Humanitarian assistance given to non-refoulement claimants

Dear Carissa TSANG,

Code on Access to Information - Application No. 161/2020

Our department has received your request for access to information on 8
September 2020. Your application is now under processing. According to
paragraph 1.16 of the Code on Access to Information, our department will
inform you of the latest progress of the case separately on or before 28
September 2020. In the meantime, please contact me at 2892 5642 if you
have any enquiry.

Regards,

Ms Winnie HUNG

for Director of Social Welfare

-----Carissa Tsang <[FOI #500 email]> 撰寫:-----
收件人: FOI requests at Social Welfare Department <[Social Welfare Department request email]>
寄件人: Carissa Tsang <[FOI #500 email]>
日期: 09/08/2020 04:37下午
主旨: Freedom of Information request - Humanitarian assistance given to
non-refoulement claimants

Dear Social Welfare Department,

Please can you provide a yearly breakdown from 2014 to Q2 2020 on the
statistics for:

(1) the amount of humanitarian assistance given to non-refoulement
claimants

(2) the number of claimants who have received humanitarian assistance

(3) the amount of humanitarian assistance given to non-refoulement
claimants in Hong Kong who are over 18

(4) the number of claimants, over 18, who have received humanitarian
assistance

Yours faithfully,
Carissa Tsang

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #500 email]

Is [Social Welfare Department request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Social Welfare Department? If so, please contact us using this
form:
[1]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[2]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
2. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

Dear Carissa TSANG,

Code on Access to Information - Application No. 161/2020

I refer to your email dated 8 September 2020, enquiring a yearly breakdown
from 2014 to Q2 2020 on the statistics for:

(1) the amount of humanitarian assistance given to non-refoulement
claimants;

(2) the number of claimants who have received humanitarian assistance;

(3) the amount of humanitarian assistance given to non-refoulement
claimants in Hong Kong who are over 18; and

(4) the number of claimants, over 18, who have received humanitarian
assistance.

Subsequent to our interim reply to you on 15 September 2020, please find
our reply below.

2. Since 2006, on humanitarian grounds, the Government has been
engaging non-governmental organisation to, depending on the circumstances
of individual cases, provide humanitarian assistance to non-refoulement
claimants who are deprived of basic needs during their presence in Hong
Kong so that they will not become destitute. The assistance covers
accommodation-related assistance (monthly rent allowance per adult and
child is $1,500 and $750 respectively, plus rent deposit of up to $3,000
or an amount equivalent to two months of rent [whichever is the less],
plus property agent fee of up to $750 or an amount equivalent to the rent
for half a month [whichever is the less]), basic utilities allowance ($300
per month), food ($1,200 per month), transportation allowance (ranging
from $200 to $420 per month), other basic necessities (offered in-kind).

3. For enquiry (1) above, the expenditure of humanitarian
assistance provided to non-refoulement claimants from Financial Year
2014-15 to 2019-20 is tabulated below.

Financial Year Total Expenditure

($ million)
2014-15 254
2015-16 485
2016-17 724
2017-18 582
2018-19 525
2019-20 477

4. For enquiries (2) and (4) above, the total number of service
users with breakdown by age from Financial Year 2014-15 to 2019-20 is
tabulated below.

Financial Year No. of Total No. of Service Users

Service Users Aged 18 or Above
2014-15 8 594 7 946
2015-16 12 671 11 832
2016-17 13 738 12 674
2017-18 12 365 11 254
2018-19 10 842 9 783
2019-20 10 711 9 615

5. For enquiry (3) above, please note that the Social Welfare
Department has no information on the expenditure of humanitarian
assistance breakdown by age.

6. Thank you.

Regards,

Ms Winnie HUNG

for Director of Social Welfare

-----Enquiry DAIO/SWDNET/SWD/HKSARG 撰寫:-----
收件人: Carissa Tsang <[FOI #500 email]>
寄件人: Enquiry DAIO/SWDNET/SWD/HKSARG
日期: 09/15/2020 12:59下午
主旨: Code on Access to Information - Application No. 161/2020

Dear Carissa TSANG,

Code on Access to Information - Application No. 161/2020

Our department has received your request for access to information on 8
September 2020. Your application is now under processing. According to
paragraph 1.16 of the Code on Access to Information, our department will
inform you of the latest progress of the case separately on or before 28
September 2020. In the meantime, please contact me at 2892 5642 if you
have any enquiry.

