country including the Central Government's support and measures benefitting our city, Hong Kong stands to prosper. We must seize every opportunity to make progress and renew ourselves. Indeed, with the wisdom and experiences of Hong Kong people, coupled with the dare‑to‑fight and win spirit in us, I am confident that Hong Kong will continue to go from strength to strength and attain new heights. Through our united efforts to reform and innovate, our economy will go even stronger and our people will lead a better life, making Hong Kong a shining city.
CE's speech in delivering "The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address" to LegCo (10)
(C)Take Forward the Construction of Transport Infrastructure
Promote Major Transport Infrastructure Development
183. The Government is actively following through the Major Transport Infrastructure Development Blueprint for Hong Kong, under which the Hung Shui Kiu Station and the NOL Main Line are to commence construction this year and next year for tentative completion in 2030 and 2034 respectively. In parallel, cross‑boundary railway projects are pressed ahead at full speed, including the Hong Kong‑Shenzhen Western Rail Link (Hung Shui Kiu‑Qianhai) and the NOL Spur Line, to enhance linkage between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
Build Smart and Green Mass Transit Systems
184. Devoted to take forward the three smart and green mass transit systems, and for compressing the time required for construction, we invited suppliers and operators to submit expressions of interest for the East Kowloon and Kai Tak projects this August. We will invite expressions of interest for the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen projects later this year. Through innovative implementation mode and construction methods, we aim to complete the Kai Tak project three years ahead of the original target completion date.
(D) Deepen Reform of the Healthcare System
185. To enhance the health of the people of Hong Kong, improve healthcare protection and quality, and capitalise on our healthcare professions' strengths, the Government will conduct a comprehensive review on the positioning and objectives of the healthcare system. The review will cover the following areas: reforming the functions and division of work among the Hospital Authority (HA), the Department of Health (DH) and the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHCCommission), strengthening health promotion and disease prevention in primary healthcare, and improving public healthcare services. In parallel, we will reform private healthcare services in terms of their quality, cost‑effectiveness and price transparency, providing the public with high quality, cost‑effective and affordable healthcare service options. We will also support manpower training and technology innovation, helping to uphold the global standing and regional advantage of Hong Kong's healthcare professions. This will also be conducive to the development of Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub, an advanced medical service centre in Asia, a place where medical professionals cluster, as well as a bridge for East‑and‑West healthcare exchanges.
Advance Primary Healthcare Development
186. The Government will promote the development of primary healthcare on all fronts, including:
(i) formulating legislation to strengthen the regulatory framework of primary healthcare and authorise the PHC Commission to set up quality assurance and monitoring mechanisms;
(ii) developing a community drug formulary and launching a community pharmacy programme to help the public obtain affordable, primary‑healthcare drugs through central purchasing and the community network;
(iii) devising health promotion strategies by adopting a life‑course framework to formulate health management plans for the public according to age and health conditions;
(iv) revamping maternal and child health and family‑planning services to strengthen pre‑pregnancy counselling and parental education and promote healthy fertility;
(v) strengthening the Whole School Health Programme to recommend targeted school‑based measures for physical activities, meals and other matters for each school to improve students' physical and psychological well‑being;
(vi) upgrading more District Health Centre Expresses into District Health Centres (DHCs), and expanding the service network, and integrating the services of Woman Health Centres and Elderly Health Centres;
(vii) expanding the Chronic Disease Co‑Care Pilot Scheme to cover blood lipid testing; positioning the HA's general out‑patient services as the comprehensive, primary healthcare service providers for the underprivileged;
(viii) formulating risk‑based screening programmes for prevalent cancers on a gradual basis, including breast cancer screening, exploring the use of AI to assist lung cancer screening, and implementing hepatitis B screening to prevent liver cancer;
(ix) launching a Primary Dental Co‑Care Pilot Scheme for Adolescents to encourage the prevention of dental diseases, as well as a Community Dental Support Programme to enhance dental services for underprivileged groups. This would include elderly persons in financial hardship, replacing the Community Care Fund Elderly Dental Assistance Programme, and introducing preventive dental services for pre‑school children; and
(x) continuing efforts in tobacco control.
