（附音效檔）Poverty line on agenda for body

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(The Standard P.7  11 Dec 2012)Drawing a poverty line(貧困線) can be an effective tool(有效的方法) for analyzing(分析) the situation on hardship in society and assessing(評價) the effectiveness of policies, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said.

Speaking at the first meeting of the re-established Poverty Commission yesterday, Leung said his government is committed to addressing poverty in five major areas - economic development, housing, aging, youth and the environment.

The commission was disbanded(解散) in 2007 but its re-establishment(重設立) was one of the policies in Leung's election manifesto (選舉宣言).

The new commission, set up on November 9, comprises 18 non-official members and four ex-officio members. Their term began on December 1 and will end in November 2014.

"Poverty problems have always been there and have become more varied and complicated(複雜的). This could be observed from jobs, elderly and youth poverty," Leung said.

"To get this solved, we have to be more determined(堅定的), with the help of the commission and society."

He said a poverty line is important in highly developed societies, such as Hong Kong, so as to provide social justice(公平). Leung highlighted(強調)that the commission will draw a poverty line.

"It is necessary to draw a poverty line applicable(適用於)to Hong Kong, the first time this is being done, as it is important to understand the situation in a more scientific(精確的) way."

The commission has set up six task forces to focus on six specific areas, four of which ride on Leung's policies - social security and retirement protection; education, employment and training; societal engagement; special needs groups; the Community Care Fund; and social innovation and entrepreneurship development.

Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, who will head the commission, denied(否認) suggestions that by limiting discussion to policies, the government will restrict(約束)the task forces from looking at the bigger picture.

"It does not mean that we cannot explore(探究) areas which have not been mentioned," she said.

Meanwhile, commission member Michael Tien Puk-sun said more representatives from the commercial sector(商業部分) should be added to the body.

Beatrice Siu