Regards,

Ms Winnie HUNG

for Director of Social Welf

are

-----Carissa Tsang <[FOI #500 email]> 撰寫:-----
收件人: FOI requests at Social Welfare Department <[Social Welfare Department request email]>
寄件人: Carissa Tsang <[FOI #500 email]>
日期: 09/08/2020 04:37下午
主旨: Freedom of Information request - Humanitarian assistance given to
non-refoulement claimants

Dear Social Welfare Department,

Please can you provide a yearly breakdown from 2014 to Q2 2020 on the
statistics for:

(1) the amount of humanitarian assistance given to non-refoulement
claimants

(2) the number of claimants who have received humanitarian assistance

(3) the amount of humanitarian assistance given to non-refoulement
claimants in Hong Kong who are over 18

(4) the number of claimants, over 18, who have received humanitarian
assistance

Yours faithfully,
Carissa Tsang

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #500 email]

Is [Social Welfare Department request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information
requests to Social Welfare Department? If so, please contact us using this
form:
[1]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[2]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
2. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

Dear Carissa TSANG,

Code on Access to Information - Application No. 161/2020

Our department has received your request for access to information on 24
September 2020. Your application is now under processing. According to
paragraph 1.16 of the Code on Access to Information, our department will
inform you of the latest progress of the case separately on or before 14
October 2020. In the meantime, please contact me at 2892 5642 if you have
any enquiry.

Regards,

Ms Winnie HUNG

for Director of Social Welfare

-----Carissa Tsang <[索取資料要求電郵#500]> 撰寫:-----
收件人: FOI requests at Social Welfare Department <[社會福利署供索取資料的電郵]>
寄件人: Carissa Tsang <[索取資料要求電郵#500]>
日期: 09/24/2020 05:41下午
主旨: Re: å›žè¦†: Code on Access to Information - Application No. 161/2020

Dear Social Welfare Department,

Thank you for your response.

I would like to follow up with some clarifications for the total
expenditure in humanitarian assistance from 2014 - 2020.

[1]https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/2020...

According to a written reply by the Secretary for Security (link above),
the total expenditure on humanitarian assistance starting from financial
year 2015-16 does not match with the statistics you have provided.

Please clarify which set of data is accurate. Also would you please kindly
explain why the estimation for 2020-21 has such a stark increase according
to the Secretary's reply.

Thank you,
Carissa Tsang

Yours faithfully,

Carissa Tsang

-----Original Message-----

Dear Carissa TSANG,

Code on Access to Information - Application No. 161/2020

I refer to your email dated 8 September 2020, enquiring a yearly
breakdown
from 2014 to Q2 2020 on the statistics for:

(1) the amount of humanitarian assistance given to non-refoulement
claimants;

(2) the number of claimants who have received humanitarian assistance;

(3) the amount of humanitarian assistance given to non-refoulement
claimants in Hong Kong who are over 18; and

(4) the number of claimants, over 18, who have received humanitarian
assistance.

Subsequent to our interim reply to you on 15 September 2020, please find
our reply below.

2. Since 2006, on humanitarian grounds, the Government has been
engaging non-governmental organisation to, depending on the circumstances
of individual cases, provide humanitarian assistance to non-refoulement
claimants who are deprived of basic needs during their presence in Hong
Kong so that they will not become destitute. The assistance covers
accommodation-related assistance (monthly rent allowance per adult and
child is $1,500 and $750 respectively, plus rent deposit of up to $3,000
or an amount equivalent to two months of rent [whichever is the less],
plus property agent fee of up to $750 or an amount equivalent to the rent
for half a month [whichever is the less]), basic utilities allowance
($300
per month), food ($1,200 per month), transportation allowance (ranging
from $200 to $420 per month), other basic necessities (offered in-kind).

3. For enquiry (1) above, the expenditure of humanitarian
assistance provided to non-refoulement claimants from Financial Year
2014-15 to 2019-20 is tabulated below.