Enhance Public and Private Healthcare Services
187. The Government will strengthen the HA's public healthcare services, including:
(i) reviewing the structure and levels of the HA's fees and charges to encourage prudent use of services and direct resources to patients who need them most and for those with serious or critical conditions, while increasing support for patients with financial difficulties and strengthening the financial sustainability of the targeted subsidisation of public healthcare services;
(ii) strengthening the centralised procurement of drugs and medical devices by various clusters of the HA system in order to enhance their bargaining power and to expedite, in a more proactive manner, the introduction of new drugs, meeting efficacy and cost‑effectiveness standards to the Drug Formulary;
(iii) formulating a directory for inherited and rare diseases by using the Hong Kong Genome Institute's genomic data, thereby facilitating early diagnosis and treatment by clinical teams, while supporting relevant research and clinical trials to promote precision medicine;
(iv) fully integrating the paediatric services of various clusters at Hong Kong Children's Hospital and developing more advanced healthcare services to make the best use of the Children's Hospital;
(v) finalising the projects and timetable of the Second Hospital Development Plan to dovetail with the development of the Northern Metropolis and to address the needs of local districts;
(vi) setting up, in accordance with national accreditation standards, the first stroke centre and the second chest pain centre;
(vii) enhancing the triage system and referral arrangements for specialist out‑patient services, including setting up inter‑specialty, integrated, out‑patient clinics to avoid the need for multiple referrals; and
(viii) increasing the service capacity for cataract surgeries by at least 20%.
188. The Government will also enhance the quality and efficiency of healthcare services, including:
(i) establishing a professional platform for developing evidence‑based clinical protocols and exploring the feasibility of devising service quality and efficiency standards for public and private healthcare sectors;
(ii) developing quality indicators for public and private healthcare systems and exploring legislating for private healthcare price transparency to enhance service efficiency and address the issue of medical inflation, with the plan to consult the healthcare sector next year; and
(iii) amending relevant legislation to require all healthcare providers to deposit essential health data in the personal eHealth accounts of members of the public, enabling the latter to have more complete electronic health records and enhance continuity of medical care.
Bring in More Healthcare Professionals
189. We will promote the use of the legislation passed earlier to proactively admit more non‑local doctors, nurses and dentists to enhance manpower. The Government will introduce a bill on the admission of qualified non‑locally trained supplementary medical professionals next year.
Support Establishment of a Third Medical School
190. In addition to increasing training places of the existing two medical schools, the Government supports the plan, by local universities, to establish a third medical school, increasing the number of doctors and supporting the city's development as an international health‑ and medical‑innovation hub. A task group will be set up, inviting universities interested in establishing the new medical school to submit proposals. The Government will set aside sites in the Northern Metropolis Ngau Tam Mei to develop the new medical school campus and build an integrated medical teaching and research hospital.
Promote Development of Chinese Medicine
191. To develop Hong Kong into a bridgehead for the internationalisation of Chinese medicine (CM), the Government will make use of Hong Kong's advantages in its healthcare system, regulatory regime, standard‑setting, clinical research and trade, and other areas. We will publish the CM Development Blueprint next year, and take forward the following measures:
(i) exploring the application of big data to foster international research collaboration on herb‑drug interaction to discover more evidence of clinical significance, promoting the internationalisation of CM;
(ii) expanding integrated Chinese‑Western medicine services to cover more diseases in which CM has an advantage, including respiratory diseases and knee osteoarthritis, and to progressively extend the cancer care programme to all hospital clusters;
(iii) rolling out the first Chinese Medicine Hospital and the permanent premises of the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute, which are expected to be completed and begin phased operation next year; and
(iv) organising the first edition of the Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Cultural Festival to promote the culture of CM in collaboration with the industry.
