CENTRAL: This means administrative costs will amount to 2.9 per cent of the HK$11 billion scheme, much higher than in 2011, when costs were only 0.5 per cent of a HK$37 billion giveaway.
In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council, the government explained that the bulk of the costs would go towards hiring 706 temporary staff and renting an office for a year, with the rest spent on IT, publicity and other operating expenses.It estimated that 3 million people would benefit from the handouts. They would need to apply to the Social Welfare Department’s Working Family Allowance Office, and applications would be open for a three-month period from February 1 to April 30 next year.