Financial Year Total Expenditure

($ million)
2014-15 254
2015-16 485
2016-17 724
2017-18 582
2018-19 525
2019-20 477

4. For enquiries (2) and (4) above, the total number of service
users with breakdown by age from Financial Year 2014-15 to 2019-20 is
tabulated below.

Financial Year No. of Total No. of Service Users

Service Users Aged 18 or Above
2014-15 8 594 7 946
2015-16 12 671 11 832
2016-17 13 738 12 674
2017-18 12 365 11 254
2018-19 10 842 9 783
2019-20 10 711 9 615

5. For enquiry (3) above, please note that the Social Welfare
Department has no information on the expenditure of humanitarian
assistance breakdown by age.

6. Thank you.

Regards,

Ms Winnie HUNG

for Director of Social Welfare

-----Enquiry DAIO/SWDNET/SWD/HKSARG 撰寫:-----
收件人: Carissa Tsang <[FOI #500 email]>
寄件人: Enquiry DAIO/SWDNET/SWD/HKSARG
日期: 09/15/2020 12:59下午
主旨: Code on Access to Information - Application No. 161/2020

Dear Carissa TSANG,

Code on Access to Information - Application No. 161/2020

Our department has received your request for access to information on 8
September 2020. Your application is now under processing. According to
paragraph 1.16 of the Code on Access to Information, our department will
inform you of the latest progress of the case separately on or before 28
September 2020. In the meantime, please contact me at 2892 5642 if you
have any enquiry.

Regards,

Ms Winnie HUNG

for Director of Social Welf

are

-----Carissa Tsang <[FOI #500 email]> 撰寫:-----
收件人: FOI requests at Social Welfare Department <[Social Welfare
Department request email]>
寄件人: Carissa Tsang <[FOI #500 email]>
日期: 09/08/2020 04:37下午
主旨: Freedom of Information request - Humanitarian assistance given to
non-refoulement claimants

Dear Social Welfare Department,

Please can you provide a yearly breakdown from 2014 to Q2 2020 on the
statistics for:

(1) the amount of humanitarian assistance given to non-refoulement
claimants

(2) the number of claimants who have received humanitarian assistance

(3) the amount of humanitarian assistance given to non-refoulement
claimants in Hong Kong who are over 18

(4) the number of claimants, over 18, who have received humanitarian
assistance

Yours faithfully,
Carissa Tsang

-------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a request under the Code of Access to Information facilitated via
the accessinfo.hk website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #500 email]

Is [Social Welfare Department request email] the wrong address for
Freedom of Information
requests to Social Welfare Department? If so, please contact us using
this
form:
[1][2]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[2][3]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1.
[4]https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
2. [5]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[索取資料要求電郵#500]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
[6]https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/2020...
2. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
3. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
4. https://accessinfo.hk/en/change_request/...
5. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers
6. https://accessinfo.hk/en/help/officers

hide quoted sections

Dear Carissa TSANG,

Code on Access to Information - Application No. 161/2020

I refer to your email dated 24 September 2020, enquiring on the following
items:

(1) which set of data as provided by the Secretary for Security and the
Social Welfare Department (“SWD”) is accurate; and
(2) why the estimation for 2020-21 has such a stark increase according to
the Secretary’s reply.

Subsequent to our interim reply to you on 29 September 2020, please find
our reply below.

2. For enquiry (1) above, you may wish to note that both sets
of expenditures of the humanitarian assistance provided to non-refoulement
claimants are correct. The figures provided in SWD’s reply have not
included the relevant staff cost of SWD. It should also be noted that the
expenditures of 2019-20 and 2020-21 are estimates which are not final.

3. For enquiry (2) above as regards the increase of estimates
for 2020-21, the draft estimate is part of a government budgetary process
and it is to ensure that there will be sufficient funds to cope with the
estimated service need. During the financial year, SWD will review the
expenditure estimates and revise so as and when appropriate.

4. Thank you.

Regards,

Ms Winnie HUNG

for Director of Social Welfare

-----Enquiry DAIO/SWDNET/SWD/HKSARG 撰寫:-----
收件人: Carissa Tsang <[索取資料要求電郵#500]>
寄件人: Enquiry DAIO/SWDNET/SWD/HKSARG
日期: 09/29/2020 11:08上午
主旨: 回覆: Re: å›žè¦†: Code on Access to Information - Application No.
161/2020