Promote Mental Health
192. The Government will extend integrated services based on a medical‑educational‑social collaboration model to promote mental health. Relevant measures include:
(i) formulating a stepped care model for mental health – We will develop a multi‑disciplinary framework with tiers, from dealing with general emotional problems in the frontline to handling cases requiring follow‑up and more serious mental illnesses cases. The framework sets out the roles of different professionals (such as teaching staff, social workers and healthcare workers) and their division of work in the provision of mental health services for cases in each tier, enabling them to work together and perform their respective roles smoothly;
(ii) raising community awareness of mental health – An annual promotional theme will be set for the Mental Health Workplace Charter, and recognition will be given to participating organisations for achieving targets. We will also promote the 4Rs Mental Health Charter in schools to promote the mental health of students, teaching staff and parents in a more holistic manner;
(iii) enhancing support for children and adolescents – We will extend and enhance the Three‑Tier School‑based Emergency Mechanism, and launch the "Mental Health Literacy" resource packages for senior secondary and lower primary levels. A real‑time, online youth‑emotional‑support platform will be set up in the second quarter of next year;
(iv) facilitating the integration of persons in mental recovery into the community – We will set up Transitional Support Service Teams for Persons in Mental Recovery, offering support to discharged patients waitlisted for halfway house service. The Social Welfare Department (SWD) will also set up an additional Integrated Community Centre for Mental Wellness; and
(v) strengthening teacher training and parent education – We will strengthen teachers' capacity in the early identification of, and support for, students with mental health needs, and assist parents in acquiring the knowledge and skills in addressing children's mental health.
(E)Build a Caring and Inclusive Society
193. I attach great importance to building a harmonious and stable community, one that is caring and inclusive, providing targeted assistance to the underprivileged and families in need. Social welfare tops public expenditures of all policy portfolios, with more than $300million spent on social welfare each day. This underlines the Government's emphasis on social welfare.
Targeted Poverty Alleviation
194. The Government has adopted the strategy of targeted poverty alleviation by directing resources to those most in need. This approach is well‑received by the community. We will focus on the following key areas:
(i) expanding the Strive and Rise Programme – We will launch the third cohort of the programme this year to recruit 4 000 mentees. We will also encourage youth leaders of the Alumni Club to organise activities for self‑development, enhance training for mentors and related initiatives;
(ii) extending the Pilot Programme on Community Living Room (CLR) – We will set up three additional CLRs next year in areas clustered with SDUs. They are expected to benefit about 1 300 target households, serving about 200 000 attendances a year. Including the four CLRs already launched, they are expected to serve about 3 050 SDU households, drawing about 470 000 attendances a year;
(iii) enhancing the School‑based After‑School Care Service Scheme – Beginning this school year, the number of primary schools covered by the Scheme will increase from 50 to over 110, enabling students in need to stay at school outside school hours for care and learning support, allowing their parents to take up jobs. Subject to actual utilisation and outcome of the scheme, we plan to encourage more schools to participate in the scheme, without capping the number of places, in the 2025/26 school year; and
(iv) subsidising elderly recipients of the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) to reside in residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) in the Guangdong Province – We will launch a three‑year pilot scheme next year to subsidise elderly CSSA recipients retiring in Guangdong to reside in designated RCHEs in the Guangdong Province. Each eligible elderly person will receive a monthly subsidy of $5,000, subject to a quota of 1 000.
Care for the Elderly
195. The Government attaches great importance to caring for the elderly in need and has been constantly strengthening elderly services. The total number of vouchers under the Residential Care Service Voucher Scheme for the Elderly will be increased by 20% to 6 000, allowing more frail elderly persons to be admitted to RCHEs of their choice and receive subsidised care services without waiting.
196. We will enhance the Residential Care Services Scheme in Guangdong to provide more choices and support for elderly persons who opt to stay in RCHEs in the province. Relevant measures include:
(i) increasing the number of participating RCHEs from the existing 4 to 11 in November 2024;
(ii) sharing part of the elderly participants' medical expenses in Guangdong; and
(iii) engaging organisations to provide care services for participating elderly persons to help them adapt to living in Guangdong.
197. We are providing, through the Special Scheme to Import Care Workers for RCHs, additional manpower support for local residential care homes (RCHs) and enhancing their staff quality. We are also conducting a holistic review of the skill and qualification requirements of RCH staff providing health and rehabilitation services, including the creation of promotion ranks for incumbent health workers and the relaxation of the academic qualification for the Certificate in Progression Training for Care Workers programme. The review is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
198. The Government is also discussing with the banking sector possible ways to enable Hong Kong elderly persons retiring in Guangdong and Fujian Provinces to receive portable cash assistance from the Government more conveniently through banks.
Support Carers
199. The Government is committed to supporting carers. In addition to providing carers' allowance, respite services, a one‑stop information gateway and the 24‑hour Designated Hotline for Carer Support 182 183, we launched the District Services and Community Care Teams – Pilot Scheme on Supporting Elderly and Carers in Tsuen Wan and Southern District this March. Trained by the SWD, Care Teams of the two districts identify and reach out to households in need, and provide support to the elderly and carers who seek help from the Designated Hotline. The scheme has achieved good results. In the past six months, the Care Teams visited 4 700 families and referred about 900 cases to social welfare organisations for follow‑up. Next year, we will extend the scheme to across the territory, supporting elderly persons and carers in all 18 districts.
200. We will also explore the setting up of an inter‑disciplinary and inter‑organisation database. It will cover carers of elderly persons and carers of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and the use of identification tools designed by university teams for the detection of high‑risk cases and early intervention and support.
Strengthen Support for Persons with Disabilities
201. We will further enhance the rehabilitation services for PWDs, including:
(i) establishing 14Integrated Community Rehabilitation Centres across the city with the provision of 1 280additional service places, to support PWDs based on their individual needs and rehabilitation progress through an integrated, case‑management approach;
(ii) creating 90additional peer‑support posts to enhance peer assistance for PWDs and their carers;
(iii) setting up an additional District Support Centre for PWDs in New Territories East; and
(iv) providing about 1 040additional places for day, residential and pre‑school rehabilitation services, and exploring the establishment of Special Child Care Centres on vacant kindergarten premises.
202. To encourage and support PWDs to engage in employment, the Government will introduce the "Caring Employer" medal, commending employers who actively engage PWDs; promote the establishment of more social enterprises engaging PWDs; and enhance the services and training models of sheltered workshops and integrated vocational rehabilitation services centres, building a better vocational rehabilitation and training ladder for PWDs.
Promote Women's Development
203. There are many women in Hong Kong playing leading roles. To promote women's workplace development, we will establish a network run by leading women from all walks of life and launch a mentorship programme "She Inspires". Under the programme, female university students will be paired with mentors from the senior management of different sectors.
Support Working Parents
204. To support working parents, I announced the setting up of 10 aided, standalone, child care centres last year. The Government will set up one more child care centre providing 100 additional places for day child care services. Service places under the Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project will be increased by 25%, to 2 500, with the estimated number of beneficiaries increasing to 25 000.
Protect Children
205. The LegCo has enacted the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance to require professionals in the social welfare, education and healthcare sectors to report serious child‑abuse cases. To strengthen parental education, the SWD will launch a pilot scheme to set up four Community Parents and Children Centres to promote parent‑child interaction and pass on positive‑parenting skills to parents through play‑based services, supporting families in need.
Provide Support for Ethnic Minorities
206. To help ethnic minorities (EMs) better integrate into the community, I announced the setting up of two additional support‑service centres for EMs last year, which will begin operation by the end of this year. The Government will engage one more support service centre to provide interpretation and translation services for EMs next year, reducing language barrier concerns. The EDB will strengthen Chinese learning support and parental assistance for non‑Chinese speaking (NCS) students (including EM students), providing after‑school Chinese‑language courses, enhancing the Online Chinese Language Self‑learning Resources and organising cross‑school, teacher‑learning communities. The EDB will also provide parental education activities for the parents of NCS children.
Care Teams
207. Care Teams are the Government's key service teams under the improved district governance structure. Fully launched across the city last year, all 452 Care Teams have been working diligently and providing a wide range of caring and support services for the community. To date, they have visited about 230 000 elderly households and other households in need, and provided over 22 000 counts of simple household care or other support services. Their service have been well‑received by the public. The Government will regularise the funding provision for Care Teams and increase funding by 50% in the next term of service in support of their work.
(To be continued.)
